EAN Codes for eBay UK, Etsy and OnBuy: What Each One Needs

You make leather dog collars in a workshop in Cornwall, and you want to sell them beyond your own website. eBay's listing form has a field called EAN, Etsy's doesn't seem to care, and OnBuy keeps coming up as the "other" UK marketplace. Do you need EAN codes for eBay, Etsy and OnBuy? On eBay.co.uk, often yes for manufactured goods, but you can enter "Does not apply" when a product genuinely has no barcode. On Etsy, handmade items usually don't need one. On OnBuy, check the barcode requirement for your category in the seller account before you buy anything.

This guide covers each marketplace's rules as of October 2026, which codes work where, and a worked example for a seller who uses all three. Where we could not verify a rule from a primary source, we say so rather than guess.

The quick answer per marketplace

Amazon is in the table for comparison; it is the one UK marketplace where the licensee of the code really matters. We cover it in depth in our guide to barcodes for Amazon UK.

EAN codes for eBay UK

eBay calls them product identifiers: a GTIN (EAN, UPC or ISBN) together with brand and MPN (manufacturer part number). eBay has required them in many categories since around 2015 and 2016, mainly to match listings to its product catalogue and help buyers find items.

When eBay wants an EAN

If the item is a manufactured product that carries a barcode, eBay expects you to enter it in the EAN field in item specifics. That covers most branded, mass-produced goods. If you are reselling a branded product, use the barcode printed on its packaging; never replace it with your own.

When "Does not apply" is fine

If your product genuinely has no barcode, eBay accepts the value "Does not apply" in the EAN field, and "Unbranded" in the Brand field if there is no brand. That suits handmade goods, one-offs, vintage and many unbranded items. It is not a trick to skip the field for products that do have a barcode.

Which codes work on eBay

eBay does not publish a check of who a code is licensed to at GS1, as far as we could find, so what matters is that the code is valid and unique to your product. That makes it a natural home for codes bought once. GS1 UK also notes that on eBay you can update a GTIN at any time, so if you later switch to GS1 codes, you edit the listing rather than rebuild it.

Etsy: barcodes are usually optional

Etsy is built around handmade, vintage and craft supplies, and many of those products have no barcode at all. We could not read Etsy's current help page on product identifiers in October 2026, so check the listing form in Shop Manager for your category. If the form does not ask for a barcode, you don't need one to list.

Where a barcode helps on Etsy is outside the listing itself: in stock control, in a warehouse, and in feeds for advertising. Google states that shop-brand products and products only you sell generally won't have a GTIN, and that you should only set identifier_exists to "no" when you are certain a product has no identifier, such as custom or one-of-a-kind goods.

So for an Etsy-only maker, buying EAN codes is not a must. It becomes worth it the moment you also sell the same products on eBay, in your own shop with a Google feed, or through a shop that scans at the till.

OnBuy: check before you buy

OnBuy is a UK-based online marketplace. We tried to verify its current published barcode rules for this article and could not confirm them from a primary source in October 2026. Rather than repeat claims from third-party blogs, here is what to do:

1. Open the listing form for your category in your OnBuy seller account and see whether the barcode field is mandatory.
2. Look for any wording about GS1-registered barcodes or brand approval. If you see it for your category, treat OnBuy like Amazon: use GS1 codes licensed to your brand.
3. If the form only asks for a valid EAN, a valid and unique bought-once code is the same as on eBay.
4. Ask OnBuy's seller support in writing if anything is unclear, and keep the reply.

Worked example: one product range, three marketplaces

Back to the dog collars. The range has one design in three sizes (S, M, L) and two colours (tan and black), plus a collar-and-lead gift set in one size and colour.

• Collars: 3 sizes × 2 colours = 6 codes
• Gift set: 1 code
• Total: 7 codes, so a pack of 10 leaves room for one more colour

Each code goes into a spreadsheet next to exactly one product, so the medium tan collar has its own row and its own 13 digits. Then:

• eBay.co.uk: one multi-variation listing, each variation with its own EAN; Brand set to the shop's brand name.
• Etsy: the same products listed without barcodes, or with them if the form offers the field.
• OnBuy: the seller checks the collar category's barcode rules first, then lists with the same EANs if a valid EAN is all that's asked for.

1. Product variantMedium tan collar
2. One EANRecorded against that variant only
3. eBay.co.ukEAN field in item specifics
4. Etsy and own shopSame EAN for feeds and stock

Before uploading, paste each number into the EAN checker to catch typos, and generate print-ready barcodes for the swing tags with a barcode generator.

Five EAN mistakes UK sellers make on these marketplaces

Most barcode problems on eBay, Etsy and OnBuy come down to a handful of habits:

1. "Does not apply" on products that have a barcode. If you resell a branded item, its barcode is printed on the box. Leaving it out makes your listing harder to match and find.
2. Your own code on someone else's product. Never put a code you bought on a branded product made by another company. The manufacturer's EAN already identifies it.
3. One code for a whole variation listing. A listing with six variations needs six codes, not one.
4. Different codes on different sites. The same collar should carry the same EAN on eBay, Etsy, OnBuy and your own shop. Two codes for one product confuse stock systems and feeds.
5. Codes from a bulk list nobody can account for. Cheap spreadsheets of codes are often sold to many buyers, so your listing can land on a stranger's product. Our buying checklist covers what to ask before you pay.

Fix these and EANs become dull, which is exactly what they should be.

When GS1 is the better choice

These three marketplaces are friendly to small sellers, but your plans may reach further. Choose GS1 UK instead of bought-once codes if:

• you also sell branded products on Amazon, where the brand is checked against GS1 data;
• you want to supply pet shops, garden centres, supermarkets or chains, which typically check that the code is registered to you;
• a trade buyer asks to see your company in Verified by GS1, GS1's own lookup, where our codes do not show your company.

–	GS1 UK	Codes bought once
eBay.co.uk	yes	yes
Etsy	yes	yes
OnBuy	yes	Check category
Amazon branded listings	yes	no
Shops and supermarkets	yes	no

What to do now

• List the marketplaces you sell on now and the ones you plan for next year.
• On eBay, enter real EANs where products have them, and "Does not apply" only where they don't.
• On OnBuy, check the barcode field for your category before buying codes.
• Count one code per variant and bundle, and use the same code on every channel.
• If Amazon branded listings or retail buyers are on your list, budget for GS1 UK.