- \n
- MPN <\/strong>(Manufacturer Part Number)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- UPC<\/strong> (Universal Product Code)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- EAN<\/strong> (European Article Number)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- GTIN<\/strong> (Global Trade Item Number)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- ISBN (<\/strong>International Standard Book Number)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Since you’ll use these codes quite a lot while you list on eBay, it’s recommended that you get to know them well. And that’s why I’ve written this piece. In the following points, I’ll be explaining how these eBay product identifiers are different from each other and product specifiers, how to find them<\/strong>, and<\/strong> what benefits they get you<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s wait no more and jump right into it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\neBay product identifiers are a crucial part of listing on this marketplace. Speaking of which, have you got every step on how to create a listing on eBay<\/a><\/strong>? If no, check them out right here!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow Do eBay Product Identifiers Differentiate from Each Other?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As mentioned, there are up to 5 types of eBay product identifiers: MPN, UPC, EAN, GTIN, and ISBN<\/strong>. But you just need to take these highlights: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- MPN (Manufacturer Part Number)<\/strong>: A unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer to a specific product to distinguish it from others in the catalog.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- UPC (Universal Product Code)<\/strong>: A standardized barcode used to identify products, primarily in North America.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- EAN (European Article Number)<\/strong>: Similar to UPC, but used predominantly in Europe and other regions outside North America.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)<\/strong>: An umbrella term covering UPC, EAN, and other barcode formats used to uniquely identify trade items globally<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- ISBN (International Standard Book Number)<\/strong>: A unique numeric commercial book identifier used for books and related products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
\n![\"what](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com-5.webp\" "\\"\\"")
eBay product identifiers<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n Let\u2019s dive into the details of each product code available on eBay!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is MPN on eBay?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
On this one of the best-selling platforms, MPN, meaning Manufacturer Part Number, is a series of numbers, letters, or both that manufacturers added to each product as a unique identifie<\/strong>r. The part number (PN) is an identifier often assigned to a specific part of a product (i.e., hardware within a laptop) for later reference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MPNs are more common and important in specific industries that make interchangeable product parts, such as automobiles, machinery, hardware, and computer equipment.<\/strong> MPNs help buyers find the exact item and its model by encrypting information about companies, models, and item specifications in the MPN itself. If buyers need to buy replacement parts, all they have to do is enter the MPN in the search bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, when you need to find a hard drive that works with your Dell computer, and you have the MPN of the drive, you can easily search for it using the MPN<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s say you search it on eBay, you can type the MPN in the search bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Screen-Shot-2022-09-19-at-19.08.43.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou will then get a variety of search results displaying only items that exactly match the MPN you provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the MPN is unlike other eBay product identifiers. So MPN vs UPC? This is not a standard identifier across regions and countries like a UPC and other universal product identifiers.<\/strong> It depends on the manufacturers to decide how their MPNs will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is UPC on eBay?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
UPC stands for Universal Product Code, which is mainly adopted in the United States for retail product packaging. It\u2019s a product identifier in a symbol form – the commonly seen barcode.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
People use UPCs to scan trade items at the point of sale and to track in-store items in terms of stocks and their features (i.e., brand name, size, or color).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a common misconception for many people to consider UPC and GTIN interchangeable or the same thing. However, the UPC is a series of black bars, while the GTIN is a line of identification numbers (we\u2019ll discuss what GTIN is in detail in the later part).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"ebay](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com_.webp\" "\\"\\"")
eBay UPC code<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n A UPC barcode and a GTIN make a universal product identifier for businesses to keep track of their products. It includes two elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Black barcodes;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 12 numbers (GTIN).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is UPC on eBay then? The eBay UPC code is ePID or eBay Product Identification, and it works as a searchable term for products listed on the marketplace.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s a strict requirement that you include ePID in your product listings. If you are also an Amazon seller, product identifiers like UPCs are also a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is EAN on eBay?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
