No ean numbers help

November2

Hi, I purchased some stock from a garden centre sale, items are new and in original manufacturer boxes. They have the item number, description, weight, etc on the box but there are no bar code ean numbers. Any idea how I list them on Ebay as it keeps asking me for an ean number.

RFW

November2 wrote: »

Hi, I purchased some stock from a garden centre sale, items are new and in original manufacturer boxes. They have the item number, description, weight, etc on the box but there are no bar code ean numbers. Any idea how I list them on Ebay as it keeps asking me for an ean number.

Try Google. If they're a known manufacturer, either the product name or some product code would throw one up. If they're on Amazon it will have an EAN on the item page.

Failing that, I'd imagine as it's Ebay you could use a barcode generator or just add one from a supermarket item. That's probably not something that would work on Amazon but can't see why it would be a problem on Ebay.
No idea why Ebay are so fussy about EANs all of a sudden.

soolin

I fully expect to get a warning any time now as a lot of my items apparently need codes and I am doing as recommended by a pink on the community boards and opting for 'not required'.

November2

Thanks for replies. I'm trying to get my head around the whole ean thing as my listings are just ending and need relisting. Is it just branded 'named' items that need eans? The items I mention have no brand name, they are outdoor garden items sold by garden centres who I assume stick their own price labels on. The shipping box they are in has the item number and description printed on the side, along with quantity and weight on the box. The items themselves have no manufacturer details or 'name'. Do I just type 'not applicable' in the ean box when listing on Ebay?

soolin

November2 wrote: »

Thanks for replies. I'm trying to get my head around the whole ean thing as my listings are just ending and need relisting. Is it just branded 'named' items that need eans? The items I mention have no brand name, they are outdoor garden items sold by garden centres who I assume stick their own price labels on. The shipping box they are in has the item number and description printed on the side, along with quantity and weight on the box. The items themselves have no manufacturer details or 'name'. Do I just type 'not applicable' in the ean box when listing on Ebay?

The stuff I have listed is not even new, and still they want EANs

some of my items have the option in a drop down box to state 'not required' but others I've typed it myself. It flags up a warning that I should not be able to list without an EAN, but so far the listing has gone live.

November2

It's all very confusing. I thought used items didn't need ean numbers? I'm listing in gardening which according to Ebay is in an excluded category yet I'm being asked for ean. Think I'll just put not required and see what happens!

ballisticbrian

Some of my items are hand made. I think I will work on a conspiracy theory about corporations running a totalitarian world where every item has rights-to-sell, rights which are owned by the corporations who control the supply chains.

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

Some of my items are hand made. I think I will work on a conspiracy theory about corporations running a totalitarian world where every item has rights-to-sell, rights which are owned by the corporations who control the supply chains.

I actually have a handmade craft line I sell - that is one of the lines that requires an EAN, yet it can't possibly have one.

Can I please join you if I make a tin foil hat?

November2

But aren't your hand crafted items classed as unbranded? What is an unbranded item??

ballisticbrian

But aren't your hand crafted items classed as unbranded? What is an unbranded item??

Yes, but my fear is that eBay will use the ean numbers in order to work out what to display in the "Best Match" view. (Even the sort by price view is no longer accurate)

With the background in mind that there are now so many eBay sellers, it is hindering buyers from finding things they need, eBay could use ean numbers in the following way (just an example) : Only display unique ean numbers from sellers with certain rating, rather than display hundreds of identical items from a bewildering array of sellers of various types.

While this may sound good in principle, will it harshley penalise items with no ean numbers? These could belong to cottage industries and small start ups, art and craft type businesses, therefore multi national corporatate products will benefit.

soolin

November2 wrote: »

But aren't your hand crafted items classed as unbranded? What is an unbranded item??

I can still put them as unbranded, but the EAN is still required. In fact I sell virtually nothing that is branded, apart from a heavy selling line I buy from the High street and for some reason does not require an EAN.