To understand the importance of serial numbers for products, let us travel to the other side of the world to keep up with the latest engaging advertising developments. In one of the most innovative collaborations between brands, Oreo created an inspiring interactive promotional campaign to strengthen the mental image of the beloved cookie paired with the concept of "dunking" it in milk. Consumers were invited to scan the Barcodes on milk cartons available on store shelves and enjoy the creative video that appears when scanning the Barcodes, after establishing meaningful partnerships with several of the region's prominent milk companies.

The question now is; what is the product serial number?

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Discover the product serial number

The product serial number is the product code used in e-commerce, consisting of a number of letters or digits, for a product or a series of product descriptions. Thus, the product serial number represents a unique identity for each product, much like your personal identity card that you always carry with you. It is used to designate the country of origin, date of manufacture, warranty period, and more. Sometimes, product features run as color or storage capacity in technical devices. It is vital for efficient inventory management and quality control when a defect is discovered in a specific product batch; the manufacturer can easily inspect the production line and the exact time the defective product was launched.

Types of product serial numbers

There are several forms of product serial numbers, including:

• International Article Number or Global Trade Item Number, sometimes the barcode is also referred to as GTIN or GTIN13.

• ISBN Number | Specially reserved for books.

• Serial Number | Often abbreviated as S/N, this number is a unique device identification number chosen by the company and assigned to every device or appliance produced. The number is used to match the product with its customer, giving the company a record of ownership. This number is used only by the original manufacturer of the product. 

• Model Number | This number is used to differentiate between optional models in a company's range of appliances or devices. This can allow devices or appliances to share a base code, indicating they sharing the same type.

• IMEI Number | It stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is used to distinguish mobile phones across all carriers worldwide. The number can be used to identify and trace a device that might be stolen or compromised.

• SKU "Stock Keeping Unit" Code | A number (usually consisting of eight alphanumeric characters) assigned by retailers to products to track inventory levels internally. For example, if a product comes in different colors and sizes, each variation has a unique SKU number.

What the product serial number represents

• The GTIN product serial number consists of 13 digits.

• The first 12 digits are unique numbers specific to your brand assigned to your products. It includes (the Country Code – a unique Company Prefix – a serial number for products determined by the contracted category) from 1 to 9.  After these numbers comes a final digit called the "Check Digit", calculated using a special equation for barcode structures, and is placed to ensure the numbers are in their correct configuration.

Is the order number in e-stores considered a serial number?

No, the order number is not the product serial number; rather, it is a specialized number to track the order status in your store and includes the following:

First | Merchant Data 

• Order summary

• Customer notes

• Customer data

• Shipping details

• Payment details

You can also view everything related to shipping solutions for e-stores

Second | Customer Data

Sent as text messages and emails informing the customer of the order status, including:

• Awaiting payment

• In progress

• Out for delivery

• Completed; including shipping details and tracking link

• Delivered

And here you will find everything related to the return and exchange policy