[thelist] SKU Numbers?

[Steve Clason]

On 5/18/2005 7:20 AM Burhan Khalid wrote:
> Hello Everyone:
> 
>   I'm looking at resources on generating SKU numbers.  Is there a 
> predefined format? Some industry standard? When do you generate a new 
> SKU for a product?  I've been doing some research, and my understanding 
> can be summarized in this example:
> 
>   Item being sold : Widget (SKU#1)
>                     Red Widget (SKU#2)
>                     Green Widget (SKU#3)
>                     Green Widget with lights (SKU#4)
> 
>   Basically, for each variation of the product, there is a new SKU. Is 
> this correct? Thanks for any information.

A SKU is a Stock Keeping Unit, so you should have a SKU for every item 
you maintain "on the shelf". If you keep widgets on the shelf and then 
skin them with a color on order without stocking them, you only need a 
SKU for widgets. If a widget must have a color, you don't need a SKU for 
widget, only for Red Widget, Green Widget etc.

In my experience it's best not to put too much intelligence into 
numbering things. Just give them a number and let the inventory control 
system figure everything out.

-- 
Steve Clason
Web Design and Development
Boulder, Colorado, USA
www.topdogstrategy.com
(303)818-8590