Constructing "Product Numbers" or "Item Numbers"

[techgoddess]

I can't believe I'm opening a store. This has been a long time dream and I'm actually doing it! Unfortunately, I'm Forrest Gumping my way through this whole process. It's not experience that has brought me this far but lots of internet searching and question asking.

 

I've done an internet search on this but am unable to find ANYTHING relevant on this subject. How do YOU construct your product number or item numbers? I'm sure there's some rhyme or reason to the process but I'm just not getting it. Searching for just "item number" brings up item numbers but it just looks like a bunch of letters and numbers. What is the logic behind creating a product number.

 

My shop will carry many different items from different suppliers (a Bazaar really). The products will all be different (lamps, games, clothing, jewelry, nik-naks, etc.) I use the ISBN for books but what about the other stuff? What is the logic behind the process? Can someone please provide an example of how they do it and why they do it that way? I'm sure it's possible to just throw together any ol' numbers and letters but that would probably cause some type of repercussions down the line, right?

 

Many thanks,

Athena

[♥geoffreywalton]

The real question is do you need to communicate anything to anyone from your product model?

 

e.g. start all lamps lam clothes clo, seems rather complicated

 

Why not use your supplier's part no, the problem there is that 2 suppliers could have the same part number.

 

Whatever system you use you will need to be able to order it from your suppliers so it is a case of use your manu part no or you will need to link your part no to the manus's.

 

Food for thought

[Guest]

Why not use your supplier's part no, the problem there is that 2 suppliers could have the same part number.

One store I know does use the supplier's part number but adds 2 or 3 characters to the front of the part number which identifies the supplier.

 

ACM123 is part 123 from ACME, Inc.

WID123 is part 123 from Widgets-R-Us

 

ed

[techgoddess]

Thank you so much! I got it now. There is no need for the product model to communicate anything to anyone but me I guess and when I start using the Artemis Accounts II POS system, I will need to have supplier codes available for re-ordering. It looks like the best way is to use their codes prefixed with first three letters of suppliers name.

 

Thank you again. I was really stumped on this one and it seemed to be secret information after I couldn't find anything online about the process. Maybe a short business course would do me well...

 

Athena

Puriscal, Costa Rica