Calculating How Many UPCs to Buy

One of the most common questions companies ask us when it comes to UPC barcoding is determining “How many UPCs to buy”. Likely the most important consideration is cost – UPC Company Prefixes come with an upfront membership fee and annual renewal fees. Acquire a prefix that has less assignments than you need and you’ll be scrambling to get another prefix. The pricing tiers usually make this a bad deal. But get more assignments than you need and you’ll be paying every year for the surplus numbers. If a GTIN is used or not, you still need to pay annual fees on it!

While it’s expensive to have excess, it is also expensive to make mistakes. Careful consideration of how many UPCs need to be assigned and how your needs may change will help you select the right option.