How to Setup Your Product Codes
A product code or SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is the unique code made up of either numbers or letters that you use to make reference to your products.
Your supplier may have a different code and your customers may assign their own codes. But if they have no code to start with then they cannot cross reference your new products with the products that you gave them last time on your data spreadsheet.
This can create lots of problems. Each of the products on a website and also on internal databases have a specific product code. Each of these products has it's own page on a website that has it's own backlinks and is used by sales staff to do quotations.
Why should I use Product Codes (SKUs) on my Product Data?
If old product codes don't match new data sheets, then old products have to be deleted and replaced with new ones. This creates new URLs and loses the page rank and link value that had been built up. There are of course ways round this but they are long and tiresome.
How should I setup my product codes?
This is really down to you. There is no set format that I can really suggest for you. Keep it simple, but preferably not too simple. I.e. 1A 1B 1C will still work, but something like Pen-123456 would make it easier for the product code to be identified to you. You could also use a combination of numbers and letters that will help you to identify and find the product within your own database. E.G. PEN-WE-001
Product Code Column Headings
| Field Name | Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| product_sku | Your Part Code | The product code that you use for the product |
| product_mpn | Manufacturers Part Number (MPN) | This is the part code that is assigned by the Manufacturer: See here |
| product_gtin | Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) | Special: See Here |
| product_upc | Universal Product Code (UPC) | Special: See Here |
| product_alt_sku_1 | ProMart Product Code | This is the code that we use for our internal systems. It won't generally be published anywhere. |
| product_alt_sku_2 | Trade Only Search Product Code | The code used on www.tradeonlysearch.com |
| product_alt_sku_3 | Sourcing City Product Code | The code used on www.sourcingcity.co.uk |
| product_alt_sku_4 | Sourcing Machine Product Code | The code used on www.sourcingmachine.co.uk |
| product_alt_sku_6 | The Easy 3D Promo Product Code | The code used on www.easypromo3d.com |