POD & Dropshipping Essentials

When Print on Demand and Dropshipping Products Need Barcodes, A Clear and Practical Guide

 

Print on demand and dropshipping are fast, flexible ways to launch products. You can publish a new t-shirt design on a Sunday afternoon, add a mug on Monday, and try a seasonal phone case on Tuesday. Sellers often move quickly, so it is completely normal to hit a moment where you pause and think, do I actually need a barcode for this product. And if you do need one, what type, where does it go, and how do you avoid causing issues on the platforms you rely on.

Many new sellers learn this the hard way, usually when a marketplace rejects a listing or sends back an error that is confusing at first glance. This article is designed to clear the fog, explain the logic behind barcode requirements in POD and dropshipping, and help you avoid the problems that most newcomers run into.

The goal is simple. Give you the clarity to make decisions quickly and confidently, so your product listings stay active and your workflow stays smooth.

 

Understanding What a Barcode Actually Represents

A barcode is not just an image for a label. It is a unique product identifier, a GTIN. That number connects a product listing to a database entry recognized by retailers, marketplaces and backend systems.

 

Most POD and dropshipping sellers use two formats.

•UPC, the 12 digit code common in the United States

•EAN, the 13 digit format used widely internationally

 

On the surface these look similar, but they follow different standards. The important part is that both are forms of GTINs and marketplaces accept either one, depending on the region.

If you are selling a shirt on Amazon, you enter a UPC or EAN to identify your product. When a platform checks that code, it looks for a match in the databases tied to GS1. The reason this matters is simple. When the code is legitimate and traceable back to an authentic GS1 prefix, most platforms recognize it without a problem.

This is why your documents repeatedly emphasize GS1 origin and legitimacy.

Understanding this early saves you from a common mistake, which is assuming a barcode is only a graphic file. The number must be valid, globally unique and traceable.

 

Why POD and Dropshipping Sellers Often Feel Confused About Barcodes

If you spend time in POD communities, you will see conflicting answers. Some creators say you never need a barcode. Others insist every listing requires one. The truth is more situational.

 

The confusion usually comes from these four areas.

1.Different platforms use different rules

Etsy sometimes allows listings without barcodes, especially handmade or custom items. Amazon rarely does. Shopify lets you enter a barcode only if you want to. So the rule changes depending on where you upload your design.

2.POD tools hide some of the complexity

When you create a design inside Printful or Printify, the platform handles fulfillment, not marketplace compliance. So it might let you publish a product to Etsy while skipping the barcode entirely. But if you push that same design to Amazon through a POD integration, Amazon expects a real GTIN.

3.Dropshippers use many suppliers

If the supplier already used a barcode upstream, it may not apply to your listing. In many cases you still need your own GTIN that identifies your version of the product.

4.GTIN exemption rules confuse people

Some sellers apply for exemptions on Amazon for categories where GTINs are optional. Others misunderstand the process and assume exemptions apply to everything.

Once you break apart these sources of confusion, the rules become much easier to work with.

 

When POD Products Need Barcodes

A POD product needs a barcode when the marketplace listing process requires a GTIN. This is true on Amazon, Walmart Marketplace, and any platform that relies on GS1 validation to approve a listing.

 

Here are common examples:

•A t-shirt design listed on Amazon Merch on Demand

•A mug created on Printful and pushed into Amazon Seller Central

•A custom tote bag listed on Walmart Marketplace

•A dropshipped home decor item where the seller acts as the brand owner

 

In these cases, the listing flow will ask for a product ID, usually a UPC or EAN. If you enter a code that does not match the GS1 databases, the marketplace may return errors like invalid GTIN or product ID not recognized.

This is directly addressed in your source materials, which highlight that marketplaces perform GS1 validation and will reject mismatched or recycled numbers.

When you rely on POD or dropshipping, you are the brand owner by default. That means the barcode must be tied to your product, not the supplier’s. Even if the supplier has their own barcode, you are still responsible for the GTIN that identifies your listing.

 

When POD Products Do Not Need Barcodes

There are situations where you can launch a product without a GTIN.

•Etsy handmade categories

Many Etsy listings are created without barcodes because the platform does not require them for most custom items.

•Shopify standalone stores

Shopify lets you leave the barcode field blank unless you plan to connect to external channels that require GTINs.

•Amazon GTIN exemptions

Some sellers request an exemption in categories where barcodes are not mandatory. This is usually reserved for handcrafted goods or truly custom products.

