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eBay, Google, Walmart Boost E-Commerce with GS1 US

3/25/2014
eBay, Google and Walmart have endorsed a new GS1 US guide that helps businesses improve e-commerce by resolving incorrect and duplicate product information online. Developed for e-tailers, retailers, e-commerce platform providers, content aggregators and content distributors, the GTIN Validation Guide, offers best practices for leveraging GS1 Standards to enhance the consumer shopping experience while boosting e-tailer efficiency, revenue and loyalty. It also offers improvements for better data management and product analytics.

Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), the numbering sequence within barcodes and commonly called Universal Product Codes (U.P.C.), are the foundation of the GS1 System of Standards and have identified products at point-of-sale for 40 years. The GTIN Validation Guide supports extending GTINs online to help ensure more accurate and consistent product descriptions that link to images and promotions, including coupons. Large online marketplaces and search engines already require GTINs to better help customers find, evaluate and purchase products online.

"As we continue to create a seamless shopping experience across online, mobile and stores, we rely on accurate and consistent product information," says Jeremy King, chief technology officer at Walmart Global e-commerce. "The GS1 US GTIN Validation Guide is an important tool for improving the quality of product data and the relevance of online and mobile search results."

Executives from Google and eBay have also realized the value of using GS1 Standards online for improved product identification, and support the GTIN Validation Guide. "GS1 Standards have been invaluable in our efforts to improve the online shopping experience by harmonizing product data and eliminating inaccuracies. We welcome this new guide," says Eric Tholom, product management director, Google Shopping. The same sentiment was echoed by Amit Menipaz, general manager of structured data, eBay Marketplaces. He says, "The GTIN Validation Guide will help eBay find and resolve incorrect, duplicate and conflicting product information, improving visibility for merchant offers and enhancing the consumer search experience."

The GTIN Validation Guide aims to help retailers, e-tailers and solution providers offer consumers a consistent search, discovery, and purchase experience, which has become challenging as shoppers increasingly move through multiple channels, including traditional Internet shopping, mobile applications and brick-and-mortar stores. The guide also offers assistance for determining whether a GTIN is valid and correctly assigned according to the GS1 System of Standards.

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