- What is a SKU?
- Best practices for creating SKUs
- Requirements
- Barcodes and scancodes
- Required barcode formats
- Duplicate SKUs
What is a SKU?
A SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is a unique identifier assigned to each individual product variant in a catalog. It helps track inventory, manage orders, and streamline operations.
Best practices for creating SKUs
- Use a mix of letters, numbers, and hyphens ( - )
- Keep SKUs 12 characters or fewer when possible
- Avoid slashes ( / ) and backslashes ( \ )
These characters are escaped by the system but can still cause issues in URLs and API queries, especially if your SKU is also used as an Originator ID.
Requirements
- Maximum 255 characters
- No spaces
- If your product has an official UPC, use that as the SKU instead of creating a new one.
A consistent naming pattern like DESIGN-COLOR-GENDER-SIZE keeps things organized.
Barcodes and scancodes
A barcode is a machine-readable code in the form of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines of varying widths. In RyderShip, the result of the scanned barcode is called a Scancode.
All retail items must have a barcode to ensure inventory accuracy and traceability. Each product is assigned at least one barcode and a corresponding scancode in RyderShip.
If the product already has a printed barcode, that barcode will be used as the scancode in RyderShip.
If there is no printed barcode but the item has a SKU, the SKU will be assigned as the scancode, and barcode stickers will be applied at the cost specified in your contract.
Barcodes generated by RyderShip are not UPC codes. If a UPC is required, it must be purchased separately from an authorized UPC vendor.
Required barcode formats
- UPC/EAN
- Code 128
- Code 39
- Code 93
- Code 11
- Various 2 of 5 types
- GS1
- 2D (QR codes), with advance notice for sourcing scanners and limited to specific facilities
Duplicate SKUs
You can learn more about managing duplicate SKUs here.