ISBN Specification

I have my ISBN, how do I get an EAN?

ISBNs need to be converted into Bookland EAN barcodes (See Ex.2 below) for proper scanning in retail stores. The first three digits of the Bookland EAN, 978, are given to every ISBN to uniquely identify the barcode as a book or book related product. The next nine digits of the EAN consist of the ISBN (minus the check digit). Finally, a new check digit will be calculated for your EAN, which is based on the first 12 digits of the EAN number. The ISBN is printed above the barcode so that it can be manually entered, if needed.

Example 1: EAN

Do I need a price add on?

Yes, price codes are mandatory for most retailers in the United States. The five digit add-on encodes the suggested retail price of your book into the barcode. In the United States, the first digit of the add-on is the number 5, which indicates U.S. dollars. The remaining 4 digits encode the price without decimals (Ex.3). If the price is greater than $99.99, the add-on should remain as 59999. If there is not a set price, a code of 90000 tells the computer that there is no suggested retail price associated with the EAN code (Ex.4).

Example 2: Price add on with price of $10.95

Your book's ISBN is 0-123456-47-9 and retails for $10.95
       Your EAN will be 9780123456472 with a price add on code of 51095

Example 3: Price add on with no set price

Your books ISBN is 0-123456-47-9 and does not have a set price
       Your EAN will be 9780123456472 with a price add on code of 90000