BuyEAN.nl

BuyEAN.nl

BuyEAN.nl (at domain http://buyean.nl/) has several issues that are very concerning.

The Issues:

  • BuyEAN.nl is a Dutch company. However, they sell EAN-13 barcode numbers that start with 700 – 709 and therefore come from GS1 Norway. It is unclear to us why this Dutch company is selling barcode numbers sourced from GS1 Norway. If you are considering purchasing barcodes from this company, please contact them first to request proof that they are the legal owner of the barcode numbers that they are selling.
  • When we looked up one of their EAN-13 barcode numbers (which had been sold to one of their customers) on GS1’s GEPIR database no company information was found. This indicates to us that GS1 Norway still retains full ownership of that barcode number, and has not issued a license for it’s use to any other company. We presume that this is the case for all of the other barcode numbers that they are selling.
  • As far as we’re aware, all barcode numbers from GS1 Norway are issued to their members under a license, and annual renewal fees must be paid. GS1 Norway retains all ownership of their barcode numbers, and their licensees aren’t permitted to on-sell the barcode numbers to other companies/individuals.
  • We don’t believe that GS1 Norway now, or at any stage in the past, has sold (for a one-off cost with no license fees), or given away, any of their 700-709 barcode numbers. Accordingly, we believe that it is impossible to legally purchase (for a one-off cost) an EAN-13 barcode number that begins with either 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, or 709.
  • The barcodes displayed on their website are from GS1 UK. These are very different from the barcodes they are selling and this is misleading.
  • The only legal way to buy EAN-13 barcode numbers for a one-off price, without joining GS1, is to purchase USA-origin barcode numbers that start with “07” or “06” or “00”. BuyEAN.nl warn against these numbers explicitly, presumably trying to ‘even the scales’ of all the other information that suggests that these are the only legitimate numbers for resale.