Which GTIN formats exist?

The common ones are GTIN-8, GTIN-12 (the format historically known as UPC in North America), GTIN-13 (formerly EAN-13) and GTIN-14, which is typically used for trade units such as cartons rather than the consumer item.

Where do the numbers come from?

They are issued through the GS1 system: a company obtains a GS1 company prefix and creates identifiers within it. For retailers, the number normally comes from the manufacturer or brand owner along with the product data — you rarely create it yourself.

Do I need a GTIN to sell online?

It depends on the channel. Many marketplaces use the GTIN to match your offer to an existing product listing and require it for most categories, with defined exemptions. Check the specific requirements of each channel — they set the rules, not us.

What causes GTIN problems in practice?

Usually data handling rather than the standard: leading zeros stripped by spreadsheets, numbers stored as text vs. number, the same GTIN assigned to several variants, or a missing value on longtail items. All of these surface as rejected listings.

GTIN vs. EAN: The Difference and the Formats

Ask three people in e-commerce what the difference between a GTIN and an EAN is and you'll get three answers. The honest one is: mostly none — they're different names from different eras for the same kind of number.

The short version

GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the umbrella term used in the GS1 system. EAN (European Article Number) is the older name for the 13-digit variant, which is officially called GTIN-13 today. When a supplier sends you an "EAN" and a marketplace asks for a "GTIN", they usually mean the same 13 digits.

The formats

Format	Digits	Typically used for
GTIN-8	8	Very small packaging where a full code doesn't fit
GTIN-12	12	The format historically known as UPC in North America
GTIN-13	13	The standard consumer item code, formerly EAN-13
GTIN-14	14	Trade units such as cartons — not the single consumer item

The distinction that trips retailers up most often is the last one: a GTIN-14 identifies the case, not the piece. Putting it on the consumer offer is a common source of rejected listings.

Where the numbers come from

Identifiers are issued through the GS1 system: a company obtains a GS1 company prefix and forms identifiers within it. As a retailer you normally don't create them — the manufacturer or brand owner does, and the number reaches you as part of the product data. GS1 is the authority on the standard itself; for the binding rules, go to their documentation.

Where it actually goes wrong

Almost never in the standard. Nearly always in the handling:

Lost leading zeros. A spreadsheet reads the identifier as a number and silently drops the leading zero. The value looks fine and is wrong.
Text vs. number. The same identifier stored differently in two systems no longer matches.
One identifier on several variants. Different sizes sharing a GTIN break marketplace matching.
Missing on the longtail. Core products have identifiers; accessories and niche items often don't.

Each of these shows up far downstream — as a rejected marketplace listing — long after the actual mistake happened during an import.

Keeping them clean

The fix is structural: treat identifiers as text throughout, validate them on import rather than at upload, make missing values visible per product group, and never let a spreadsheet round-trip be part of your process. In a PIM this is the default behaviour — identifiers are held in a defined field, checked on import and exported per channel unchanged. See also what is a SKU for the internal counterpart.

GTIN vs. EAN: the difference, the formats, and how to manage them

The short version

The formats

Where the numbers come from

Where it actually goes wrong

Keeping them clean

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep identifiers intact across channels

Related Articles