Before you can establish an Amazon listing for your new product, you must complete one critical step: get a UPC.
While it may seem scary to a first-time seller, the procedure is relatively straightforward.
In this post, we’ll define a UPC, explain why you need one, and where you can get one that complies with Amazon’s Terms of Service.
The barcode used to identify a specific retail product is a UPC, which stands for Universal Product Code. Almost every product you buy in a shop will have a scannable barcode on the box. The UPC is the unique 12-digit number underneath the barcode.
When the barcode is scanned or typed into a search engine like Amazon, the product associated with that code appears in the store’s system or the Amazon search results.
Yes and no, as I’ll explain.
It would be best if you had a UPC for your Amazon product because Amazon requires all new product detail pages to have a unique product identifier, such as a UPC, EAN, GTIN, and so on when they are established. These are all instances of product identifiers.
Amazon needs to ensure that the brand name used to generate the new listing corresponds to the brand name connected to the UPC in the GS1 database. GS1 is the worldwide standard for product barcodes, and it is through them Amazon validates your UPC.
If the UPC does not match the information supplied by GS1, Amazon will deem your UPC invalid and will not allow you to sell your product.
Under some conditions, Amazon permits sellers to offer new items without a UPC or other product identification. We’ll go through this in more detail later.
While Amazon needs a UPC (or other product identifiers) to generate a listing, the UPC barcode does not have to be put on your product packaging to sell it on Amazon.
If you use FBA to deliver your items to an Amazon fulfillment center, you must label each product with an FNSKU barcode.
The FNSKU barcode serves as your “Amazon Barcode,” informing Amazon that the product you’re selling is associated with your seller account.
If your product does not have a UPC for any reason, you may request a GTIN Exemption. If accepted, Amazon will enable you to offer your product on Amazon without the need for a UPC or other product identification.
Always go via GS1 when acquiring a UPC for your private label product. GS1 is a worldwide non-profit organization that maintains and manages genuine product barcodes for over two million businesses in 115 countries. To guarantee authenticity and validity, Amazon needs all UPCs to be acquired from GS1. USA gs1 website
Previously, Amazon sellers would buy low-cost UPCs from third-party websites, like eBay. The issue with this is that the seller is technically acquiring a UPC associated with a different brand/product.
If Amazon discovers that your UPC is not genuine, they will delete your listing and may suspend your ability to produce new ASINs.
Do not experiment with this; always get your UPC or product identification from GS1.
To get a UPC from GS1, go to their website and click on “Get Your Barcode” in the upper right corner.
Previously, sellers had no choice except to acquire a minimum of 10 barcodes for a $250 initial price and a $50 yearly fee. That is nine too many for most new Amazon sellers. Furthermore, there was a significant upfront cost.
You may now buy a single UPC from GS1 for $30 at no yearly cost. It’s an excellent alternative for new firms who are just introducing one product at a time.
Scroll down to the “Start Small with a GS1 US GTIN” section and click “Get a GTIN” after clicking “Apply for a Barcode.”
Fill in the relevant information, and your UPC will be ready for Amazon!
You may create your Amazon listing after you get your UPC. To begin, go to Seller Central and click “Add a Product.”
Then choose, “I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon.”
After that, you will choose your product’s category and go to the product’s details. This is where you will add important information about your product, including the Product ID.
Note: It may take up to 48 hours for your UPC to become active on GS1. If you attempt to list your product on Amazon right away, it may be marked as invalid.
When you list your product on Amazon, ensure sure the Brand Name field exactly matches the brand name as it appears in the GS1 database.
We hope this post has provided you with all the information you need to purchase the correct UPCs for your Amazon product. Remember, you only buy a UPC from GS1!
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Before you can establish an Amazon listing for your new product, you must complete one critical step: get a UPC. While it may seem scary
