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Erroneous Bookland EAN Bar Codes Reported » Are You Ready for ISBN-13?

Today I received this email from Bowker (the company responsible for ISBNs):

Several instances of books carrying a Bookland EAN bar code with an erroneous number encoded have been reported. For reference, this is the number encoded in the bar code and displayed below the bar code itself. A correctly encoded Bookland EAN bar code, dual numbered to indicate both the ISBN-10 and the ISBN-13 above the bar code, is shown below: In contrast to the correctly encoded number in the bar code above, the erroneous number begins with ‘979’, an invalid prefix for today’s Bookland EAN and an ISBN range not yet activated by International or National ISBN Agencies. The erroneous number is unlikely to be recognized by the computer systems of many booksellers who are not yet prepared for ISBN-13. For those who are prepared, it will not “match” the correct ISBN previously stored for the book. The result will be a delay in processing or selling at best, and a likely loss of sales and reorder data.

For a publisher, such an error could represent a large portion of revenue. For an author, the results could be disastrous. Imagine folks looking for your book, and either not being able to find your book or not being able to order it. So if you are an author? I'd take a peek at that EAN on the backside and make sure it doesn't start with a 979. Because that would totally suck, you know? Link: Are You Ready for ISBN-13? Listening to “Broken Telephone” by The Be Good Tanyas from the album Blue Horse on

Tags: barcode | Bowker | erroneous | error | errors | ISBN | ISBN-10 | ISBN-13 | bookland.

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