Shopify barcode invalid on CSV import
The Variant Barcode column is validated against UPC (12 digits), EAN-13 (13 digits), EAN-8 (8 digits) or GTIN-14 (14 digits) — digits only, after stripping spaces and hyphens. A barcode with letters, the wrong digit count, or a check digit typo doesn't stop the product from importing, but it does mean the barcode won't scan at point of sale or sync correctly to marketplaces that key off it.
Example
Rejected: 012345 678905 (13 digits after stripping spaces — one too many for EAN-8, one short of EAN-13)
Fixed: 0123456789012 (13-digit EAN)
How to fix it
- Strip spaces and hyphens, then count the digits.
- Confirm the source system exported the full barcode, not a truncated internal SKU that happens to look numeric.
- For products without a real barcode, leave the cell blank rather than inventing a value — an invented barcode will collide with a real product eventually.
Upload your file to Supplier Data Ops to catch this and every other row-level error automatically before you import.