What is an EAN code?
EAN stands for European Article Number, more recently International Article Number. It sometimes also refers to GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). It is a standardised international numerical identification for products and items involved in trade.
EAN is represented as a barcode on products. Through the barcode, you can connect to a database and retrieve the product name and price. This is primarily used by automated cash registers, making it easy to print receipts or confirmations. EANs typically consist of 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits without spaces, commas, or periods.
Do I need EAN codes?
Yes, Alza Trade requires all products to have an EAN code in order to be listed on the platform.
EANs need to be sent in your product feed, so that the current information you provide (availability, price) can be matched with the products we have listed in our system.
Each EAN can only be listed in the feed once — meaning each product has its own unique EAN. Furthermore, each EAN must be valid – which you can check, for example, on websites like: www.eancheck.com.
Having barcodes on your products is practical for other reasons as well. It can speed up and streamline inventory management and product picking using a barcode scanner.
Where do I get EAN codes?
If you are a product manufacturer and do not yet have any EANs, there are several options how you can get them.
The ideal solution is to contact the international nonprofit organisation GS1, which assigns EAN numbers. Regular fees apply here. You can find everything you need at www.gs1cz.org
Another option is the company Barcodes, which assigns numbers for a one-time fee. More information is available at www.barcodes.cz
