SKU Wrangler
Operations ·

Where Do You Actually Store Your 3PL SKUs in Shopify?

The standard SKU field gets messy with multiple 3PLs. The barcode field is for UPCs. Here's how to use Shopify metafields to cleanly map all your 3PL SKUs without the chaos.

You’re setting up your first 3PL integration with Shopify. Simple question: where do you put their SKUs?

Your product BLUE-HOODIE-XL needs to map to ShipBob’s BLUE-HOODIE-XL (easy) and Amazon’s X00-ABC-1234 (cryptic). Plus you’ve got the UPC barcode 123456789012 for retail channels.

Standard SKU field? Already taken by your internal SKU. Barcode field? That’s for UPC codes. Description? Not searchable or structured.

Welcome to the Shopify SKU storage nightmare that every multi-3PL operator faces.

The Standard Shopify Fields Are Broken for Multi-3PL

The SKU Field Overwrite Problem

Most 3PL apps assume they own the SKU field:

Day 1: You set up ShipBob integration

  • Your SKU: BLUE-HOODIE-XL
  • ShipBob app stores: BLUE-HOODIE-XL (same, so no problem)

Day 30: You add Amazon FBA

  • Amazon app overwrites SKU field with: X00-ABC-1234
  • Your clean SKU naming is gone
  • ShipBob integration breaks because it can’t find BLUE-HOODIE-XL

Day 60: You add a third 3PL

  • Another SKU overwrite
  • Now you’re manually fixing mappings across three systems
  • Your product catalog is a mess of random 3PL-generated codes

The Barcode Field Confusion

Shopify’s barcode field is designed for UPC/EAN codes:

  • Purpose: Product identification for retail/POS
  • Format: 12-digit UPC like 123456789012
  • Usage: Barcode scanners, retail systems, inventory tracking

But some operators stuff 3PL SKUs here:

  • X00-ABC-1234 (Amazon ASIN)
  • SHIPBOB-BLUE-HOODIE-XL (ShipBob SKU)

This breaks barcode scanning and confuses retail integrations.

The Multi-SKU Chaos

Real scenario from a supplement brand with 200 SKUs:

Product: Protein Powder Vanilla 2lb

  • Internal SKU: PROTEIN-VANILLA-2LB
  • UPC: 123456789012
  • Amazon FBA: X00-ABC-1234
  • ShipBob: PROTEIN-VANILLA-2LB
  • International 3PL: PROT-VAN-2LB-001
  • Retail Channel: BRAND-PROT-VAN-2

Where do you store all of these in Shopify?

The Real-World Storage Disasters

Scenario 1: The App Conflict War

You have three 3PL apps installed:

  1. ShipBob app expects SKU field to contain ShipBob SKUs
  2. Amazon app overwrites SKU field with Amazon SKUs
  3. WMS app needs internal SKUs for warehouse picking

Each app installation overwrites the previous one. Your product catalog becomes a rotating mess of different SKU formats.

Scenario 2: The Manual Mapping Nightmare

You give up on automated integrations and go manual:

  • SKU field: Keep your internal SKU
  • Barcode field: Stuff in the most important 3PL SKU
  • Description: Add other SKUs as text
  • Title: Hope you remember which is which

Result: No structured data, no automated sync, manual hell.

Scenario 3: The SKU Field Rotation

You try to be clever and rotate what goes in the SKU field:

  • Q1: Internal SKUs for inventory planning
  • Q2: Amazon SKUs for FBA sync
  • Q3: ShipBob SKUs for fulfillment
  • Q4: Back to internal SKUs

Your team loses track of what format is currently active. Orders route to wrong 3PLs. Inventory sync breaks constantly.

The Metafields Solution: Clean, Structured, Powerful

Shopify metafields let you store custom data on products. Think of them as additional fields you can define yourself.

