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How GS1 US Works with Small Business

Whether you are bringing your product to market for the first time or taking your company to the next level, see how GS1 US makes it easier to do business

GS1 US® helps more than 280,000 small businesses to do business better. We help improve identifying, capturing, and sharing your product information. Through GS1 Standards and leveraging GS1 US’ experience, we can help you run your business with greater efficiency, enhance product safety, and much more.

We work closely with a variety of industries through collaborative, industry-driven initiatives and business readiness programs. Large and small growth-minded business from 25-plus industries rely on our globally accepted GS1 Standards to:

  • Help them get their first barcode(s)
  • Bring their products to market (right the first time)
  • Meet many of their trading partners’ requests
  • Integrate new technologies
  • Be easier to do business with companies they want to work with
  • Grow their business

Through GS1 Standards, businesses, like yours, are empowered to identify and move their inventory efficiently and safely.

Do You Know How Many Barcodes You Need?

Use our barcode estimator tool to discover how many product variations you have! Access the Barcode Estimator >

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How GS1 US is Ready to Help You

If you are asked by your retail trading partner to:

  • Place a Universal Product Code (U.P.C.*) barcode on your product
  • Communicate your information via EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
  • Share product information via the Global Data Synchronization Network™ (GDSN®)

GS1 US is here to help you implement those standards with tools, training, and education.

Visit the Small Business Media Center

Check out our library of short videos to help you select the correct number of barcodes for your business! We also have videos to help you get started using those barcodes. 

GS1 US Member Benefits for Your Small Business

When you obtain your GS1 Company Prefix, you instantly become a member of GS1 US. As a member, we will help you make the most out of your GS1 Company Prefix by giving you unique access to tools and resources, including:

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GS1 US Data Hub® | Product

For small businesses, GS1 US Data Hub | Product is an essential online tool that takes the guesswork out of creating product identifiers and barcodes—helping the small business avoid costly mistakes

Learn More >

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Certified Content Provider Program

Need help creating and managing your product information and images? Want to get your product in front of more buyers?

Read More >

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Member Support

Our Member Support team is a phone call away, with reduced wait times and extended hours to answer your questions

Contact Us >

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Access to myGS1 US

This member-only area of our website gives you access to all of your need-to-know information in one place.You can pay your bill, edit company information, or download your prefix certificate, etc. in this portal. 

Access myGS1 US >

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On-Demand Webinars and Training

Get direct access to GS1 Standards experts in our monthly webinar series

Learn More >

GS1 US Small Business Success Stories

Herman Kay case study

Herman Kay Co.

Find out how Herman Kay partnered with GS1 US to implement RFID in their fulfillment process, ensuring that the right customers received the right shipments.

Read More >

Blessing Basket case study

The Blessing Basket

To uniquely identify each woven basket, Blessing Basket assigns a GS1 GTIN, which is encoded in a U.P.C. barcode that is printed on the label applied to the basket.

Read More >

Crane case study

Crane USA

Crane USA partnered with DiCentral, a GS1 US Solution Partner, and leveraged the GS1 System of Standards to build an automated order management solution.

Read More >


Herbal Destination & Voodoo Ride
Herbal Destination and Voodoo Ride, both small growing businesses, were working to expand their distribution channels to include large, national retailers. Each was using barcodes purchased from online barcode sellers, but soon discovered they needed to use the GS1 Company Prefix and other GS1 Standards to conduct business with these mass retailers. They contacted GS1 US—which is authorized in the U.S. to license the GS1 Company Prefix—and now, each business creates U.P.C.s for its products that protect its company’s brand identity as they travel through the supply chain. By using additional GS1 Standards to identify cases and locations as well as share and synchronize data, the companies can start to realize operational benefits and growth.


SunFed
With help from HarvestMark and GS1 Standards, SunFed has made case- and item-level traceability an integral part of its business and has full visibility of its produce traveling from fields to kitchens.


ENMON
GS1 US Data Hub | Product (formerly Data Driver) enables smaller size companies to trade products with larger retailers. There is no need to invest in a lot of training on GS1 Standards, since the tool complies with the standards and facilitates the creation of GS1 standard-compliant barcodes.


Print Media
Print Media developed a GS1 Standards-enabled business process by implementing Global Location Numbers and the GLN Registry™ (now GS1 US Data Hub | Location) for healthcare.

Get email updates on GS1 Standards for small business

 

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Solution Provider Finder

Need help creating, printing and verifying your barcodes? Search this database of GS1 US-certified experts to help you create barcodes and put them on your products.

Go to Solution Provider Finder >

 

Resources

  • Retail Industry Product Information Management. Retail industry created best practices for naming, identification, management, and sharing of product images and data attributes. A consistent model to support omni-channel commerce and enhance speed-to-market product availability. Eliminate existing manual/labor intensive processes and get products online sooner.
  • Guideline: Bill of Lading. The objective of standardizing the BOL is to help ensure that the shipper, carrier and consignee) are all getting the information they need for the processing of the goods through the supply chain. This is intended for LTL & TL ground transport within the U.S. Download the Guideline PDF (3.4 MB) >
  • GS1 Global Attribute Explorer. An Intuitive, Browser-Based Product Information Search and Discovery Tool. View the overview page >
  • Video: It's Just Commerce®. See how GS1 Standards can help you deliver a smooth experience across all shopping touch points. View video (3 min.) >
Visit our Resource Library for a complete set of small business-specific webcasts, guidelines, standards, case studies, whitepapers, and related documentation >
In this publication, the letters “U.P.C.” are used solely as an abbreviation for the “Universal Product Code”, which is a product identification system. They do not refer to the UPC, which is a federally registered certification mark of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to certify compliance with a Uniform Plumbing Code as authorized by IAPMO.