There are many barcode types, and they can be confusing at first. While most retail products require an EAN or UPC barcode, there are many uses for other barcode types.
Here is a handy guide to what types of barcodes are required for various product categories.
| Product | Which barcode do I need? |
| Alcohol | EAN barcodes |
| Art books (includes illustrated books with a title page and/or text or captions) | ISBN barcode |
| Asset tracking | Code 39 or code 128 barcodes |
| Artwork | EAN barcodes |
| Atlases | ISBN barcode |
| Audiobooks | ISBN barcode |
| Board games, jigsaws | EAN barcodes |
| Book – published (includes Braille, hardback, paperback, e-book) | ISBN barcode |
| Book – non-published (includes colouring book, crossword, sudoku) | EAN barcodes |
| Brochures and pamphlets | ISBN barcode |
| Calendars | EAN barcodes |
| Compact discs (CDs) | EAN barcodes
ISBNs if the CD is prose or educational |
| Clothing & Footwear | EAN barcodes |
| Comic books | ISBN barcode |
| Cosmetics | EAN barcodes |
| Coupons | EAN barcodes – check with retailer you wish coupon to be used in |
| DVDs | EAN barcodes
ISBNs if they are educational |
| Electronics | EAN barcodes |
| Electronic newsletters / e-zines | ISSN barcodes |
| Flash cards | EAN barcodes |
| Food | EAN barcodes |
| Garden products | EAN barcodes |
| Graphic novels | ISBN barcode |
| Greeting cards | EAN barcodes |
| Historical documents | ISBN barcodes |
| Homewares | EAN barcodes |
| Journals and diaries | Non-published use EAN barcodes
Historical or published diaries use ISBN barcodes |
| Library systems | Code 39 or code 128 barcodes |
| Magazines | ISSN barcodes |
| Maps | ISBN barcodes |
| Medicines | EAN barcodes |
| Music (tracks or albums, not sheet music) | EAN barcodes |
| Pamphlets | ISBN barcodes |
| Pictures and photographs | EAN barcodes |
| Postcards | EAN barcodes |
| Posters and art prints | EAN barcodes |
| Serials (magazines, periodicals, etc.) | ISSN barcode |
| Serials (magazines, periodicals, etc.) if being sold as a one-off book | ISBN barcode |
| Sheet music | ISMN barcode |
| Software | EAN barcodes |
| Stationery items | EAN barcodes |
| Supplements & Vitamins | EAN barcodes |
| Tools | EAN barcodes |
| Toys, including stuffed animals | EAN barcodes |