•Internal testing or private beta listings

Sometimes sellers create internal drafts or hidden listings to preview a page. These do not require a barcode until made public.

These exceptions help, but they also have limits. Etsy may not require barcodes, but if you publish the same product to Amazon or Walmart, you step into a different rule set. Shopify may let you skip barcodes, but if you install an integration that connects your store to a marketplace, the integration might demand one.

So the question is not simply whether you need a barcode but whether the platforms you depend on need one.

 

What POD Sellers Usually Get Wrong About Barcodes

Most mistakes fall into predictable patterns.

 

Thinking that POD platforms supply the GTIN for you

Printful, Printify and similar tools help you create a product, but they do not manage GTIN compliance. If you push your product to a channel that requires GTINs, they expect you to provide them.

 

Trying to reuse the same barcode across multiple products

Every variation needs its own code. A black shirt and a white shirt count as two products. A mug with two different designs counts as two. Sellers often underestimate how many barcodes they will need and end up reusing codes, which creates mismatches in the GS1 database.

 

Believing that a barcode image is enough

The number must be legitimate and registered, not just visually correct. Marketplaces verify the number, not the graphic.

 

Assuming a GTIN exemption applies everywhere

If Amazon grants an exemption, that exemption applies only on Amazon. It does not carry over to Walmart, Shopify, or any other platform. Some sellers misunderstand this and publish products on multiple channels without GTINs, then run into rejection issues.

 

Mixing supplier barcodes with seller-owned barcodes

If you are the brand owner, you cannot use the supplier’s GTIN unless you legally own the product’s identity. This causes inconsistencies and failed validation.

Correcting these misunderstandings early prevents rejected listings and saves time spent with support teams.

 

How Barcodes Affect POD and Dropshipping Workflow

The right GTIN structure actually supports your workflow rather than complicating it. This becomes more important as you publish more products.

 

Variation management

Every size, color or material variation is treated as a unique product. This requirement might feel strict at first, but it creates cleaner inventory tracking, reduces listing errors and avoids issues where a marketplace believes two different items are actually the same.

 

Platform consistency

If you list your product on multiple channels, a single GTIN keeps your data unified. When the number is consistent, your product catalog stays aligned across Shopify, Amazon, Walmart or any other platform you use.

 

Print files and packaging

Most POD providers allow you to include a barcode in your print file if needed. If you sell apparel or retail packaged goods, you might place a barcode on a tag or on the packaging mockup. For merchants shipping products internationally, using the correct format (UPC or EAN) avoids customs confusion and scanning issues.

 

Automated listing creation

When you use integrations to publish products automatically, the system often requires a valid GTIN before it can finish creating listings. Having your codes ready upfront saves you from hitting errors later.

 

Understanding Global Validity for POD Sellers

Your verified documents emphasize that UPC and EAN formats are accepted globally and recognized across major platforms.

This matters for POD because many sellers expand from a single country to global marketplaces. If you sell prints in the United States, then expand to Amazon UK or Germany, you can use EANs. If you start on Etsy and later push products into Walmart, you can use UPCs.

 

The key is consistency.

A GTIN remains tied to a product variation regardless of where you sell it. Once a design receives a GTIN, that identifier follows the product across countries and marketplaces.

 

Documentation Requirements for POD and Dropshipping

Most POD and dropshipping sellers interact with documentation only when something goes wrong. For example, when Amazon asks for proof of authenticity during a listing review or reinstatement.

Your documents highlight that marketplaces often request GS1 certificates or ownership proof when a product triggers verification.

This requirement tends to surprise POD sellers, especially those who assumed a barcode was just a number. In reality, the documentation is what confirms that the barcode is legitimate and traceable.

 

Why documentation matters

•Amazon cross checks GTINs with GS1 records

If the code cannot be traced to an authentic prefix, the listing may be removed.

•Reinstatement cases require proof

When a listing is flagged, Amazon often requests documentation to validate the GTIN.

•Walmart uses similar checks

Walmart especially enforces GS1 valid identifiers for WFS shipments.

•Agencies handling POD catalogs rely on paperwork

When consultants manage multiple clients, they need documentation to avoid compliance issues.

 

What POD sellers usually misunderstand

Many believe that small sellers slip under the radar or that print on demand somehow bypasses barcode rules. But marketplaces treat POD the same as private label brands. If you are the seller of record, you are responsible for the product’s GTIN.

 

Managing Barcodes for Frequent Product Drops

POD sellers often release products at a fast pace, especially if they follow trends or seasonal designs. A designer might upload ten new variations in a week. A dropshipper might test fifty SKUs during a holiday season.

