GTIN / EAN Matching

What is GTIN/EAN Matching?
GTIN/EAN matching is product matching based on standardized barcode identifiers: the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) family, which includes the European EAN-13, North American UPC-A, and related codes. When two listings share the same GTIN, they refer to the same trade item by definition, making identifier matching the highest-precision method available.

Its limitation is coverage: many listings omit identifiers, hide them from public pages, or use them incorrectly (wrong variant, reseller-invented codes). Own-brand and unbranded goods may have no GTIN at all. In practice, identifier matching resolves the easy majority of a catalog, and AI-based matching on titles, attributes, and images handles the remainder.

Brands can improve their own matchability — and their visibility in comparison engines like Google Shopping — by consistently publishing correct GTINs in product feeds and on product pages.