TAS 317: The UPC Code DEBATE - What and Where to BUY?

What do you do if you have all the passion, dedication, vision, and organization to start your own business but technical nuances can sometimes overwhelm you? Don’t give up! You need experienced and thorough experts that can help you navigate complicated waters. Scott and his team at The Amazing Seller have gone through all the tough and “in the weeds” details so don’t have to! Let Scott and Chris guide you on this episode as they break down the UPC code debate, where to get UPCs, and other great business advice! Rest assured, you came to the right place.

What are your options when obtaining a UPC for your product?

If you are just getting started with selling on Amazon, a lot of the recent talk about UPCs can get really confusing. What you need to know is that UPCs are essential to selling your product on Amazon and with other retailers. You might be wondering, “Where do I get a UPC for my product?” You can get a UPC from GS1 or other Third party providers such as Snap. The big difference between these two options is that GS1 gives you ownership of your UPC. They create the unique UPC and hand it to you for a cost. Most third party providers like Snap obtain the first few digits of the UPC from GS1 and then generate the rest. You can verify via GS1 the UPCs that you obtain from Third parties to make sure you are compliant with Amazon’s standards. This might all sound very confusing but Scott and Chris take the time on this episode of The Amazing Seller to break down what this all means and how it directly impacts business owners like you.

What you need to know regarding Amazon’s policy with UPCs

Let’s cut through all the jargon and get to the clear cut information that you need to make sure you are compliant with Amazon’s standards. The last thing you want is to go into selling with Amazon or continuing to sell with them and go off of the wrong information. So here is what Amazon wants you to know regarding their recent change in UPC policy:

“We verify the authenticity of product UPCs by checking the GS1 database. UPCs that do not match the information provided by GS1 will be considered invalid. We recommend obtaining you UPCs directly from GS1 and not from other 3rd parties selling UPC licenses to ensure that the appropriate information is reflected in the GS1 database.”

This means that you CAN continue to get UPCs from 3rd parties but they MUST be verified via GS1. Anyone can verify a UPC through GS1. Don’t panic if your UPC is provided by a party like Snap. Just double check to make sure it is valid via GS1. If it’s not, there are steps you can take to address this. To hear Scott and Chris expand on this topic, listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

Key advice when you are just beginning your business.

Lots of people come out of the woodwork when you start a business to share in your excitement and give you their advice. How do you determine which voices to listen to? It’s kind of like parenting in a lot of ways. When you first find out that you and your spouse are expecting, everyone wants to chime in on how you should start off as new parents. But at the end of the day, the best advice is what Chris mentions on this episode of The Amazing Seller. You can take all these opinions in and consider them but ultimately, you have to do what’s best for you. When all is said and done, you are the one that has to live with the decisions that are made. Don’t allow yourself to get pressured or convinced to take advice that doesn’t sit right with you.

Don’t miss this simple step when starting your business!

When you first decide that you are going to start your own business, emotions are flying. There’s joy, excitement, anxiety, nervousness, and so much more! In the rush of emotions, sometimes you forget the little details that are vital to success. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott talks about one of the early mistakes he made with his photography business that cost time and money him right when things were taking off. Don’t miss out on this great advice. Learn from Scott’s mistake and find out how you can start your business off with your best foot forward!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

• [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
• [1:20] Let’s talk UPCs
• [3:30] Where you can get UPCs
• [9:00] Chris and Scott discuss Pat’s post about UPCs
• [14:00] Renewal fees
• [14:30] Amazon’s policy regarding UPCs
• [21:30] If you are just starting out, here’s what you should do.
• [29:00] Chris’ advice - Do what’s best for you.
• [30:20] What to do when you are coming up with a business name.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Snap UPCs
• GS1 UPCs
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)