An EAN or European Article Number is a 13-digit barcode that is common in Europe for product specification.<\/strong> The term describes a universal barcode system that is used worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EAN is a compatible term with the UPC in the US market and JAN in the Japanese market. These are parts of the family of the GTIN data structure. The only difference among these representatives is the number of digits appearing under the barcode. For an EAN, it has a 13-digit number instead of a 12-digit number that lies underneath the barcode of a UPC.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"ean](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com-1.webp\" "\\"\\"")
EAN product ID<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n What is GTIN on eBay?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A GTIN or Global Trade Item Number is a line of numbers and characters appearing underneath the black and white lines of a barcode.<\/strong> They represent unique global data structures issued by Uniform Code Council (GS1) – a nonprofit organization that provides a business standard for companies around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a common thing to get confused about EAN vs GTIN. So GTIN data structures include PC (in the US), EAN (in Europe), JAN (in Japan), and ISBN. A GTIN has 12 digits in North America, 13 digits for the rest of the world, and occasionally 8 digits (for very small products).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a breakdown of the family of data structures (not symbologies) within a GTIN:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- GTIN-8 (EAN\/UCC-8): GTINs that are used outside of North America (for very small products);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- GTIN-12 (UPC-A): GTINs that are used mainly in North America;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- GTIN-13 (EAN\/UCC-13): GTINs that are used outside of North America (for the rest of the world);<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- GTIN-14 (EAN\/UCC-14 or ITF-14): GTINs that are used to identify trade items at different packaging levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The special thing about eBay GTIN is its universal popularity. A GTIN can help you sync products and match products in one database with another across regions and countries. GS1 created such numbers to establish a global standard for product identification and issue these numbers to manufacturers and retailers for a fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On eBay, sellers must provide GTINs for all new, relisted, revised, and Good \u2018Til Canceled products, whether they upload them one by one or list multiple items on eBay<\/a>.<\/strong> However, there are still some exceptions for the clothing, footwear, and accessories category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is ISBN on eBay?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
ISBN is short for International Standard Book Number, and it is an eBay product identifier appearing specifically on books.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"eBay](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com-2.webp\" "\\"\\"")
ISBN<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n ISBNs usually have a 13-digit product number, and they are commonly used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, or online retailers on platforms like eBay or Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You must use ISBNs for your book listings on eBay, regardless of their origin, publishers, languages, etc.<\/strong> However, you should pay attention to the book format (i.e., paperback, epub, pdf, etc.), as different book formats have different ISBNs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMore about Product identifiers, don’t forget to check out how they vary with different listing styles, which are known as eBay Auction vs Buy It Now<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nAre Item Specifics and Product Identifiers on eBay The Same?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s easy to mess up between the two terms \u201cItem Specifics\u201d and \u201cProduct Identifiers\u201d when listing products on eBay. So what\u2019s the difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Item Specifics<\/strong>. These are pre-defined product attributes like brand, color, and size that sellers add to each item listing. eBay uses such information to filter its product search when users look for certain features of a specific product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"eBay](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com-4.webp\" "\\"\\"")
eBay item specifics for product filter<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n - \n
- Product Identifiers.<\/strong> On the other hand, product identifiers are codes, barcodes, or both that specify an exact item. It covers all information related to the product, including brand, color, and size. For example, you can search for an exact product (i.e., Hard drive) using a line of numbers and letters (i.e., W6DV1).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow to Find Product Identifiers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- Product Identifiers.<\/strong> On the other hand, product identifiers are codes, barcodes, or both that specify an exact item. It covers all information related to the product, including brand, color, and size. For example, you can search for an exact product (i.e., Hard drive) using a line of numbers and letters (i.e., W6DV1).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Item Specifics<\/strong>. These are pre-defined product attributes like brand, color, and size that sellers add to each item listing. eBay uses such information to filter its product search when users look for certain features of a specific product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
- UPC (Universal Product Code)<\/strong>: A standardized barcode used to identify products, primarily in North America.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- UPC<\/strong> (Universal Product Code)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litcommerce.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/litcommerce.com-6.webp\" "\\"\\"")