Price Barcode Generator
EAN-5 Price Barcode
Generate price barcodes (EAN-5) that appear beside ISBN barcodes on book covers. The 5-digit code includes currency and price information based on international standards.
Understanding EAN-5 Price Barcodes
What is EAN-5?
EAN-5 (European Article Number 5) is a supplementary barcode that appears alongside the main ISBN barcode on book covers. This 5-digit barcode provides pricing and currency information, making checkout faster and more accurate for retailers worldwide.
The EAN-5 barcode consists of five digits where the first digit represents the currency code and the remaining four digits represent the price in the smallest denomination of that currency (cents, pence, etc.). For example, the code "51299" represents "$12.99" in US Dollars, while "10850" represents "£8.50" in British Pounds.
Key Benefits:
- Faster checkout process for retailers
- Reduced pricing errors at point of sale
- Simplified inventory management
- International currency support
EAN-5 Limitations
While EAN-5 price barcodes are useful, they come with several important limitations that publishers and retailers should understand:
Price Limitations
- • Maximum price: $99.99 (9999 cents)
- • Cannot represent prices over $100
- • No decimal places beyond cents
- • Cannot handle complex pricing structures
Practical Limitations
- • Static pricing - cannot change without reprinting
- • Limited currency options (10 codes)
- • Requires additional barcode space on cover
- • Not all retailers use price barcode data
Important Considerations:
- • Many modern retail systems rely on database pricing rather than barcode pricing
- • Price barcodes are more common in certain markets (US, UK) than others
- • Consider whether the benefits outweigh the cover space requirements
- • Consult with your distributor about their barcode requirements
ISBN Barcode Examples
ISBN Barcode Only
Contains: Only the 13-digit ISBN barcode
Best for: Books with variable pricing or digital-only sales
Advantages: Clean design, more cover space, flexible pricing
ISBN + EAN-5 Price Barcode
Contains: ISBN barcode + separate EAN-5 price barcode
Best for: Traditional retail distribution
Advantages: Faster checkout, reduced pricing errors
Placement Guidelines:
When using both ISBN and EAN-5 barcodes, the EAN-5 price barcode should be positioned to the right of the main ISBN barcode, with proper spacing according to GS1 standards.
- • Maintain minimum 3mm spacing between barcodes
- • Ensure both barcodes are at the same baseline
- • Include adequate quiet zones around each barcode
- • Test scan both barcodes before final printing
Currency Codes Reference
Standard Currency Codes:
- 0 - British Pound£
- 1 - British Pound£
- 3 - Australian DollarA$
- 4 - New Zealand DollarNZ$
Additional Currencies:
- 5 - US Dollar$
- 6 - Canadian DollarC$
- 7-9 - US Dollar (Default)$
Special Industry Codes:
- • 50000 - NACS Trade
- • 59999 - Price for $100 and more
- • 90000-98999 - No Price / Internal use (BISG recommended)
- • 99990 - NACS Used
- • 99991 - NACS Copies
Format Guidelines:
- • First digit indicates currency type (0-9)
- • Last 4 digits represent price in cents/pence (e.g., 1299 = $12.99 or £12.99)
- • Use leading zeros for prices under $10.00 (e.g., 50599 = $5.99)
- • Maximum price is $99.99 (code: 59999)
- • Use codes 90000-98999 for "No Price" or internal purposes