SKU – Stock Keeping Unit

The SKU (stock keeping unit) is a unique identification code assigned to each distinct product reference in a catalog. It makes it possible to track stock and sales precisely, at the most detailed level.

What an SKU is for

The SKU identifies a specific variant of a product: a red t-shirt in size M, for example, has a different SKU from the same red t-shirt in size L. That level of granularity is essential for stock management, logistics and performance analysis.

SKU vs barcode and EAN

Unlike the EAN (the universal barcode), the SKU belongs to each company and its own management system. The same reference can carry different SKUs from one retailer to another, while keeping the same EAN everywhere.

A concrete example

A sneaker brand sells the “Urban Runner” model. Each colour and size combination has its own SKU:

• SKU-UR-BLK-42 → Urban Runner black, size 42
• SKU-UR-BLK-43 → Urban Runner black, size 43
• SKU-UR-WHT-42 → Urban Runner white, size 42

The result: the company knows exactly that 3 pairs of black size 42 are left, and can restock that reference alone.