Stock Keeping Unit SKU Generator

How to use the free SKU generator

1. Choose your pattern. Start by deciding which elements you want in every SKU—brand prefix, product code, colour or size, and a running number.
2. Character length and separator. Hyphens (-) keep SKUs readable and are e-commerce-safe, but underscores, pipes, slashes or colons all work too. Choose a character length between that makes it short enough to scan fast and fit on small tags but long enough to be unique.
3. Enter product details. Type the main product name (e.g. HANDCREAM), then add up to three variant attributes such as LAVENDER, 100ML, TWIN-PACK. Use abbreviations here that you'll recognise at a glance - again, shorter SKUs scan faster and fit small tags.
4. Hit Generate SKU. Each click produces a unique SKU string in the results table. Modify any field and re-generate until the format feels right; duplicates are automatically skipped.
5. Export as CSV. Select individual SKUs to copy straight to your clipboard, or click Download CSV to grab the whole list for bulk uploads to Shopify, Etsy or your inventory system.
6. Put them to work. Paste the codes into Craftybase (or your platform of choice) and assign them to products. Consistent SKUs unlock accurate reporting, faster picking, and zero mix-ups at shipping time.

Why unique SKUs matter

A Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) is your own shorthand for every product and variant you sell. Because no two SKUs are alike, they act as the single source of truth across purchasing, production, sales channels and accounting. With a clean SKU system you can:

• Spot stock at a glance. Search or scan a code and know exactly which colour, size or recipe batch you’re holding.
• Prevent fulfilment errors. Unique SKUs remove guesswork at picking and packing, cutting refunds and bad reviews.
• Automate re-ordering. Inventory tools like Craftybase pair each SKU with real-time counts, so low-stock alerts and purchase orders fire off automatically.
• Unlock granular reporting. When every sale is tagged to a distinct code, profit and velocity reports drill right down to the variant level—crucial for small-batch makers deciding what to scale.

Stay platform-agnostic. Whether you're on Shopify, Faire or a wholesale spreadsheet, consistent SKUs keep data in sync when you expand channels.

It's easy to confuse SKUs with other identifiers, so here's how they stack up:

Identifier	Designed for	Key traits
SKU	Internal operations - inventory, manufacturing, analytics	Alphanumeric, any length/structure you choose; unique within your business; may be encoded into a barcode or left as text
UPC / EAN	External retail & supply chain - point-of-sale, distributors	12- (UPC) or 13-digit (EAN) numeric codes issued by GS1; globally unique; must be printed as a barcode
Barcode (e.g., Code-128, QR)	Machine reading of any underlying code (SKU, UPC, lot number)	Visual pattern (lines or squares) scannable by devices; carries data but is not the data itself

Frequently asked questions

What is an SKU?

A SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is a unique identifier used by businesses to track inventory. It typically contains alphanumeric characters that represent details such as product type, size, color, or other distinguishing features. Having clear, consistent SKUs helps ensure accurate inventory management and streamlined order fulfillment.

Why do I need an SKU for my products?

SKUs allow you to quickly identify specific products in your inventory, making it easier to manage stock levels, track sales performance, and avoid mix-ups. They're especially helpful if you sell variations of the same product (e.g., different sizes or colors) across multiple sales channels like Etsy, Shopify, or your own website.

How many characters should an SKU have?

There's no strict rule, but most sellers prefer 8-12 characters for readability and consistency. Longer SKUs can capture more product information but may be harder to manage. The Craftybase SKU Generator can help you strike the right balance between detail and simplicity.

Can I change my SKUs after I generate them?

Yes. You're free to edit your SKUs at any time, although it's best to finalize a consistent SKU format early to avoid confusion. If you sell on multiple platforms, remember to update the SKUs everywhere to maintain consistency and accurate product tracking.

Are SKUs the same as barcodes or UPCs?

No. While both SKUs and barcodes/UPCs uniquely identify items, SKUs are internal and typically created by the business. Barcodes or UPCs are standardized codes recognised by scanners and are often issued by external organisations. Craftybase's SKU Generator focuses on helping you create internal SKUs for inventory management.

What characters can I use (and avoid) in an SKU?

Use letters A-Z and numbers 0-9. Dashes (-) or underscores (_) are safe separators. Avoid spaces and special characters such as #, &, /, or accented letters, and consider skipping easily confused letters like O and I.

Is there a maximum SKU length for Shopify, Etsy or Amazon?

Shopify caps SKU strings at 16 characters and recommends 4-8 for readability. Etsy and Amazon do not set strict limits but best practice is to stay under 40 characters; most sellers keep SKUs in the 8-12 character range.

Do my SKUs have to be unique across all sales channels?

Yes. Each product variant needs a unique SKU across every marketplace to prevent duplicate-SKU errors and keep inventory counts and analytics accurate.

Can I convert these SKUs into barcodes later?

Absolutely. Any alphanumeric SKU can be encoded into a barcode such as Code-128 or a QR code using online generators or label-printing software; the underlying SKU text remains unchanged.

Should I reuse an SKU when a product is discontinued?

No. Retire the code instead. Reusing an SKU can corrupt historical sales data and trigger duplicate-SKU conflicts on marketplaces.

What's the best separator—dash or underscore?

Both are technically safe, but dashes tend to print and scan more clearly on labels. Avoid other separators like spaces, slashes, or periods, which can cause import or URL encoding issues.

Can leading zeros cause problems in spreadsheets?

Yes. Excel and Google Sheets strip leading zeros unless the cells are formatted as text or with a custom number format. Format columns before import or avoid placing zeros at the start of the SKU or prefix the code with a non-zero character to keep the zeros intact.