Instead of cramming everything into SKU and barcode fields, you create specific metafields for each 3PL:

Basic Metafield Structure

Product: Blue Hoodie XL
├── SKU: BLUE-HOODIE-XL (your internal SKU)
├── Barcode: 123456789012 (actual UPC)
├── 3pl.shipbob_sku: BLUE-HOODIE-XL
├── 3pl.amazon_sku: X00-ABC-1234
├── 3pl.international_sku: BH-XL-001
└── 3pl.retail_sku: BRAND-HOODIE-BLUE-XL

Advanced Metafield Taxonomy

For complex operations, you can get more specific:

Product: Protein Powder Vanilla 2lb
├── SKU: PROTEIN-VANILLA-2LB
├── Barcode: 123456789012
├── 3pl.shipbob.primary_sku: PROTEIN-VANILLA-2LB
├── 3pl.shipbob.backup_sku: PROT-VAN-2LB-B
├── 3pl.amazon.us_sku: X00-ABC-1234
├── 3pl.amazon.ca_sku: X00-ABC-5678
├── 3pl.amazon.uk_sku: X00-ABC-9012
├── 3pl.international.eu_sku: PROT-VAN-2LB-EU
├── 3pl.international.asia_sku: PROT-VAN-2LB-AS
└── retail.costco_sku: BRAND-PROT-VAN-2

How SKU Wrangler Implements This

We use Shopify’s native metafields with a standardized taxonomy:

Default Taxonomy Structure

3pl.{provider}_{location}_{type}

Examples:

  • 3pl.shipbob_sku (basic ShipBob SKU)
  • 3pl.amazon_us_sku (Amazon US marketplace)
  • 3pl.amazon_ca_sku (Amazon Canada)
  • 3pl.fulfillment_iq_sku (FulfillmentIQ SKU)

Customizable for Your Needs

You can customize the taxonomy:

By Business Unit:

  • 3pl.supplements_shipbob_sku
  • 3pl.apparel_shipbob_sku

By Season:

  • 3pl.q4_amazon_sku
  • 3pl.regular_amazon_sku

By Channel:

  • 3pl.b2b_shipbob_sku
  • 3pl.retail_shipbob_sku

The Power of Structured Data

Once your SKUs are in metafields, you can:

  1. View all mappings on one product page
  2. Bulk update specific 3PL SKUs across your catalog
  3. API access to programmatically sync data
  4. Reporting on SKU mapping completeness
  5. Automated validation of SKU formats

Real-World Implementation Examples

Example 1: Multi-Channel Supplements Brand

Challenge: 300 SKUs across Amazon US/CA/UK, ShipBob, and Costco Solution:

3pl.amazon_us_sku: X00-ABC-1234
3pl.amazon_ca_sku: X00-ABC-5678  
3pl.amazon_uk_sku: X00-ABC-9012
3pl.shipbob_sku: PROTEIN-VANILLA-2LB
retail.costco_sku: BRAND-PROT-VAN-2

Result: Clean product data, automated sync, no more SKU conflicts

Example 2: Fashion Brand with Seasonal Inventory

Challenge: Move inventory between 3PLs seasonally Solution:

3pl.peak_season_sku: SHIPBOB-DRESS-001
3pl.off_season_sku: QUIETLOGISTICS-DRESS-001
3pl.international_sku: DHL-DRESS-001

Result: Easy seasonal transitions, clear inventory allocation

Example 3: Electronics Brand with B2B/B2C Split

Challenge: Different fulfillment for B2B vs B2C orders Solution:

3pl.b2c_shipbob_sku: LAPTOP-CHARGER-001
3pl.b2b_warehouse_sku: LC-001-B2B
3pl.amazon_b2c_sku: X00-ABC-1234

Result: Automated order routing based on customer type

Best Practices for SKU Metafields

1. Establish Your Taxonomy Early

Define your naming convention before you start:

  • 3pl.{provider}_{location}_{type}
  • fulfillment.{provider}_{region}
  • warehouse.{name}_{category}

2. Use Descriptive Names

Don’t use cryptic abbreviations:

  • Good: 3pl.shipbob_primary_sku
  • Bad: 3pl.sb_p_sku

3. Plan for Scale

Consider future needs:

  • Multiple locations per 3PL
  • International expansion
  • Seasonal inventory shifts

4. Document Everything

Keep a mapping reference:

3pl.shipbob_sku: Primary ShipBob SKU
3pl.shipbob_backup_sku: Backup ShipBob SKU
3pl.amazon_us_sku: Amazon US marketplace SKU
3pl.amazon_ca_sku: Amazon Canada marketplace SKU

The Bottom Line

Stop cramming 3PL SKUs into fields they don’t belong in. Use Shopify’s metafields to create a clean, structured, scalable system for managing all your SKU mappings.

Your future self will thank you when you’re scaling to 10 3PLs and 5,000 SKUs without breaking a sweat.

Ready to implement clean SKU mapping with metafields? Get early access to SKU Wrangler and see how we automate the entire process.