SKU
A SKU, or stock keeping unit, is a unique code that identifies a specific sellable product or variant for tracking stock and sales.
A SKU, short for stock keeping unit, is the unique code a business assigns to a specific product it sells, so it can track that item's stock, sales and price. In jewellery the catch is that one design is not one product: the same ring exists in several metals, purities, sizes and stone options, and each needs its own SKU.
Why jewellery SKUs cannot be flat
A single ring design might be offered in 18K yellow, white and rose gold, in a range of finger sizes, and with different centre stone weights. Each real, orderable combination is a distinct variant with its own cost, price and stock, so each needs its own SKU.
Collapsing all of that into one code loses the information the business runs on. A useful jewellery SKU scheme captures metal, purity, size and stone detail so that stock and pricing stay correct for every option a customer can actually buy.
What a SKU is used for
SKUs let staff find, count and reorder a specific item, tie a sale to the exact variant sold, and keep pricing consistent. At the till, on a label and in a report, the SKU is the shared reference that everyone points to.
Because they are internal codes, SKUs are set by the business to suit its own catalogue, unlike a universal barcode that is standardised across retailers.
- A SKU uniquely identifies a specific sellable product or variant
- It is used to track stock, sales and pricing
- Jewellery SKUs must capture metal, purity, size and stone
- One design yields many SKUs, one per real orderable combination
SKU, in short.
What is the difference between a SKU and a barcode?
A SKU is an internal code a business sets for its own tracking, while a barcode such as an EAN or UPC is a standardised number used across retailers. A product can have both.
Should every ring size be a separate SKU?
If sizes are stocked and sold as distinct items, yes. Each real variant that has its own stock, cost or price generally warrants its own SKU so tracking stays accurate.
How is a SKU different from a variant?
A variant is the specific version of a product, such as a ring in a given metal and size. The SKU is the code that identifies that variant so it can be tracked.
Related terms
See sku inside a real jewellery system.
JewelleryOS keeps product, pricing, stones and orders in one connected place, built for how jewellery businesses actually work.