SKU
Pronunciation: skew (spoken); S-K-U (written initialism)
Also written as: SKU — Stock Keeping Unit
Stock Keeping Unit; a unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to a distinct product variant for inventory and sales tracking purposes.
Full Definition
A SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is the fundamental unit of product identification in retail data systems, distinguishing each unique combination of product attributes such as size, colour, and pack format. SKU-level data underpins assortment planning, demand forecasting, and sales analytics. In editorial contexts, SKU is always written in uppercase as an initialism. Editors should be aware that 'SKU' is often pronounced as a word ('skew') in spoken retail contexts, though it remains an initialism in writing. Distinguish from UPC, which is a barcode standard rather than an internal identifier.
Usage
Usage note: Always uppercase. Do not write 'Sku' or 'sku.' The plural is 'SKUs,' not 'SKU's.'
In Context
- "The report flagged 47 SKUs with zero sales velocity over a 90-day period." — Inventory analytics report
- "Each SKU was mapped to its corresponding category hierarchy before the demand model was run." — Data preparation documentation