 

This pace creates specific challenges.

Staying organized

When you move quickly, you need a way to track which GTIN goes with which design. Otherwise you risk reusing a number, which creates conflicts in the GS1 database and confuses marketplaces.

 

Avoiding last minute errors

A common situation goes like this. A seller finishes a design, pushes it into Amazon, hits the product ID field, and only then realizes a barcode is needed. This can stop the workflow and delay a launch.

 

Keeping variations clear

A POD seller might create a design with five colors and three sizes. That is fifteen product variations. Each one needs its own GTIN. The more variations you add, the more important it becomes to keep a record.

 

Planning for reprints or re-releases

Sometimes sellers remove a product, then bring it back later. If you plan to re-release a design, you should keep the same GTIN so your listings stay consistent.

 

International Selling for POD and Dropshipping

If you sell POD items internationally, you may find that some regions expect specific formats. For example:

•Amazon US tends to use UPCs

•Amazon EU uses EANs

•Shopify accepts both

•Walmart often prefers UPCs

 

Your validated materials emphasize global compatibility. They note that UPC and EAN formats are accepted worldwide and recognized by major retailers.

For POD sellers who expand from one region to another, this means you do not need separate systems. You simply choose the format appropriate for the region and remain consistent in your product catalog.

 

What To Do When Your POD Listing Is Flagged

Sometimes a marketplace returns an error even when everything seems correct. This usually happens on Amazon.

 

The error often reads something like:

•Invalid GTIN

•Product ID not recognized

•Product ID belongs to a different brand

•Marketplace cannot confirm product identity

 

When this happens, you need to check a few things.

1.Did you use the same GTIN for multiple variations

If so, Amazon might think two unrelated products share the same identity.

2.Did you try to use a supplier’s barcode

If the product appears tied to a different brand, Amazon will reject it.

3.Is the barcode legitimate and traceable

If the code does not appear in GS1 verification systems, the listing may be blocked. This is one of the common issues highlighted across your documents.

4.Did Amazon request documentation

If Amazon wants proof, you must provide the documentation associated with your GTIN.

Once you resolve the underlying issue, the listing usually goes through without much friction.

 

Edge Cases and Situations Where Rules Feel Unclear

POD and dropshipping include unusual scenarios. A few are worth calling out.

 

Bundles

If you create a bundle of two items, that bundle requires its own GTIN. The individual items continue to use their own codes.

 

Digital or hybrid products

Digital files do not need GTINs. But if you sell a physical version of a digital design, like a framed print, the physical product needs its own GTIN.

 

Products fulfilled by multiple suppliers

If a POD seller works with more than one fulfillment partner for the same design, the GTIN must still remain consistent. The supplier does not determine barcode requirements.

 

One product in two markets

If you sell a shirt in the United States under one brand and in Europe under another, you may assign different GTINs if the brand identity differs. If the product is identical and the brand is the same, you should keep the same GTIN.

 

Preorders

If you allow preorders for a POD item, assign the GTIN before launch so your listings and inventory tracking remain consistent.

 

Decision Guide for POD and Dropshipping Sellers

Here is a clear way to decide when you need a barcode.

Ask yourself these questions:

•Will this product be listed on Amazon

•Will it be listed on Walmart Marketplace

•Do I plan to sell internationally

•Does the product have variations

•Am I acting as the brand owner

•Is this item being sold in retail packaging

•Will this listing need documentation later if it is flagged

 

If the answer is yes to any of these, the product needs a GTIN.

If the answer is no to all of them, you may not need a barcode at all. But be careful. Sellers often start on Etsy or Shopify without GTINs, then expand to Amazon later. It is easier to assign proper identifiers early instead of retrofitting your catalog.

 

Final Thoughts

Print on demand and dropshipping move quickly. Sellers create new designs every week, test new audiences, and often add channels as they grow. Barcode requirements can feel like a small detail, but they shape how your product listings behave across platforms.

The goal is not to make things complicated. It is simply to align your products with the systems used by the marketplaces you depend on. Once you understand how GTINs work, the rules feel less intimidating.

If you organize your identifiers early, manage variations with care, and keep realistic expectations about platform requirements, the rest of your workflow becomes more stable. You can publish products with more confidence and spend less time fixing listing problems.

When you approach barcodes as part of your creative and operational process, they become much easier to manage. And once you have a system, you can scale your catalog without worrying about technical blockers or compliance surprises.

– Erik Quisling