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SSCC
Definition
An SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit number that identifies one specific logistic unit, such as a pallet or a carton, usually printed as a GS1-128 barcode on its shipping label.
What it means
GS1 US describes the SSCC as a license plate for a logistic unit, used to track it through the supply chain, and notes that many major retailers and logistics partners require SSCCs on pallets and packages.[1] It is built from an extension digit, the company's GS1 Company Prefix, a serial reference and a check digit.[2]
The SSCC does not describe the contents. It links the physical unit to the advance ship notice that does, so one scan at receiving can pull up everything on the pallet. For the same reason, when a unit is broken down and repacked it needs a new SSCC.[2] Placement rules and common label failures are in retail compliance relabeling.
Example
A retailer's DC scans the SSCC on an inbound pallet. The scan matches a pallet in the vendor's advance ship notice, so the pallet is received automatically without anyone counting the cases.
Related
Related terms
- Advance Ship NoticeAn advance ship notice (ASN) is the electronic message a shipper sends a receiver before delivery, describing...Glossary
- RepalletizingRepalletizing is moving freight onto a new or different pallet, or building loose cartons onto pallets, so...Glossary
- Ti-HiTi-Hi describes how cases are stacked on a pallet: Ti (tier) is the number of cases on one layer, and Hi...Glossary
- PalletA pallet is a flat, portable platform, usually wood, with a top deck and a bottom structure that lets a stack...Glossary
- Distribution CenterA distribution center (DC) is a warehouse that holds inventory and ships it out to stores or customers as...Glossary
Related freight problems
Related guides
Sources
- GS1 US, “Serialized Shipping Container Codes (SSCC),” Standards organization. Accessed September 2026.
- GS1 US, “An Introduction to the Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), Release 3.0,” Standards organization. Published February 2019. Accessed September 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.