Google has endorsed GS1 standards as a critical component of unique identification for online sellers on their Google Search Central Blog post “Providing better product information for shoppers”, published on February 26th 2021.
In the blog post, Randy Rockinson, Product Manager for Product Data at Google Shopping, writes that “organizing product information for shoppers and retailers is an essential part” of Google’s mission—and that “to best help users find your content and products in Search, we recommend that websites clearly identify products...”
Uniqueness, verifiability and global reach help manufacturers, retailers and publishers access unlimited consumers.
Accurate and trusted product data are essential for identifying products whether online or offline. To ensure this, Rockinson points to three factors that need to be in place: unique identifiers for each product, the ability to verify the identity of a product and other product information to ensure data accuracy—and the use of a product identification system that has global reach.
The blog post goes on to highlight the GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTINTM), “which provides internationally recognized standard identifiers for products both in physical stores and on e-commerce platforms.” It adds that Google adopted the use of GTINs as the standard in 2015.
Once brands and manufacturers have registered their GTINs through GS1, they “can submit their product data through the Google Manufacturer Center for free, and as part of this process, share the product information to uniquely identify the products to Google,” Rockinson writes.
Google also advises brands and manufacturers not to reuse GTINs and provides other pro tips for retailers, 3rd party sellers and online publishers.
The Google publication is a major milestone in GS1’s core delivery – a global solution for unique identification and a commitment to quality data, and is just a part of a multi-year journey during which the GS1 Community worked relentlessly towards collaboration and partnership with global marketplaces, which have become increasingly vocal towards globally recognised product identification.
Our strategic priorities of GTIN Integrity & Ubiquity have not wavered, nor has the foundational pillars of our trusted repositories; the Member Product Databank and Global Member Directory (GEPIR). Without them, our members will be subjected to the threat of unauthorised barcode numbers.
Since its inception the following data were collected:
- It has reached almost 20 million people (17 million from the post itself),
- It has been shared over 1,000 times and 10 independent articles on the topic have been published,
- Social media has increased exposure by 270% of the terms “GS1”, “GTIN” and “Google” or a combination of each.
- Over 20 GS1 Member Organisations participated in a GS1 global awareness campaign, 2 of them independently published articles that have garnered thousands of views.
Unauthorised Barcode Numbers directly undermines the integrity of the GS1 identification system!
They create a risk of duplication of the numbers, of incorrect identification of products, incorrect identification of the person responsible for the brand or product identified by the numbers and inaccurate data in the supply chain. When this risk materialises, it hits the very core value that GS1 provides to its members, it prevents the realisation of efficiencies or, even worse, creates inefficiencies. This affects the users of the GS1 Standards & Keys and, ultimately, the consumer and the patient. Click here to find out more about unauthorised numbers and resellers.
