Are you trying to sell something on the Facebook Marketplace and don’t know what the “SKU” term means?

Well, I’m about to enlighten you, so…

This system allows for easier categorization and management of your products if you have a host of products to sell on the Marketplace.

The “SKU” codes are only useful if you’re selling multiple products across several marketplaces. This way, you can keep track of and identify your products easier. They’re quite handy…

Need more info about SKU codes? Sure, keep reading below because I’ve gone above and beyond with the details!

Summary: Are you confused about what the term “SKU” means on Facebook Marketplace? Let me enlighten you. 

SKU stands for “stock-keeping unit” and refers to an alphanumeric coding system used for inventory management. 

This system is useful if you’re selling multiple products across several marketplaces, as it allows for easier categorization and management of your products. 

However, SKU codes aren’t mandatory to sell products on Facebook Marketplace and aren’t useful unless you’re a company with a wide range of products. 

In short, SKU codes help you better manage your product stocks.

What Is an SKU Code?

SKU, spelled as “skew“, typically consists of eight alphanumeric characters, digits, or letters. You can make the SKU code shorter or longer, depending on your preference.

These numbers usually relate to various characteristics of the items you’re selling. For instance, the SKU number could refer to:

• Size
• Color
• Type
• Price
• Manufacturer
• Style

These SKU codes aren’t universal either. You can tailor them according to your business and products, and every product will have a different SKU code.

Moreover, SKU codes aren’t mandatory to sell products on Facebook Marketplace. The truth is that, unless you’re a company with a wide range of products, SKU products aren’t useful to you.

Basically, they help you avoid phantom inventory where your IT system has more products in stock than there are in reality.

You’ll also know when to order new products as older ones go out of stock. In a nutshell, SKU codes help you better manage your product stocks.

How Can I Create an SKU Code?

If you want to use SKU codes for your Facebook Marketplace products, then consider the following points:

• Use the minimum amount of information that helps you differentiate your products
• Start your SKU code with specific letters based on your products (“C” for “cup” or “R” for “rug“). You can also include the first letter of a color or material (“Red cup” would have an SKU code beginning with “RC“)
• Use letters and numbers to read the SKU code easier
• Don’t use symbols like “@“, “$“, “#“, or anything like that
• Avoid characters that are visually similar, like “o” and “0” or “l” and “I“
• Try to create SKU codes between 8 and 12 characters

Think of a simple alphanumeric code that best describes your products’ characteristics and go with that. You don’t need to overcomplicate things.

Remember that on some marketplaces, your SKU codes may already be taken, depending on the size of the marketplace.

In that case, you’ll need to try other SKU codes until you find the ones that aren’t taken.

SKU Codes Vs. UPC Codes

Did you know that the world of marketing uses not only SKU codes but also UPC codes? Yeah, these are two different code systems for products.

I’ve told you about SKU codes but what are UPC codes?

UPC stands for “universal product code” and it’s used by pretty much anyone in the marketing industry. It fulfills the same role as the SKU code, but there are several differences between SKU and UPC:

• SKU codes are free to create while UPC codes are generally paid for
• SKU codes are more customizable than UPC codes
• UPC codes are generally used by major retailers and other online marketplaces
• UPC codes usually come with products you buy

Also, UPC codes are primarily used in North America, despite their name. Throughout Europe, they use the EAN or IAN code systems.

Conclusion

In short, when you come across an “SKU” on the Facebook Marketplace, remember it stands for “stock-keeping unit,” and it’s basically a product code.

You don’t need to use it if you want to sell individual products on the marketplace.

However, if you plan on selling multiple products and you have a brand, SKU codes could save you a lot of time and money.

If you have any questions about SKU codes or the Facebook Marketplace, I’m always available, so comment down below!

Also, stay tuned for more informational articles on Facebook and other social media platforms.