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About the Barcode and Manufacturer Part Number fields Add-on
This add-on improves your product data by adding two new fields - Barcode (compatible with GTIN, ISBN, UPC, and more) and Manufacturer Part Number (MPN). As an administrator, you can choose where to display these fields: in both Admin and Customer areas, only in the Admin area, or not at all. This setting applies to both products and their variants.
🧩 Barcode and Manufacturer Part Number fields add-on
Click the link below to download the add-on for your X-Cart Store
Significance of Barcodes and MPNs in product listings
Each product you sell online should have at least one of the following attributes, ideally both: Barcode (GTIN, UPC, ISBN, etc.) and Manufacturer Part Number (MPN). These identifiers make your products and ads appear more frequently in search results on platforms like Google and eBay, thereby helping people find and purchase your products more easily. Major online sales channels, like Amazon, often don’t allow product listings without them.
💡 How do these «identifiers» differ from SKUs?
SKU is an internal code used for managing your inventory. This code is unique to your business. In contrast, GTIN/Barcode and MPNs are universal product identifiers, remaining consistent for identical products worldwide, regardless of the seller. We recommend using all three to effectively manage your products.
Barcode is a numeric code typically composed of 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits, depending on the region and use. This code should be a new or existing Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), such as UPC (12-digit, North America), EAN (8 or 13 digits, Europe), JAN (8 or 13-digit, Japan), or ISBN (13-digit, books), among others. Using GTIN ensures your products can be identified internationally.
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) is a manufacturer-assigned code that helps improve product identification, especially when a GTIN is not available.
💡 Where to find Barcodes/GTINs and MPNs?
You can find correct GTINs on product packaging or request MPNs from suppliers or manufacturers. For self-produced or vintage items, purchase codes via GS1. Avoid guessing or inventing GTINs, as incorrect codes compromise shoppers' ability to easily locate your product offering, especially when they compare products across different websites.
Adding Barcodes and MPNs
Products
After identifying an item's Barcode and/or Manufacturer Part Number (MPN), you can add this information to the product's details. To do that, navigate to the Info tab on the product details page. There, you'll find the required fields:
Barcode (ISBN, UPC, GTIN, etc.)Manufacturer Part #
📋 Example 1: Product details
Let's examine a product listing for a smartphone. We'll input the required data by entering the GTIN code into the Barcode field and the MPN code into the Manufacturer Part # field, as demonstrated in the image below. Since we're dealing with the base model iPhone 15, we'll utilize the codes specific to the 128 GB version.
Product Variants
For every product variant, you also have an option to add a separate Barcode or MPN.
🧩 Another add-on is required!
In order to add barcodes to product variants, you need to install and enable the Product Variants add-on in your shop.
To do that:
Go to the Variants tab on the product details page.
Scroll to the rightmost columns labeled
BarcodeandManufacturer Part #.Enter the barcode or MPN for each variant.
If you leave the barcode field blank for a variant, it will automatically use the barcode of the parent product. This default behavior is indicated in the captions below the column titles (see example 2 👇🏻). However, if no Barcode or MPN is specified for the parent product, the corresponding field will remain blank by default.
📋 Example 2: Product Variants
We have created three variants of the iPhone 15 based on storage capacity: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. Since we already specified the GTIN and MPN for the 128GB model in the parent product, we will leave those fields blank for that variant as they will automatically use the default values. However, we need to obtain and enter unique GTINs and MPNs for the 256GB and 512GB variants to ensure accurate product information.
Variations (X-Cart Automotive)
This section is for X-Cart Auto users only. If you're using X-Cart Platform or X-Cart Marketplace, please skip to the Importing and exporting product via CSV section.
🧩 Another add-on is required!
Product Variations is a replacement for Product Variants add-on. Use it if you plan to import data with popular catalogs such as Keystone, Turn14, ASAP Network, etc.
Adding barcodes and MPNs for products with the Product Variations add-on follows a similar process to the Product Variants add-on. Navigate to the Info tab on the product details page and fill the required fields.
Unlike the Product Variant add-on, the Product Variations add-on does not have a unified interface for managing barcodes and MPNs across multiple products at once. Instead, it treats each product as a separate item, as it was specifically designed to work with auto parts catalogs that handle products this way. There is no need to worry about this, if you are using SEMA Data, AutoSync, ASAP Network, or any other provider to import products, as barcodes and MPNs will automatically be added to the right fields for every imported item.
Important!
Without the "Barcode and Manufacturer Part Number fields" add-on, these values won't be imported at all.
Avoid confusing Attributes with the Barcode and MPN fields. When creating a product variation, you'll need to set up attributes, which can be added individually or as part of a predefined product class. X-Cart offers multiple pre-installed attributes, including EAN and MPN , which can be found in the Global Attributes section (Catalog › Products › %Your_Item% › Attributes). However, these two attributes are for demonstration only and are NOT connected to the Barcode and MPN fields. Do not use them to manage your product's Barcodes and MPNs.
If you wish to remove these fields, go to Catalog › Classes & Attributes › Global Attributes and click the Delete button. Be sure to save your changes afterward.
Importing and exporting product via CSV
The add-on also adds four new attributes in the CSV files during export/import of product lists:
upcIsbnandmnfVendor(for main products)variantupcIsbnandvariantmnfVendor(for product variants)
These attributes are linked to the fields displayed on a product details page. The first two are associated with the Barcode and Manufacturer Part # fields in the Info tab. The rest are related to similar fields located in the Variants tab. You can learn more about them here.
For a better understanding of example 3 👇🏻, we strongly recommend reading the article on importing product variants.
📋 Example 3: CSV file
The CSV file shows three iPhone 15 variants. On the right side, there are four columns indicating new attributes. The basic 128GB model has only barcode and MPN cells filled, with variant fields left empty, as previously explained. In contrast, the 256GB and 512GB models have values solely in the variant cells.
* Please note that the sample file contains only a limited number of product fields and a modified table for illustrative purposes. The actual CSV file will vary.
Variations (X-Cart Automotive). When using the Product Variations add-on instead of Product Variants, the CSV files won't include variantupcIsbn and variantmnfVendor fields, as these are not supported by the add-on, as pointed out earlier.
You can learn more on how to use the CSV import/export function in your X-Cart store by exploring our extensive article collection.
Using the fields to filter product search results
The add-on also adds two checkboxes in the Advanced Filters on the product search page, allowing you to narrow down results by barcode or manufacturer part number. If you search without selecting these checkboxes, the results may include products with similar codes in any field (title, description, or specifications). To find an exact item using its identifier, use the search field and check the relevant box ✅.
Add-on Settings
To access the settings page for the add-on, make sure it is installed and enabled in your store. Then, navigate through the following path: Apps › My Apps › Barcode and Manufacturer Part Number fields › Settings.
Settings page. Here you can choose where to display Barcodes and MPNs. You can select to show them in both the Customer and Admin areas, only in the Admin area, or hide them entirely. This setting is applicable to both products and their variants.
After applying changes, save the them by clicking Submit .
Customer Experience
As long as the default settings for the Barcode and Manufacturer Part # fields are configured to be visible to both the admin and customer, the end buyer will see these details listed under the specifications tab on the product details page. Otherwise, these fields will not be displayed.
📋 Example 4: Storefront
On the iPhone 15 product page, the 256GB variant has been selected. Customer can view the GTIN and MPN under specifications. If customers select a different model, the GTIN and MPN values will change accordingly.
Can't find answers you're looking for? Email us your question at support@x-cart.com. We will be happy to help you.