What does a SKU number tell you?

A SKU, or Stock Keeping Unit, is a unique number used to internally track a business’ inventory. SKUs are alphanumeric, and should provide information on the most important characteristics of a product — price, color, style, brand, gender, type, and size, for example.

What are the features of SKU?

A SKU is a unique code consisting of letters and numbers that identify characteristics about each product, such as manufacturer, brand, style, color, and size. Companies issue their own unique SKU codes specific to the good and services it sells.

What is a SKU used for?

A stock-keeping unit (SKU) is a scannable bar code to help vendors automatically track the movement of inventory. SKUs are also used for units of repair time units, services, and warranties. SKUs help vendors determine which products require reordering and provide sales data.

Is SKU number unique?

A SKU, which stands for Stock Keeping Unit, is a unique identifier for each of your products that makes it easier to track inventory. SKUs are vital tools for retailers and wholesalers, allowing them to identify products and monitor stock levels across systems and channels.

What is the difference between SKU and barcode?

SKU numbers are unique to individual retailers, whereas UPC barcodes are used universally and remain constant for a product no matter which retailer is selling it. For this reason, a product will retain one UPC code even if it’s assigned different SKU numbers by different companies.

Can SKUs be different lengths?

Make them unique – Create a unique SKU for each inventory item you sell and never reuse a SKU for an item you don’t sell anymore. Keep it short – SKUs should be no more than about 30 characters long. Any longer than that and they become difficult to read and also may not work with some inventory management systems.

What is SKU architecture?

A good SKU architecture will ensure that each product is classified following an internal logic system. The item will therefore be easier to locate and to associate with other catalog management data, such as stock levels, manufacturer or supplier information, shipments and orders, and/or sales forecasts.

Do SKU numbers change?

SKUs, also known as SKU numbers and SKU codes, are used for internal inventory management and are not regulated or universal. This means that different sellers will all have different SKUs for the same product.