# SKU Numbers / Bar Codes / Retail Morality **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239 "2000-12-26T15:32:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/1 "2000-12-26T15:32:37Z")
Do two identical items have different SKU Numbers or Bar Codes? Here’s the story: I wanted to buy **jdimbert** an Palm m100 for Hanukkah. So, I priced them out and found that _everyone_ sells them for $149. Except the Sharper Image, over their website. There, it was about $25 less. So, I ordered one there. When it had not arrived, I called the 800 number to discover that it was on backorder until mid-January. So, ashen, I went to CompUSA and forked over the full price then gave it to her last night. (She likes it!) This morning, when I walked into my office, a box from the Sharper Image was sitting on my desk. :mad: [CompUSA’s Return Policy](http://www.compusa.com/terms.asp#returns) states: > [@](#): > > An open box fee equal to 15% of the purchase price will be charged on any opened item, unless the item is defective and exchanged for the exact same item (fee not applicable in Hawaii). The 15% open box fee will be assessed at the time of refund or exchange. So, if I return the (more expensive, open) one to the store, I will have to pay all the money I saved in “restocking fees.” Here’s the real question: If I take the brand-spankin’-new one from the Sharper Image back to CompUSA and return _it_ to _them_, will they know? Will the SKU Codes/Bar Codes/Whatchamacallits match up because the two are identical products? If not, are there any moral or ethical problems? {Please, let’s stick to the how’s and why’s so **Manhattan** doesn’t have to move this thread. :)) ---
**Author:** ![Jamoross](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jamoross/32/3241_2.png) [@Jamoross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamoross)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/2 "2000-12-26T15:56:28Z")
You’ve presumably got both packages; look at the barcodes. Are they the same? You did know that a barcode is just a special style of writing --a font if you will, virtually in some cases literally in others-- and usually has the same data below in man-readable “alphanumerics”? So are the numbers the same? If so then the products inside are too, and CompUSA will neither know nor care. (Well, okay, strictly speaking it is possible for two packages to have the same product code and be different versions of the same item. But the scanner can’t tell the difference so the price will be the same at any given store. Another question you might ask: is the serial number on the outside of the box too? And is that recorded on the transaction record (receipt)? Second option: Why not return the extra unit to Sharper Image? What is their return policy? Third option: Ebay - jam ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/3 "2000-12-26T15:59:24Z")
1. If they’re precisely the same product, they should have the same barcode (UPC or EAN) in the same place on the exact same style of box. This is very easy to verify. Some manufacturers use separate SKUs for the same product sold in different channels, but this is generally done only when they’re “branded” for a particular location (i.e., Sears Kenmore washing machines are Maytags with different nameplates). If the packaging is the same, however, the barcode will also be identical- there’s no way to tell “where it came from” with any reliability. 2. You are not going to save any money. Regardless of which item you return, your refund will based on the same thing- the line item on your reciept. Likewise, returning one or the other does not retroactively change the amount you have previously paid. Perhaps I’m missing something here, but what benefit do you get from returning the cheap one? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/4 "2000-12-26T16:18:58Z")
I did this the other day for a microwave oven, the clerk didn’t blink. Look at the bar code, it has a number written on it, match them up. You can take it back to CompUSA if you want & you think that it’s worth it but you’ll be in line for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/5 "2000-12-26T16:21:47Z")
The benefit, **Some Guy** , is that the cheaper item is unopened and, therefore, not subject to the 15% restocking fee charged by CompUSA for opened boxes. Additional useless information: The restocking fee charged by your retailer is likely the result of a manufacturer agreement that affects discount structures and marketing funds. When opened boxes of undamaged merchandise are returned to a manufacturer, that manufacturer incurs the cost of repackaging the product and the annoyance of, once again, counting those products with their finished goods inventory as a taxable asset. This makes manufacturers unhappy. When many such items are returned by a particular retailer, the manufacturer might change that retailer’s purchasing discount or marketing fund arrangement on the assumption that the retailer is not effectively educating their customers on what product best serves their purposes. This makes retailers embarrassed and less competitive. To avoid this, a retailer might charge a fee that is not passed back to the manufacturer in order to discourage returns. Does anyone care? Probably not. I just thought I’d share. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/6 "2000-12-26T17:07:02Z")
Tymp- figured this out as soon as posted. Sigh. I should add that, while you’re correct about one of the reasons behind the restocking fee (“returnable basis” wholesaling tends to come with a crapload of contractual conditions), there’s another big reason why electronics stores do this: lots of people were essentially getting a zero-fee loan of their laptops or VHS camcorders, using them for one weekend, and then returning them. Obviously, they didn’t (and don’t) want this sort of thing to happen, since they are not, in fact, a charity institution. Charging a restocking fee essentially guarantees that they’ll make some money from these folks. ---
**Author:** ![coming\_up\_for\_air](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@coming\_up\_for\_air](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coming_up_for_air)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/7 "2000-12-26T17:14:57Z")
Barcodes are assigned in blocks, and given to companies to deal with themselves. Some are good at it, and some are stingy and lazy and try to reuse everything to avoid bookkeeping. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/8 "2000-12-26T18:18:51Z")
Thank you all for verifying my suspicions. **Jamoross** and **Some Guy** : I absolutely _do_ stand to benefit by returning the one I bought at the Sharper Image to CompUSA. You see, I paid more for it at CompUSA than at the Sharper Image. So, the difference in price will be my gain. Again, I’m doing nothing underhanded (I think); the products are identical. It is just that The Sharper Image gave me a nice discount because it was the first time I used their webstore. So, if the Palm was $25 less online, I will regain my $25 when I return the SI Palm to CUSA. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![Jamoross](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jamoross/32/3241_2.png) [@Jamoross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamoross)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/9 "2000-12-27T02:57:04Z")
Oh, I got the point in the first place. That’s why I put the idea of returning the unopened unit to Sharper Image after the descriptor “second option”. The obvious first option being to get back your bigger outlay from CompUSA. - jam ---
**Author:** ![fenrir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@fenrir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fenrir)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/10 "2000-12-27T03:03:18Z")
Well if they aren’t the same bar code , why not just switch boxes ? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/11 "2000-12-27T04:16:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fenrir \* > \*\*Well if they aren’t the same bar code , why not just switch boxes ? \*\* Because then both boxes would be open, thus negating the whole point of saving the open-box fee. Unless you have your own shrinkwrapper handy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sku-numbers-bar-codes-retail-morality/47239/12 "2000-12-27T06:14:15Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by friedo \* > Unless you have your own shrinkwrapper handy. 🙂_\* Actually … shrinkwrapping’s not that hard. Plastic wrap (aka “Saran Wrap”, although that’s a registered trademark) can be quite easily melted around a box with a hairdryer. I worked in a video store and we use to shrinkwrap videocassette boxes this way. However, we used a greater thickness of plastic because a hairdryer can melt a hole in plastic wrap faster than you can say “poke in the eye with a sharp stick.” 😉