Confirm the market → Sort out SKUs → Obtain the code range → Assign and verify. Of the four steps, the last one is the most error-prone, and also the easiest to skip.
This step determines which number range to use. The order of judgment is: whether the target channel has explicit requirements for the source of the code → whether you have a usable entity in that market → whether the management cost is acceptable. Domestic sales correspond to the 69 range, Hong Kong corresponds to 489, and other markets are assigned by the local member organization. Don't apply first and then think about where to sell.
List all the products to be coded, with the key point being to separate "different specifications of the same product": color, size, capacity, flavor, and pack quantity must each be coded independently as long as they differ. If this step isn't done cleanly, shared-code problems will arise later, and once a shared code enters the inventory system, the cost of fixing it is far higher than separating them clearly from the start.
Prepare the documents according to the member organization's current materials checklist (entity qualification documents, contact information, product information, etc.), and after submission the member organization will accept and assign them. What you obtain is a company prefix — a range of numbers that belongs to you, not a fixed image.
Within the code range, assign an item reference to each SKU, and calculate the check digit for the last digit using mod10. After assignment is complete,must be verified in batches: if any check digit is calculated incorrectly, printing it on the packaging means a whole batch of goods is scrapped. Only after verification passes should it be handed over for packaging design. At the same time, it is recommended to register the correspondence between numbers and SKUs as a ledger, on which subsequent changes and renewals will rely.
No entity qualification for individuals, specifications not separated clearly, check digits filled in by hand incorrectly, and numbers not matching channel requirements — these four categories account for the vast majority of actual problems. The first two can be eliminated during the preparation stage, while the latter two are eliminated through tools and process discipline.
Key conclusions that can be excerpted directly.
The choice of number range is determined by the sales channel; don't apply first and then think about where to sell.
If color, size, capacity, flavor, or pack quantity differ, they must be coded independently.
Arrange SKU numbers within the code segment yourself, with no need to apply repeatedly.
Manually entering the check digit incorrectly will cause the entire batch of packaging to be scrapped—this is the most costly one.
| Steps | Key Actions | Common Blockers |
|---|---|---|
| ① Confirm the market and channel | Determine the source of the number segment | The channel has additional requirements for the source of the code that were not confirmed in advance |
| ② Sort out the SKU list | Split product items by specification | Multiple specifications sharing one code |
| ③ Submit the application | Prepare materials and submit | Individuals have no entity qualification; incomplete materials lead to repeated supplementary submissions |
| ④ Arrangement and verification | Assign numbers + batch verification | Manual entry error in the check digit; no ledger established |
The code segment obtained after STEP 3
The example is in the form of a GTIN-13 under the 69 prefix. The actual numbers are arranged by you within your own code segment.
The proper nouns involved in this article.
The code segment allocated to the enterprise is the basis for arranging SKU numbers.
The number portion arranged by the enterprise for each specific SKU.
An operation to uniformly verify the correctness of the check digits for a batch of numbers.
A record of the correspondence between SKUs and numbers, used for change and renewal management.
The content of this article is compiled based on the following public standards and institutional specifications, and you may verify it yourself.
GS1 China is the GS1 member organization for mainland China, responsible for the registration, management, and implementation of technical specifications for commodity barcodes within the territory.
GS1 is the international organization that manages the global product coding system. Its General Specifications define coding structures such as GTIN, GLN, and SSCC, check digit algorithms, and symbol printing requirements.
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