Barcodes Updated November 2026 · 8 min read

UPC and GTIN Barcodes Explained: Do You Need One, and Where to Get It

If you resell other brands' products, you'll almost never need to buy a UPC. If you make your own products and want them in retail stores or certain marketplaces, you probably will.

What a UPC actually is

A UPC barcode is a picture of a number. The number is a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), and in the US it's usually 12 digits long (a GTIN-12). The first part of the number is a company prefix licensed to the brand owner by GS1, the nonprofit that runs the system. The middle digits identify the specific product. The last digit is a check digit calculated from the others, so scanners can catch misreads.

Because every company prefix belongs to one company, every GTIN points back to one brand. That's what lets a store, a distributor and a marketplace all agree that they're talking about the same product.

Do you need one?

Your situation	Usually need to buy GTINs?
Reselling branded products (thrifted, retail arbitrage, wholesale)	No. Use the barcode already on the product.
Used, vintage or one-of-a-kind items	No. These typically have no product identifier, and marketplaces allow for that.
Handmade items sold on Etsy, eBay or your own site	Usually no.
Your own brand, sold on Amazon as a new product	Usually yes, unless Amazon grants a product ID exemption. Check Amazon's current rules.
Your own brand in physical retail stores or with distributors	Yes. Retailers generally require GS1-issued GTINs.

eBay asks for a product identifier (UPC, EAN, ISBN, or the brand's part number) when an item has one, and lets you list without one when it doesn't. If an item's box shows a UPC, entering it helps buyers find your listing in search.

Single GTIN vs company prefix

GS1 US offers two routes:

A single GTIN: one number for one product, for a one-time fee (about $30 when we checked, with no annual fee). Good if you have one or two products.
A company prefix: a block of numbers (10, 100, 1,000 and up) with an initial fee and an annual renewal. Better if you'll have several products, sizes or colors, since each variant needs its own GTIN.

Prices change, so confirm on GS1 US's site before you budget. Remember the variant rule: a T-shirt in four sizes and three colors is twelve GTINs, not one.

About cheap UPCs from resellers

You'll see websites selling UPCs for a dollar or two. Many of these numbers come from company prefixes licensed to other businesses before GS1 tightened its rules. They may scan fine, but if anyone looks the number up in GS1's database, it will show another company's name. Retailers and some marketplaces check this. If your product is your brand and you plan to grow, licensing from GS1 is the safer route.

UPCs vs your own labels

You don't need a UPC to put barcodes on your shelves and bins. Internal labels can use Code 128, a barcode type that holds letters, numbers and dashes, so it can encode your SKUs and bin locations directly. Make them free with the bin label maker.

Free tool: Bin Label Maker
Print shelf and bin labels with Code 128 barcodes.

Quick checklist

Reselling? Record the existing UPC with your SKU. Don't buy codes.
Your own product? Decide how many products and variants you'll have in the next two years, then choose a single GTIN or a prefix.
Assign GTINs carefully and never reuse one for a different product.
Keep a list: SKU, GTIN, product description, date assigned.

Common questions

How much does a UPC cost?

GS1 US sells a single GTIN for a one-time fee (about $30 at the time of writing, with no annual renewal) and company prefixes with an initial fee plus an annual fee that rise with how many numbers you need. Check gs1us.org for current prices.

Are cheap UPCs from resellers legitimate?

Many resold codes come from old company prefixes that were licensed to other businesses. They may scan, but the GS1 database will show a different company, and some marketplaces and retailers check that.

Do I need a UPC for handmade items?

Generally no for marketplaces like Etsy or eBay. You may need one if you want to sell through a retailer that requires GS1 barcodes.

Sources

Marketplace and GS1 rules change. Check the linked source before relying on a specific requirement or price.