Imagine you are looking for a specific electronic gadget. You will first search for a physical store in order to find options now that you’ve made up your mind and are looking for that specific product online, how would you find that specific product?
That’s when the manufacturer part number comes into use. The manufacturer part number or MPN allows you to find what to do by providing a specific number to a certain product which makes the identification process easier.
Different e-commerce stores have different requirements when it comes to MPN. For eBay, the manufacturer part number is a must-have whereas for other online marketplaces, it is just an optional field for Amazon.
What is the MPN number?
What does MPN stand for? A Manufacturer Part Number better known as MPN is a certain number assigned to a Product that differentiates it from other numbers, this makes it easier to find a specific product and also protects it from being sold illegally.
MPN is used when importing your products to Amazon, AliExpress, and other Google shopping engines.
It’s a range that’s issued by makers to spot individual merchandise.
Normally, the MPN of a product could be a series of numbers and letters. You can see samples of MPNs on the barcodes of products.
For e.g an oil filter or battery of one car will not fit another car, the MPN number differentiates the model of one car from another.
This number helps both the manufacturer and consumer in making the difference between distinguishable items.
In e-commerce, one is usually asked about the MPN when asked to sell on a marketplace online.
Your audience might even be searching Google Shopping and other channels for specific MPNs. So, providing these makes sure your products are shown when it matters the most.
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Why is the Manufacturer Part Number significant?
There are several reasons why MPN numbers are important, but we have listed three of the most important reasons which include:
- A manufacturer part number allows you to increase your income conversion. Many products like car batteries, oil filters, or computer parts do not have searchable variants. Due to this reason, they are hard to find and search for. The only way you can increase your sales here is by having an MPN which will allow the user to find exactly what they are looking for.
- Your MPN number also helps in increasing your marketing. It does this by allowing different social media platforms to come up with ads that are relevant to the MPN number. So, if a user searches for the MPN number of a car engine, he will get ads related to that product, this also helps in increasing sales. Apart from that it also helps you in getting good reviews! Customers are usually happy when they get the same thing as demand. This will help with both repeat purchases and good reviews.
- Another reason why the MPN number is important is that it helps with increasing customer satisfaction by reducing the number of returns. According to Sagemailer, selling customers the proper and actual merchandise won’t result in unwarranted returns. It saves you time, money, and effort. At the same time, it will intensify your rankings and ratings as a vendor.
Where and how to find the Manufacturer’s Part Number?
Once you’ve found out what an MPN is and how it is helpful, then the next question that arises is where and how you can find one.
Usually, one can find the MPN number on the product packaging and barcode. It might also be listed on the bottom or top of the product The Manufacturer Part Number is usually listed next to the brand name as “Part Number MPN”
If you still cannot find the MPN, you don’t have to worry, all you have to do is call the manufacturer and ask them for the Manufacturer’s Part Number.
TIP: A useful piece of information is to always add the MPN to your Product as well to increase the chance of appearing in the right search query.
MPN vs SKUS
At times the difference between MPN and SKUS can get confusing. We’ve made it easier for you to differentiate between the two.
An SKU is usually used by a distributor to internally keep track of the inventory. Products are assigned different SKU numbers in terms of their price, color, style, size, etc. The SKU is unique to individual retailers.
On the other hand, a manufacturer part number is a number that is usually for products that are not easy to distinguish for example a specific power tool, hence that’s the catch that will help you to have a better understanding of MPN.
Some common product categories include the following:
- Parts for appliances
- Power tools
- Computer parts
- Consumer electronics
- Plumbing parts
- Automotive parts
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