Retail barcodes – UPC, EAN or ISBN – which do I need?

February 22, 2013

Retail barcodes – UPC, EAN or ISBN – which do I need?

The majority of products which companies or individuals launch to the market need to carry a retail barcode. But which one does your specific product need? Books, newspapers and magazines require a differently formatted barcode from conventional products such as food and beverage products, and other consumer goods. Here we explore how each is made up and explain which barcode you will need to buy for your specific offering.

UPC and EAN Barcodes for normal retail goods: The original...

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The ISSN barcode system in South Africa for magazines and newspapers

November 22, 2012

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If you have published or are going to publish any serial publication, such as newsletters, magazines, journals, newspapers, directories, annual reports or yearbooks and the like – any title which is an on-going publication that is – you will need to buy an ISSN barcode for your work before you go to print. The ISSN is the International Standard Serial Number and allows retailers, libraries, and any other entity which deals with large amounts of serials to locate and track each issue of your publication. Another benefit of having an ISSN assigned is that your serial will be automatically included in the International Serials Directory Database, offering international publicity for your title. Without an ISSN barcode you will battle to get your publication into the major retailers in South Africa. SA Barcodes breaks down the process for you here.

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