GTIN

A GTIN is the barcode number printed on most retail products. If you resell branded goods or print books with an ISBN, you almost certainly already have one. If you make handmade originals, you don’t have one and that’s fine - Etsy doesn’t require it.

GTINs matter for two reasons:

1. Etsy’s internal search uses the GTIN as a strong signal that your listing matches a known product, especially for craft supplies and resale categories.
2. Google Shopping and other external surfaces (where Etsy syndicates your listings via Offsite Ads) match results to product feeds by GTIN. Listings without one rank below listings with one for the same query.

Which format you have

• UPC (12 digits) is what’s printed on most North American retail packaging.
• EAN (13 digits) is the European equivalent.
• ISBN (10 or 13 digits) is for books.
• GTIN-14 is mostly used at the case/pallet level - rare for individual Etsy listings.

You don’t pick the format. Whichever number is on your packaging is the one Etsy wants. Type it in plain digits, no hyphens.

When to leave it blank

Handmade originals, custom orders, and one-of-a-kind pieces have no GTIN. Don’t make one up - Etsy will eventually catch a fabricated GTIN and the listing’s search visibility will drop, not improve.