Etsy SKU Generator
Free toolBuild your SKU from short codes.
Preview
TS-NAV-S
8 characters · Navy Blue, S
9 SKUs
Unique and within Etsy's tips.
| Color | Size | SKU | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy Blue | S | TS-NAV-S | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Navy Blue | M | TS-NAV-M | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Navy Blue | L | TS-NAV-L | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sage | S | TS-SAG-S | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sage | M | TS-SAG-M | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sage | L | TS-SAG-L | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sand | S | TS-SAN-S | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sand | M | TS-SAN-M | Fits Etsy's tips |
| Sand | L | TS-SAN-L | Fits Etsy's tips |
SKUs are made on this page and never leave your browser. Checks follow Etsy's SKU tips. Etsy's help page doesn't state a maximum length. Etsy's guide to SKUs
What is a SKU on Etsy?
A SKU, short for stock keeping unit, is a code you give each item you sell so you can track your inventory. On Etsy it's an optional field on every listing, and on every variation if you turn it on. Etsy lets you use numbers, letters or both, in whatever system helps you organize.
A SKU is your own code, not Etsy's. Etsy gives each listing its own listing ID. The SKU is the name you choose for the product, so the same item can carry the same SKU on Etsy, your own website and your stock shelf.
Once you add SKUs, Etsy uses them in several places:
- Listings. Search by SKU in the Listings section of Shop Manager, and view or edit SKUs with Quick edit.
- Orders. Search your orders by SKU, and find SKUs in the sold orders spreadsheet you can download.
- Listing download. The CSV of your listings includes each SKU.
- EU shipping labels. For labels bought on Etsy for orders to the EU, Etsy submits your listing SKU as a required product identifier. Without a SKU, it uses your listing ID.
Do you need SKUs on Etsy?
Etsy doesn't require them. A shop with a handful of one-of-a-kind pieces can do fine without. SKUs start to pay off when:
- Your listings have variations. A mug in 4 colors and 3 sizes is 12 different things to stock. A SKU per version tells you exactly which one sold.
- You sell in more than one place. Etsy suggests SKUs for tracking inventory across channels, like Etsy and your own website.
- Someone else packs orders. A code on the shelf that matches the order is faster than reading a listing title.
- You ship to the EU. Your SKU becomes the product identifier on Etsy shipping labels, so it should name the exact item or variation.
How to create a SKU system
- Start with a product code. Two to four letters for the product type: CNDL for candles, MUG for mugs.
- Add one code per attribute, always in the same order. Color then size, for example. A fixed order lets you read any SKU at a glance.
- Keep each code short and fixed. Navy Blue is always NAV, in every product.
- Add a running number if you need one. It keeps SKUs unique when two products would otherwise share a code.
- Never reuse a SKU. A retired product keeps its code, so old orders still make sense.
- Keep the list in a spreadsheet. Download the CSV from the generator and add to it as you launch products.
The generator above follows this system. With 3 colors and 3 sizes, it makes 9 SKUs, one per combination:
| Color | Size | SKU |
|---|---|---|
| Navy Blue | S | TS-NAV-S |
| Navy Blue | M | TS-NAV-M |
| Navy Blue | L | TS-NAV-L |
| Sage | S | TS-SAG-S |
| Sage | M | TS-SAG-M |
With a SKU for each version, you can price each one properly. The craft pricing calculator turns its costs into an Etsy price, and the Etsy fee calculator shows the profit on a price you already have.
Etsy SKU rules
Etsy's help pages give tips more than hard rules. Here is what Etsy says and how the generator checks it.
| Rule | What Etsy says | What the generator does |
|---|---|---|
| Characters | Numbers, letters or both, whatever helps you organize | Allows letters and numbers, with a hyphen or underscore between parts |
| Length | 4 to 8 characters for most inventory | Flags SKUs outside 4 to 8. Etsy's help page states no maximum |
| O and I | Avoid them. They're easy to mistake for 0 and 1 | Flags SKUs with an O or I |
| Symbols | Avoid symbols like commas or slashes. They may confuse programs like Excel | Flags any symbol other than a hyphen or underscore |
| Unique | Letters help you avoid using the same SKU twice | Flags every duplicate, ignoring case |
| Variations | Unique SKUs for up to 400 option combinations per listing | Stops at 400 combinations |
Tips are not errors. Etsy recommends 4 to 8 characters for most inventory, and some sellers choose a longer code they can read at a glance. Duplicates are the one thing to fix, because two items with one SKU defeat the point of having SKUs.
Etsy SKU examples for common shops
Put the attribute that matters most for stock right after the product code. These are starting points to adapt.
| Shop | Parts | Example SKU |
|---|---|---|
| Candles | Product, scent, jar size | CN-LAV-8 |
| Rings | Product, metal, ring size | RG-SLV-7 |
| Art prints | Product, design, paper size | PR-FN-A4 |
| T-shirts | Product, color, size | TS-BLK-M |
| Stickers | Product, design, pack size | ST-CAT-3 |
| Yarn | Product, fiber, colorway | YN-MR-TL |
Digital products have no stock to count, but a SKU still helps you match orders and files. A product code plus a version number, like PLNR-2027, is enough.
SKUs for variations on Etsy
When a listing has variations, you can give each combination its own SKU. When you add a variation, turn on the option to vary the SKU, and a SKU field appears next to each option. Etsy allows unique SKUs for up to 400 option combinations in one listing.
This is where a SKU generator saves the most time. Enter every value once, and the generator writes the SKU for every combination. The CSV has a column per attribute and a SKU column, so you can match each row to the right variation as you fill in the listing.
A free SKU generator built for Etsy
- Free, with no email. No account, no sign-up form. The SKUs are made on this page.
- Checks Etsy's tips. Every SKU is checked for duplicates, length, symbols and the letters O and I.
- Exports a spreadsheet. Download every SKU with its values as a CSV for Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
Alura brings in your Etsy orders and fees automatically, so you can see what each listing earns. Start for free or see pricing.
A SKU (stock keeping unit) is a code you give an item to track your inventory. On Etsy you can add one to each listing and to each variation. You can search your listings and orders by SKU in Shop Manager.
No. SKUs are optional. They help most when your listings have variations, when you sell on more than one channel, or when you ship to the EU, where Etsy uses your listing SKU as a product identifier on shipping labels bought on Etsy.
In the listing editor, the SKU field sits with the price and quantity. For variations, turn on the option to vary the SKU and enter one for each option. You can also edit SKUs across listings with Quick edit.
Etsy recommends 4 to 8 characters for most inventory, so SKUs stay easy to manage. Etsy's help page doesn't state a maximum length. The generator flags SKUs outside 4 to 8 characters as a tip, not an error.
Etsy says numbers, letters or a mix of both. It suggests avoiding symbols like commas or slashes, which may confuse programs like Excel, and the letters O and I, which look like 0 and 1.
Yes. Etsy lets you set a unique SKU for up to 400 option combinations in one listing. The generator makes a SKU for every combination of your values and stops at 400.
Yes. A SKU only helps if it points to one item. The generator flags any duplicate, even ones that differ only in upper and lower case.
Yes. Download CSV gives you a file with a column for each attribute and one for the SKU, which opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. Copy all puts every SKU on your clipboard, one per line.
Yes. It's free with no account and no email. Your SKUs are made on this page.
