GS1 US University

GS1 Digital Link

Connect your customers to the product information
they want and need

Setting GS1 Digital Link in Motion

GS1 DIGITAL LINK

Setting GS1 Digital Link in

Motion

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 2

GS1 Standards – The Foundation of GS1 Digital Link

_____________________________________
Identify GS1 Identification Numbers
Companies, Products, Locations,
Logistics, Assets, and Services
Identify your company with GLN
Identify your products with GTIN
_____________________________________
Capture GS1 Data Carriers
Barcodes and EPC®-enabled RFID
Capture your GTIN in a 2D barcode utilizing
GS1 Digital Link syntax such as a QR Code or Data Matrix

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 3

Summary of How to Get Started

If you are new to GS1 Standards

License a GS1 Company Prefix and assign GS1 identifiers to each of your products
• Leverage existing GS1 Standards
- If you only sell products via e-commerce, you can utilize
2D data carriers with GS1 Digital Link syntax
- If you sell products out of physical stores only or in
addition to e-commerce, you will need a U.P.C.* barcode
until 2027 along with a 2D data carrier with GS1 Digital
Link syntax
- If you currently use a 2D data carrier for customer
engagement on your product, consider modifying this to a
GS1 Digital Link that can continue to enable the current
proprietary experience and more
In this publication, the letters “U.P.C.” are used solely as an abbreviation for the “Universal Product Code”, which is a product identification system. They do not refer to the UPC, which is a federally registered
certification mark of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to certify compliance with a Uniform Plumbing Code as authorized by IAPMO.

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 4

Getting Started With Digital Link – Consumer
Engagement
Web pages for GTIN/ 2D barcode with GTIN only
class-level product information using Digital Link standard
URL syntax

https://dalgiardino.com/01/09506000134352
(gtin)

Dal Giardino is a fictitious brand used to illustrate these examples; images provided courtesy of sgk (www.sgkinc.com)

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 5

Moving From 1D to Digital Link

Taking the same example again

Who Does the Work

• Smart Phone Camera
https://dalgiardino.com/01/09506000134352
• Retailers Application
• Brands Application
Add Domain Add redirectors Add the
(https makes • URL Application • POS Configuration
it secure) • Tells it where to Identifier for GTIN
take the user (“01”) • GS1 US Solution Partners

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 6

Getting Started Example

Assumptions:
• The brand owner has a website with a page per product
(i.e., there is something relevant to link to)
• The brand owner wants to use a QR code for consumer interaction

https://dalgiardino.com/01/09506000134352

Features
• On the brand owner’s domain name
• Follows the GS1 DL syntax
• dalgiardino.com is a website
Dal Giardino is a fictitious brand used to illustrate these examples; images provided courtesy of sgk (www.sgkinc.com)

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 7

What You Get If You Follow That URL

https://dalgiardino.com/01/09506000134352

REDIRECTS TO

https://dalgiardino.com/risotto-rice-with-
mushrooms/

Dal Giardino is a fictitious brand used to illustrate these examples; images provided courtesy of sgk (www.sgkinc.com)

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 8

Another Option to Follow a Single Product URL

https://chips.com/ https://chips.com/ https://chips.com/

01/09506000134359 01/09506000134358 01/09506000134357

REDIRECTS TO

https://chips.com/chips-product-page/

Each flavor can have its own page or they can all redirect to the same.

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 9

Benefits of Starting With GTIN for Consumer
Engagement
• Cameras can scan QR Code with GTIN only providing a
known way for consumers to access the related
product information
• Consumers can see that the GTIN in the URL of the QR
scanned matches the U.P.C. printed on the pack
increasing trust in going to that link
• Point-of-sale scanners will be able to recognize a GTIN
for price lookup from a 2D data carrier in the future,
this prepares a product for that capability
• GS1 Standards remove the need for multiple symbols,
or barcodes, to create multiple proprietary experiences
• Additional use cases can be enabled in the future
without re-labeling products already labeled with
Digital Link GTIN

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 10

Getting Started With Digital Link – Inventory
Management

2D labels with more precise Dynamic printing cycles as

identity than GTIN alone batch/lot, serial number, etc.,
using Digital Link standard are not the same for every
URL syntax. https://dalgiardino.com/
label for the same GTIN.
gtin/09506000134352

Optical scanners at point- Back end retailer systems

of-sale programmed to process, store, and use
to extract additional additional information
information. extracted.

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 11

Finding a GS1 Digital Link-Capable Solution
Provider

https://spfinder.gs1us.org/home

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 12

Coming Soon for GS1 Digital Link

▪ GS1 Digital Link URI Syntax will be included in the GS1 General Specifications,
Release 21.0, January 2021

➢ Initial focus is consumer engagement using mobile devices including GS1

Digital Link URI Syntax for use with QR Code, and Data Matrix
➢ Training will be available for both members and GS1 Solution Partners in
early 2021
❖ The GS1 Digital Link Standard supports additional use cases beyond consumer
engagement, such as at point-of-sale and other enhanced B2B processes. These
environments may not yet be able to leverage GS1 Digital Link, but as capabilities
progress, will be added into the GS1 General Specifications for open use.

Note: Companies can use GS1 Digital Link for more advanced use
cases now.

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 13

Antitrust Caution

GS1 US is committed to complying fully with antitrust laws.

We ask and expect everyone to refrain from discussing prices, margins, discounts,
suppliers, the timing of price changes, marketing or product plans, or other
competitively sensitive topics.

If anyone has concerns about the propriety of a discussion, please inform a

GS1 US® representative as soon as possible.

Please remember to make your own business decisions and that all GS1 Standards
are voluntary and not mandatory.
Please review the complete GS1 US antitrust policy at:
www.gs1us.org/gs1-us-antitrust-compliance-policy

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 14

Legal Disclosure

GS1 US, Inc. is providing this presentation, as is, as a service to interested parties. GS1 US
MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS IN THIS REGARD AND DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTY OF ACCURACY OR
RELIABILITY OF ANY CONTENT, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

GS1 US shall not be liable for any consequential, special, indirect, incidental, liquidated,
exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind or nature whatsoever, or any lost income or profits,
under any theory of liability, arising out of the use of this presentation or any content herein,
even if advised of the possibility of such loss or damage or if such loss or damage could have
been reasonably foreseen.

GS1 US recommends that any organization developing an implementation designed to be in

conformance with the Digital Link Specification should consult with their own counsel to
determine the compliance of such an implementation with any relevant intellectual property or
other rights of third parties.

© 2020 GS1 US All Rights Reserved 15