A SKU label is an internal product identification label. It helps a packer pick the right variation from a shelf and match it to an order. It is not a replacement for a marketplace shipping label, which carries delivery and courier information.
Good SKU labels solve one practical problem: the person holding the product can read the code and tell which item it is without opening a spreadsheet. Start with your own inventory naming rules rather than copying a marketplace's long product title onto a tiny sticker.
What should a SKU label include?
- One stable SKU: a code that identifies the exact item or variant in your records.
- A short human description: enough to distinguish size, color, pack count or material when those variants exist.
- A barcode only if your workflow scans it: print and test the code against the value stored in your system.
For example, a packing team may understand TSH-BLK-M-1 faster than a long listing title, provided everyone agrees that it means the black, medium, single-pack item. Your actual code format should come from your catalog and stock records.
Is a SKU the same as a barcode or GTIN?
No. Your SKU is an internal identifier for an item or variant. A barcode is a scannable symbol that carries data, and a GTIN is a globally used trade-item identifier. GS1 defines SKU as an internal product identifier and distinguishes it from the GTIN used to identify a trade item. You can print a barcode that encodes your SKU for an internal scanner, but that does not turn the SKU into a registered GTIN or a marketplace-required unit label.
A small label layout to test
| Printed line | Example | Check at the packing table |
|---|---|---|
| SKU | TSH-BLK-M-1 | Does it point to one exact sellable variant in your stock record? |
| Short description | Black T-shirt · M · 1 pc | Can a packer distinguish it from adjacent sizes and pack counts? |
| Optional barcode | Encodes the same internal SKU | Does a scan return this variant, rather than a similar item? |
Print a single test sticker at its actual size. If the text wraps into the barcode, the code scans to another variant, or the pack count is unclear, fix the source record or layout before printing a sheet. Keep any marketplace-required unit label and product-packaging information as separate checks for the relevant product and selling channel.
Choosing a SKU label maker
For a small batch, a simple SKU label maker can be enough: enter the item name and internal code, choose a sticker size, then print and scan one sample. For repeat batches, look for saved product records, quantity controls and an export that matches your label sheets. Check the output at 100% scale; a neat preview is no guarantee that a small barcode will scan after printing.
As examples of different workflows, KOSH's public barcode label maker describes one-at-a-time stickers with a SKU value and two thermal label sizes, while VyaparKit's product-label tool describes quantity-based product labels in an A4 PDF. These are vendor-described features, not independent performance tests. Choose based on your printer, label stock and whether you need internal picking stickers or customer-facing price labels; never treat an arbitrary SKU barcode as a registered GTIN.
MRP label maker or SKU sticker?
An MRP label carries customer-facing product and price information; an internal SKU sticker helps your team identify stock. They can appear on the same product package, but one does not automatically satisfy the job of the other. If you need an MRP label maker, first list the fields required for your product and selling channel, then confirm the current rules and category requirements before printing.
For comparison, EditLabel's MRP Label Maker is described on its public homepage as a browser tool for MRP, product and price labels, with barcode and Legal Metrology fields such as net quantity, manufacturing date and batch number. That is a provider description, not a compliance review or a test of its generated labels. Check current official requirements and inspect the output before use. This article explains internal SKU labels; it does not verify MRP compliance or endorse a specific template.
SKU label versus shipping label
The SKU label belongs to the item or its storage location. The shipping label belongs to a specific parcel and order. If a product label contains the right SKU but the parcel carries the wrong shipping label, the order can still go to the wrong customer. Check both at packing.
Is an MRP label the same as a Flipkart shipping label?
No. An MRP is a product price attribute; a shipping label identifies the packed shipment. Flipkart’s listing documentation treats MRP as a product listing attribute, while its order documentation describes generating a shipping label for packed shipments. A retail price sticker does not replace the order’s dispatch label. This guide covers internal SKU stickers, not MRP label design or product-category compliance; check current marketplace instructions and applicable rules for your product.
A quick printing workflow
- Export or select the product codes from your inventory record.
- Confirm that each variation has its own code and that the printed text fits your sticker size.
- Print one sample. Check readability under the lighting at the packing table.
- If you print a barcode, scan it back into the system and confirm the correct product appears.
- Apply labels consistently to the same side of each item or bin, then spot-check a small batch.
How to print labels for multiple SKUs
For multi-SKU label printing, prepare one row per sellable variant and include the SKU, short description and label quantity. Keep sizes, colours and pack counts as separate rows when they have different codes. Sort the sheet in the order your team picks stock, then compare a few rows with the source inventory before printing.
- Remove duplicate rows only after confirming they refer to the same variant; combine quantities instead of deleting a valid SKU.
- Print one sample from the batch and check that the SKU and description stay with the right barcode.
- Print the full run, then count the labels against the requested quantity for each SKU.
A bulk label maker or A4 label template can speed up repeat runs, but the exact import columns and page layout depend on the tool and label stock. Use its preview and a paper test first; this guide does not provide a downloadable template or claim that one format works with every printer.
How SKU sorting helps with Meesho dispatch
When orders are ready to pack, you can group their shipping labels by SKU to reduce back-and-forth between shelves. That grouping does not create product stickers; it orders the parcel labels for your packing sequence. See the Meesho SKU and courier sorting guide for that workflow, or open the Meesho label tool to review its available sort options.
Before changing a code
Check existing orders, inventory, purchase records and marketplace mappings. Changing a SKU casually can disconnect a physical item from the reports your team uses to pack and reconcile it. Keep a mapping of old and new codes when a rename is necessary.
Continue with a related guide.
Read the next guide before changing your packing process.