The GS1 Web Vocabulary collects terms defined in various GS1 standards and data systems and made available for general use following Linked Data principles. It is designed as an extension to schema.org and, where relevant, mappings and relationships arising from that vocabulary are made explicit.
The initial focus of the GS1 Web Vocabulary is consumer-facing properties for clothing, shoes, food beverage/tobacco and properties common to all products.
This includes properties related to EU 1169 as defined in the GDSN and GS1 Source Standards. In addition, the vocabulary includes the definition of parties and of a product offer (a product offered by a party for a price). Properties and their definitions come from existing GS1 standards including GDSN, GS1 Source and GPC. Exceptions to this rule include the definition of Offer which does not exist in any of the above standards.
New terms are developed and ratified according to the Global Standards Management Process. Terms may be suggested and commented on in the vocabulary’s GitHub repository .
The GS1 Web Vocabulary was originally developed as the primary output of the GS1 SmartSearch standard but it now fulfils a broader remit. The GS1 SmartSearch standard enables businesses to benefit from:
- More accurate search results for consumers to find the products and information they need.
- A lower bounce rate, i.e. people landing on a page and immediately navigating away as it's not relevant to them.
- Improved conversion rate from visits to sales.
- Improved, accurate online product information.
- Shared product information via consumer-facing mobile devices and websites, which ultimately drive sales.
Further information and support tools for the GS1 SmartSearch are available.
The GS1 Digital Link standard makes it possible to express any set of GS1 identifiers as a Web URI and therefore the identified item can be the subject of machine-readable facts and assertions made about it. The GS1 Web Vocabulary includes the link types used in GS1 Digital Link to annotate links to related resources, such as product information pages, instruction manuals, related videos, certification information, brand owner APIs, traceability information and more.
Terms from Scan4Transport cover extended address information suitable for deliveries, especially 'last mile' deliveries.
