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ASM Module 3: Purchasing Your UPC  
 

This Lesson Covers: 

1. What Is a UPC? 

2. What Is GS1 and Why Does It Matter?  

3. UPC Costs  

4. Brand Registry  

5. Your Choice  

6. Where to Find UPCs  

1. What Is a UPC?  
UPC stands for Universal Product Code. It is used in many countries for product 
tracking and identification in stores (both online and brick-and-mortar).  
 
Amazon require you to have one UPC for nearly every category. ​You need to obtain a 
Universal Product Code in order to create your listing and send inventory to Amazon​.  

2. What Is GS1 and Why Does It Matter? 

GS1 is an organization that establishes identification standards for various industries, 
and licenses unique GS1 company prefixes, which are necessary to the creation of 
UPCs.  
 

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Anyone selling UPCs are essentially reselling codes they obtained from GS1​.  
 
This is legal ​if they purchased them before 2002​, but Amazon is now strongly 
recommending that sellers use UPCs that they acquire directly from GS1.  
 
Due to Amazon’s current UPC policy, it is important to​ not ​purchase UPCs from: 
 
● People selling bulk UPCs on eBay  
● Resellers who are selling UPCs for as little as $0.10 
 
Resellers like these have been known to sell the same UPC more than once to multiple 
people. 
 
As a result of this, Amazon has changed its UPC policy to help avoid having multiple 
listings in their database using the same UPC, which could lead to confusion for the 
customers. 

3. UPC Costs 
Read this breakdown of how much UPCs will cost you:  
 
● Bought from GS1:  
○ 1–10 = $250 + $50 annual renewal  
○ 1–100 = $750 + $150 annual renewal  
● Bought from Nationwide (a recommended UPC reseller):  
○ 1 = $12  
○ $5 = $25  
○ 10 = $30 

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4. Brand Registry  
Adding your product to Amazon’s ​Brand Registry​ allows you to list your product without 
a UPC—you can assign another unique identifier to replace the UPC.  
 
However, ​you will not be able to apply for Brand Registry until your brand is 
trademarked.   
 
We recommend waiting on this option until your brand is fully established. For now, buy 
the proper UPCs.  

5. Your Best Options for Purchasing UPCs  

Here are your options for purchasing UPCs. Ultimately, choose the one that fits your 
budget and business plan!  
 
1. Buy UPCs directly from GS1  
a. This is Amazon’s official recommendation.  
b. It is more expensive, but is guaranteed to work, and not cause any issues. 
2. Buy UPCs from a trusted reseller  
a. It is simpler and cheaper.  
b. It is unknown whether or not this will cause problems down the line.  
c. We recommend two different resellers (later in this lesson) who we have 
not had any issues with, and who will provide you with a certificate of 
ownership for your UPCs.  
d. Make sure that any seller you buy from provides you with a certificate of 
ownership. 
 

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6. Where to Find UPCs  
Note: ​If you are selling in the UK or Germany, ​you must use a different GS1 location:  
 
● gs1.org/locations/germany  
● gs1.org/locations/united-kingdom   
 
Although the ​locations​ are different, follow the same ​directions​ as below.  
 
We recommend getting your UPCs from these sites:  
 
● www.gs1us.org  
● www.nationwidebarcode.com  
● www.barcodestalk.com  
 
GS1 
 
Take the following steps to purchase your UPCs from GS1:  
 
1. Go to ​www.gs1us.org​.  
2. Click “U.P.C.s, Barcodes, & Prefixes,” and select “Get a GS1 US-Issued Company 
Prefix” from the drop-down menu. This company prefix is what you will use to 
create your UPC codes.  
3. Scroll down the page and click “Access the Barcode Estimator.”  
4. Input the number of products you have that will need barcodes, then input the 
number of products that will need barcodes in the next few years, then click 
“Calculate.” GS1 shows you the price of these barcodes.  

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5. Close the pop-up window, then scroll down the page again and click “Fill out GS1 
Company Prefix Application.”  
6. Click “Skip” on the pop-up menu (since you are not currently a GS1 member).  
7. Enter your primary contact information, then click “Next.”  
8. Scroll down the page and select “1–10” underneath “Choose your Prefix 
Capacity.”  
9. Click the box next to “I understand the above cancellation policy and the 
numbering capacity of my GS1 prefix,” then click “Next.”  
10. Enter your payment information, then click “Next.”  
 
Now that you have completed those steps, GS1 will send you the company prefix. When 
you need to create a UPC, simply log in to your GS1 account, and follow their guided 
instructions.  
 
Nationwidebarcode.com  
 
Nationwide Barcode is a website that resells UPCs. Take these steps to purchase UPCs 
for your product:  
 
1. Go to ​www.nationwidebarcode.com​.  
2. Click “Order Barcodes,” then scroll down the page and enter the number of 
barcodes that you need into the box underneath “Quantity of UPC/EANs needed.”  
3. Enter your personal or business name (for your certificate of authenticity), then 
enter your email address.  
4. Check the box next to “I have clicked on the link, read, understand and agree to 
the Terms and Conditions.”  
5. In the pop-up screen, enter your zip code and a discount code (if you have one), 
then click on the icon for how you want to pay (PayPal, credit card, etc.).   

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6. Enter your payment information, then click “Pay $XX” (the total amount for your 
order).  
7. You are now able to download the following:  
a. Certificate of Authenticity  
b. Spreadsheet of your numbers  
c. Support and Resource Guide  
d. UPC Graphics  
e. EAN Graphics 
 
 

 
Now, it’s time to choose a company, and purchase as many UPCs as you need. Once 
you finish, head over to the next lesson, where you will design your perfect product 
packaging.  
 
 
 

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