Global Coupon Number (GCN)

GCNs can enable companies to share information electronically, ensuring all parties have timely and accurate information on coupon offer conditions, coupon publication, redemption of coupons, and the financial settlement between companies.

Many companies may be involved in managing a coupon offer; for example, a manufacturer, retailer, clearing house, and mobile application provider. The GCN enables them to share information electronically, ensuring all parties have timely and accurate information on coupon offer conditions, coupon publication, redemption of coupons, and the financial settlement between companies.

The purpose of coupon numbering and symbol marking is to automate and speed up coupon handling procedures at the point-of-sale. Moreover, coupon issuers and retailers may be able to reduce the costs involved in sorting coupons, administering manufacturers’ payments, and producing reports on redemption. 

The GCN provides companies with an identifier that can be used to retrieve information held in a database associated with the coupon; for example, used to check the validity of the coupon offer, retrieve the conditions related to the coupon offer, and in some cases, to confirm that the coupon has not been used.

The GCN may be presented as a barcode to enable automated processing at the Point-of-Sale (POS). The GCN can also be presented in digital form. At the POS, the coupon offer can be accessed via a consumer loyalty account or be presented on a mobile phone as a barcode or via near-field communication (NFC).  GCNs can also be used to process coupons in web shops.

The GCN always identifies the specific coupon offer. If there is a need to identify the individually issued coupons for the offer (the instances), an optional serial component can be used.

You need to communicate the details about each GCN to your trading partners.

GS1 HK - Digital Coupon Solution

GS1 US - GS1 Databar for Coupons

A GCN is a 13-digit number formed using your GS1 company prefix number. The number contains no information about the coupon but provides a link to systems where the information is held.

The company assigning the coupons is responsible for assigning the GCN and ensuring their uniqueness. 

The 13-digit numbers are created as follows:
 

Application Identifier (AI): AI (255) to identify GCN

GS1 Company Prefix: This will be allocated to you by GS1 Australia, and will vary in length from seven to nine digits

Coupon reference: The structure and content of the coupon reference is at the discretion of the coupon issuer, in order to uniquely identify each type of coupon. For ease of administration, GS1 recommends that GCNs be assigned sequentially and not contain classifying elements.

Check digit: This is calculated using the first twelve digits of the number. A check digit calculator is avaliable.

Serial Component: An optional numeric identification number of up to 12 characters for the serial component of the coupon.

Optional :To provide additional information to the GCN, the following AIs can be used: AI (17) Expiration date, AI (390N) Coupon value – Single monetary area or AI (394n) Percentage discount of a coupon or AI (8111) Loyalty points of a coupon.  See the GS1 General Specifications for more information.

The GCN must remain unique for a period well beyond the lifetime of the records relevant to the coupon.