What Is SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)?
Understanding SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
An SKU identifies a type of product, not an individual item. A 500ml blue bottle and a 1 litre blue bottle are two SKUs, but every 500ml blue bottle on the shelf shares the same one. Businesses design their own SKUs to fit how they manage stock, which is different from a universal barcode like a GTIN that is standardised for retail scanning.
The key distinction for authentication is SKU versus serial number. An SKU tells you what a product is. A serial number tells you which specific unit it is. Counterfeit detection needs the second: thousands of fakes can copy a genuine SKU, but a unique, non-clonable serial on each unit is what proves a single item is real.
Key Components of SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
Why SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) Matters
SKUs keep inventory accurate and ordering sane, but on their own they cannot prove a product is genuine, because every unit of a variant shares the same SKU. Knowing where the SKU ends and unit-level identity begins is what lets a brand move from stock control to real authentication.
- Identifies each product variant clearly
- Keeps inventory counts and reordering accurate
- Fits a business's own stock system
- Speeds up sales and stock reporting
- A foundation for catalogue and listing management
- Pairs with unit serials for authentication
How Acviss Supports SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
SKUs handle what a product is. Acviss adds the missing layer: a unique, non-clonable identity for each individual unit through Certify, so two items with the same SKU are still told apart.
That unit identity is what makes authentication and track and trace possible, going beyond what an SKU or a shared barcode can do. See also product serialization.
Beyond the SKU
Talk to Acviss about giving every unit, not just every variant, a verifiable identity.
Book a Free DemoFrequently Asked Questions
A stock keeping unit, a unique code a business assigns to each distinct product variant so it can be tracked in inventory, ordering, and sales.
An SKU is an internal code a business designs for its own stock system. A barcode like a GTIN is a standardised code used for retail scanning across businesses.
No. Every unit of a variant shares the same SKU, so counterfeits can copy it. Proving a single unit is genuine needs a unique serial identity on each item.
An SKU says what a product is. A serial number says which specific unit it is. Authentication depends on the unique serial, not the shared SKU.
