On June 26th GS1 US celebrated its 50-Year Barcode ‘Scanniversary’. Goat Consulting had the opportunity to interview Amber Walls, Senior Director, GS1 US about the past 50 years of barcode history and where the Universal Product Code is headed in the future. Imagine a world where every item in a store lacked a label, making it difficult to track inventory or ring up purchases efficiently. That's where the humble UPC barcode comes in! Developed initially by a former IBM engineer George Laurer a, UPCs allow retailers and online marketplaces to effortlessly identify, track, and manage their stock across all channels. The standardized codes act like a product's unique fingerprint and have revolutionized the way we shop with every scan since their debut in 1974.

The introduction of GS1 US's new Verified by GS1 Search database represents a significant leap forward for sellers on Amazon and those utilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services. This enhanced database, designed to replace the legacy GEPIR system, offers a centralized and more robust platform for validating and authenticating product information through GS1 identifiers such as GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers) and GLNs (Global Location Numbers). For Amazon sellers, the ability to access and verify detailed product information easily and accurately is crucial to help protect seller’s Amazon listings and ensure compliance with Amazon's stringent product identification requirements. This will help Amazon sellers ability to scale their operations internationally, streamline their supply chain processes, and improve the customer experience by providing accurate product information.