GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
Also known as: global trade item number
A globally unique product identifier (the number behind UPC and EAN barcodes) issued via GS1.
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a globally unique number that identifies a trade item, such as a retail product. The familiar UPC (12 digits) and EAN (13 digits) barcodes both encode GTINs. If you sell through retailers or major marketplaces, they will usually require a valid GTIN.
GTINs are issued through GS1, the organisation that manages the standard, via a company prefix. A barcode generator can render any number into a scannable barcode, but only a GS1-issued number is a legitimate, globally unique GTIN.
Internally you still track products by your own SKU; the GTIN is the external, standardised identifier that other companies and their systems recognise.
Put it into practice
Related terms
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)A unique internal code that identifies one specific product variant so you can track and reorder it.
- BarcodeA machine-readable pattern that encodes a number or text so an item can be scanned quickly.
- UPC (Universal Product Code)The 12-digit retail barcode standard used in the US and Canada, encoding a GTIN.
Run it in one system
VNDLY tracks stock, orders, and suppliers together so terms like this stop being theory and start being automatic.