We’re sharing insights from a recent client experience with GS1.
GS1 is the organization that provides location prefixes and TIN numbers, commonly known as UPCs, which are essential across both retail and online retail sectors. Did you know that nearly 99.9% of all retail products have a GTIN number? These numbers are typically sourced from GS1. 📦
When purchasing GTINs, you usually buy a set of 10, with the prefix identifying your company. If you’re planning to produce a large number of products over the next five years, it’s a good idea to purchase over 100 or even 500 GTINs—especially if you’re diving into extensive product development. However, if you’re planning to launch only 1 to 5 products in the next 24 months, buying individual GTIN numbers is a more practical option. 🛒
Here’s what happened to us recently: we were purchasing individual GTIN numbers for a client. The client provided us with a link, which we usually double-check, but this time we didn’t. Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing global location numbers instead of the intended individual UPCs. These cost $30 each. 😬 This mistake happened because the client sent us a link for global location numbers, and we assumed it was for GTIN numbers.
Within five minutes of realizing the error, we contacted GS1. However, GS1’s policy—outlined below—states that once payment is made, it is non-refundable. You can cancel your locations or GTIN numbers, but there are no refunds. We really wish this information had been more prominently displayed at checkout or in the shopping cart when adding items. 🛑
Email with policy
Lesson learned: We want to share this experience with all our clients and across the industry to help prevent similar mistakes. If you’re purchasing individual GTIN numbers, double-check that you’re receiving GTIN numbers, not global location numbers. Conversely, if you’re buying global location numbers, ensure you’re not mistakenly purchasing GTIN numbers. Remember, once payments are made, they are non-refundable. 🔍
For your reference, we’ve included the email link from GS1 in this post so you can verify this information. 📧
Link 👉 https://my.gs1us.org/pages/Cancellation_Exchange_Policy