SKU format
Although you can use any format that you prefer, the following guidelines can help make your SKUs work best for you and your business:
Characters - You can use all numbers or a mix of numbers and letters.
- Avoid a format where the numbers 0 and 1 could be confused with the letters O and I.
- Don't start your SKU with 0(s).
- Don't use special characters, symbols, or spaces, because these can cause problems when searching for products in Sitnsell by SKU and in other computer programs, such as spreadsheet software.
- However, dashes or underscores are useful because they separate groups of numbers and letters that represent product attributes such as style, color, size, pattern, or even a storage area.
Length - Keep your SKUs as short as possible, such as no more than 16 characters. Depending on the number and variety of products you sell, you might be able to use an SKU format that is as short as 4 to 8 characters. Do not go less than 4 characters, to avoid multiple results in searches.
Simple and understandable - Use an SKU format that makes sense to your staff and can help with picking and packing orders. Each letter and number in an SKU needs to have a purpose.
Unique - For effective tracking and sales reporting, each SKU needs to be unique.
Example SKU formats
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Juanita has an apparel store and all her products have a brand, style, and size. She chooses to use a ten-digit numeric SKU format of ####-###-###. The digits, separated by hyphens, refer to brand, style, and size. For example, she uses the SKU 4225-776-3234 for pants that are brand 4225, leg style 776 (boot cut), and size 32x34 (waist and length).
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For his wooden pen business, Karl prefers to sort and store his products by wood type, ink color, and point size. He decides to use an alphanumeric SKU format of ###_###_##. For example, WAL_BLK_25 refers to a pen made from walnut with black ink and a 2.5 mm point.