Are There Alternatives to GS1?

Yes.

Many new companies looking to buy UPC codes for Amazon and countless other retailers want to know if there is an alternative to GS1 as their UPC barcode source.  After all, GS1 has virtually no customer service and is incredibly slow and expensive.  GS1 also charges steep annual fees that never end.  These facts alone reduce most people to tears when trying to figure out where and how to purchase barcodes. So,what are the alternatives to GS1? We discuss your options forchoosing the right GS1 barcode option to sell your products on Amazon and other online retail shops.

 

Alternative to GS1 for barcodes

Thankfully, the short answer to the above question is, yes, there is an alternative to GS1. When Buybarcode.com came along in 1999, it became the first and ONLY legitimate alternative to GS1 for barcodes. In fact, Buyabarcode.com remains the only barcode seller whose UPC codes work for all aspects of Amazon (including the Amazon Brand Registry) as well as every other retailer worldwide including Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Kroger’s Grocery Stores.

 

Barcode Issues

Indeed, there are numerous other online UPC barcode sellers selling dirt cheap barcodes in massive quantities who claim to be legitimate.  But the huge problem with these barcode sellers is that the UPC codes they sell DO NOT WORK with the new Amazon barcode requirements or any of the other stores mentioned above (Walmart, Home Depot, etc.). 

 

Amazon Barcode Requirements

Amazon has certain requirements for GS1 UPC codes. For example, in the new Amazon UPC code guidelines, anyone listing a new product must show a direct connection to the company listed in the GS1 database as proof they did not make their UPC numbers up out of thin air.  They must also have their products and company name listed inside the GS1 database.  NONE of these dirt cheap barcode sellers can provide this proof for Amazon UPC codes or list you inside the GS1 database.  Thus,  the UPC codes they sell WILL NOT WORK on Amazon.  There are also many other large retail chains (i.e. Whole Foods) that are also implementing these new Amazon UPC code guidelines and therefore will not accept UPC barcodes from these dirt cheap barcode sellers.

 

Barcodes from Buyabarcode.com

Buyabarcode.com, on the other hand, CAN provide all of the required Amazon UPC code documents AND list your products and company name inside GS1.  Because Buyabarcode.com has purchased all of their barcodes directly from GS1, they can show evidence of your direct connection to the company listed in the GS1 database and provide you with the necessary documentation. They can also place your name company and product name directly into GS1.  This allows Amazon to quickly whitelist your barcodes and allows you to continue with the product listing process.  And not only can Buyabarcode.com sell UPC codes for Amazon, but the barcodes they sell will also work for Walmart, Whole Foods, Best Buy, Costco, and every other retailer in the world using the Amazon UPC code guidelines.

 

GS1 costs way more than Buyabarcode.com

So why would anyone choose to buy barcodes from GS1?  There is no good reason.  GS1 costs way more than Buyabarcode.com plus GS1 charges annual renewal fees.  Buyabarcode.com charges no annual fees.  Buyabarcode.com also has readily available customer service support to answer all of your barcode questions. GS1 does not.

Thus, the best and ONLY alternative to GS1 for legitimate Amazon UPC barcodes and UPC barcodes that work in stores all over the world is Buyabarcode.com.

Hopefully, this article has cleared up one of the most common questions companies have about how and where to buy UPC barcodes. Contact us to learn more about our alternatives to GS1 barcodes. Best of luck launching your new product!

Buy your barcodes with ALL necessary documents required by Amazon and other marketplaces.

We literally wrote the Book on Barcodes! Contains essential information about UPC barcodes and how to succeed on Amazon.

– Erik Quisling

Erik Quisling is the Founder and CEO of Buyabarcode.com. Started in 1999, Buyabarcode.com has been featured in both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and has helped more than 100,000 businesses bring their products to market with barcodes.
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