Please read this page carefully BEFORE purchasing barcodes
for use exclusively on Amazon.
We try to keep this information up-to-date, but since Amazon’s policies concerning barcodes continue to change and they are not the same across the different Amazon sites, it is best to check directly with them to be absolutely certain of the most current requirements.
Amazon requires the use of barcode numbers (13 digit EAN or 12 digit UPC) as unique product identifiers. They also assign their own unique identification numbers calledASIN(Amazon Standard Identification Numbers).
In the past anyone could list a product using any barcode number, as long as that barcode number wasn’t already being used for another product on Amazon. This caused problems to legitimate sellers, who could find their legitimate numbers stolen and used by someone else on Amazon.
Searchinglegacy barcode numbers
In late 2016, an Amazon Executive joined the board of governors of GS1 and Amazon began tightening their policies in order to clean up the Amazon database. Unfortunately there are still legacy barcode numbers in use on Amazon that conflict with the numbers we own and sell. To avoid problems with this, we have been implementing increasingly thorough searches of the Amazon databases to find these fraudulent legacy numbers. We have used the Amazon APIs to search currently listed products, but this method does not allow for deep enough search of Amazon databases and has had limited success. We sought advice from Amazon support, but they were unable to assist. In response our tech-gurus developed sophisticated search software that goes far beyond traditional Amazon search options. We now operate a dedicated server that is searching Amazon’s databases for all numbers (including unlisted ones) before we sell them. If we find any of these historic fraudulent listings using our numbers, we delete these numbers and do not sell them. Our proprietary software is much more effective than the Amazon APIs, and searches much deeper than any other barcode seller.
Current Amazon barcode requirements
Amazon definitely prefers that their suppliers are current members of GS1 and that they use barcode numbers issued by local GS1 branches. Unfortunately, this is an expensive option especially for smaller manufacturers (considering GS1 relatively expensive joining fees, plus annual fees for the rest of your product life). GS1-membership is effective for listing on Amazon, but also quite costly.
Recently (since late 2019), Amazon has been more strict about the ‘brand’ field when listing. They are pushing suppliers to register on the Amazon brand Registry (see below). But it is still possible to list products using ‘N/A’ in the brand field (as recommended by Amazon). Other Amazon sellers report being able to use ‘Generic’ or ‘un-branded’ in the brand field.
Amazon also seems to be allowing branded products (big brands) to be listed only with barcodes used by the original brand – possibly to prevent pirating or illicit listings. Therefore our barcodes cannot be used to register products of existing known brands or pharmaceuticals.
Registering with Amazon’s Brand Registry, may make it easier to have products approved on Amazon, and to reduce the occasional problems with barcodes. HOWEVER this requires a registered trademark.
You might need to enter our barcodes in Amazon’s system as a 12 digit number without the leading zero. This is not a problem since both 12 and 13 digit versions of the number are the same and both belong to you.
We have been advised by some of our customers that Amazon require their website address (URL) on their barcodes invoice. If you would like your website address printed on the invoice please let us know when you purchase barcodes or later.
As mentioned above, thousands of products are currently listed on Amazon using our barcodes and our customers are successful in listing new products with our barcode numbers. We presume this is because if Amazon decides to check our barcode numbers they show up in the GS1 database thus proving the number is of GS1 origin (even though the gepir database listing is not up-to-date and shows only the original licensee). We are able to provide legal documentation to our customers, which links their numbers back to the original GS1-licensee.
Additionally our customers can list product details alongside their barcode numbers at www.barcodesdatabase.org, which helps to further prove to Amazon that used the barcode numbers are legitimate.
We do not know how Amazon’s barcodes policy will develop in the future, but we hope they will keep allowing sellers to list products using legitimate and verifiable barcode numbers like the ones we sell. It is possible that Amazon becomes more restrictive, and stop accepting our barcodes in the future, but we hope this will not be the case.
Amazon Error Codes
Listing on amazon can be at times difficult. There are several specific error codes that may occur during the Amazon listing process. These are commonly related to filling the ‘Brand’ field during product listing.
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