SKUiden
SKUiden is a proposed data standard and identifier framework designed to uniquely identify and convey metadata about stock-keeping units (SKUs) across retail and logistics systems. It aims to complement traditional external identifiers (such as GTIN/UPC) by enabling organizations to embed internal attributes, versioning, and provenance into a single, machine-readable code. The project originated in the early 2020s through a collaboration among retailers, software vendors, and standards bodies seeking to reduce data translation errors and improve cross-system interoperability.
The SKUiden model uses a hierarchical, delimited code format and a corresponding metadata schema. A code might
Adoption and governance: Not widely standardized; there are pilot programs at several retailers, and governance is
Limitations: Fragmentation risk, governance overhead, and requirement for widespread mapping. It is designed as an optional
See also: SKU, GTIN, UPC, barcodes, RFID, data standard, supply chain interoperability.