UPC and SKU

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stock-keeping-unit-sku.asp

SKUs are company specific. UPCs are unique. 12 digits = 1 billion. Sounds like too few to keep up with the bunch of products that exist today.

For the case of the Open Source Economy, where Distributed Market Substitution becomes a reality based on optimal products - the case for the UPC becomes strong. Keeping track of best versions is a good idea. Identifying an optimal version can promote its replication. Identify building block Modules in a Construction Set Approach can lead to collaboration. From the standpoint of generative construction sets - identifying the critical building blocks is important. Here OSE can join with UPC and GTIN standards to facilitate the open source economy.

Note that in the immediate sense - SKUs should be built upon the UPC - for transparent operation of Distributive Enterprises. Note in the article above you cannot price match on SKUs - these are company-specific - while you can on UPCs. It appears that an Optimal Economy

Imporance

Standards, such as the UPC - facilitate identification. For example - Menards says B816RR is 6 lb - but searching under the UPC (found at the Carlon site or many sites)

Links

TO be reconciled:

• Taxonomy
• OSHWA Certification
• OSE Specifications
• Versioning
• Genealogies
• Machine Naming Convention
• GVCS Naming Convention
• OSE Part Naming Convention
• OSE Naming Convention
• Wiki Page Naming Convention