What is EAN?
European Article Number — a 13-digit barcode standard used internationally to identify products.
Definition
EAN stands for European Article Number (now officially called International Article Number, but the EAN abbreviation persists). It is a 13-digit barcode standard used worldwide to identify products, particularly outside of North America. EAN-13 is the international equivalent of the North American UPC-A barcode. In fact, a UPC can be converted to an EAN by adding a leading zero. EANs are issued by GS1 organizations in each country and are required for selling on Amazon's European marketplaces (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.es). Like UPCs, each product variation requires its own unique EAN. The EAN system is also used in Japan (where it's called JAN — Japanese Article Number), Australia, and most other countries outside North America. For sellers operating across multiple international Amazon marketplaces, understanding the relationship between UPCs and EANs is important for creating and managing product listings globally. Amazon accepts both UPC and EAN for listing creation on most marketplaces, but using the locally preferred format can help with catalog matching and listing quality.
How EAN Relates to E-Commerce
EANs are essential for international e-commerce operations. Any seller expanding to European Amazon marketplaces needs EANs for their products. The global nature of e-commerce means that products often cross borders, and EANs provide a universal identification system that works across countries and platforms. For sellers sourcing products from international suppliers, EANs on product packaging help verify product authenticity and match products to existing marketplace listings. The EAN/UPC system also enables price comparison across international marketplaces — a product with the same EAN on Amazon.de and Amazon.com can be compared for arbitrage opportunities. Understanding EAN requirements is particularly important for private label sellers who plan to sell internationally from day one.
How SellerBowl Helps with EAN
SellerBowl supports product lookup by both UPC and EAN, making it easy to research products across international Amazon marketplaces. The platform's multi-marketplace support covers 12 Amazon regions, and EAN-based lookups help you find the same product across different country-specific Amazon sites. This cross-marketplace research capability is invaluable for international arbitrage and for private label sellers planning global launches.
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