Selling on Amazon
If you are a manufacturer or reseller and want to sell your product on Amazon, we have some useful tips for you. When adding their product on Amazon some people meet unexpected errors or issues that are not always related to their barcodes. Once you purchase barcodes you are halfway to listing on Amazon. There are always many questions related to Amazon barcodes and we are here to provide help. Here are detailed description and answers to the following questions “What is a barcode? What benefits does it have? Why do you need it? And finally how do I get a Barcode for Amazon?
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What is a barcode?
A barcode is an image consisting of a series of parallel black lines and white spaces of varying widths, that can be read by a scanner to identify the title, Global Trade Item Number(GTIN) and its different types which include UPC, EAN, ISBN etc., as well as the price for an individual product. To keep it short, barcodes are printed directly on or stuck (via labels) on products, as a means of quick identification. Let’s discuss why Amazon requires barcodes. As you may have guessed barcodes provide a lot of benefits.
They eliminate the possibility of human error.
Barcodes are inexpensive to design and print.
They improve inventory control.
Barcodes reduce training requirements.
They provide fast and reliable data. Barcodes provide better decision making, which ultimately saves both time and money.
Why do I need a barcode to add a product on Amazon?
You need UPC barcodes because Amazon has changed their requirements when listing products on their platform. Most products now require a UPC, EAN, or ISBN. These changes have been made to reduce duplicate products and provide a unique number to each product that will also carry over from physical stores. Nowadays almost all items that are being sent to Amazon fulfillment centers require detailed information about them. On that form, you will put your company and product details as well as your 12-digit UPC barcode number. Amazon then manually enters the information into its inventory management computer. When they scan your barcode at the register, it brings up your product in their system and gives you credit for the sale. Once you place your barcode onto your product, either by printing it onto a label or placing it into the artwork of your packaging your work is done.
The presence of barcodes on your products is a significant factor in determining how Amazon displays your product to millions of customers. That's why Amazon requires manufacturers and sellers to include barcodes in their products.
Now about Amazon barcodes or FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit), which is a code used by Amazon, to identify everything in their warehouse, directly corresponding to your ASIN. For your information, ASIN stands for Amazon Standard Identification number. The 10-character number assigned by Amazon is a vital tool both for the seller and Amazon. The ASIN number is the footing of Amazon’s product catalog structure, which in turn gives shoppers advanced search options. It’s vital then that sellers identify and use the correct ASIN identifier for their products. Otherwise, Amazon won’t be able to coordinate and search your products for customers.
You can send your products with UPC or EAN if you wish, but if your competitors send the same type of product, Amazon won’t be able to tell the difference and they will all be stored together.
This can be a major issue because it will hinder fair competition, especially when your competitor offers products of lower quality than you. So Amazon demands FNSKU to separate each individual Amazon listing regardless if it is the same product and uses the same Barcode number.
Here are some reminders by Amazon consultants that will be helpful.
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A UPC barcode is required when creating a new product listing.
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If you sell unique (private label or self-made) products or your manufacturer doesn’t provide a UPC, you will need to purchase a barcode number from a reputable provider like Bar Codes Talk
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A GTIN (Global Identification Number) is also a UPC, EAN, or ISBN but a broad name for these types of barcodes.
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If you are Brand Registered you can apply for a GTIN exemption. You can send your items to Amazon with only the UPC codes attached but it is a lot better to use the FNSKU.
How do I get barcodes?
Purchasing a UPC (universal product code) is easy and highly recommended to have on all products you are offering to sell regardless if it's in Amazon or not. If you are a retail giant, manufacturer, or just representative of a small business, you will need to acquire UPC barcodes to label each product. This will provide much more efficient sales since all of the unique UPCs will help determine which of your products need to be restocked and since having a GTIN assigned to your product is a requirement of 99% of retail and online stores, it is a good idea to have this already completed by the time you are ready to enter the market.
Bar Codes Talk also offers a "Works for Amazon" Guarantee. We have a team of experts ready to help get you on Amazon
Bar Codes Talk
Why us? We offer a lot of advantages over alternatives.
Pay only once without any hidden annual or renewal service fees.
We provide barcode images and Certificate of Ownership.
You receive both UPC and EAN with your purchase. EAN-13 codes beginning with 0 are actually 12-digit UPC codes with an added 0 digit to the start of the number.
Every UPC barcode we sell is unique and once purchased, you can find your Company in our Global Electronic Party Information Registry ( GEPIR ).
Our barcodes are accepted by the largest online and retail stores, including Ali Express, Jet, eBay, Shopify, etc.
You can download your barcodes instantly right after payment.
Click here to purchase barcodes.
If you have already purchased barcodes and have successfully listed your product on Amazon, there are a few tips and tricks can help you navigate Amazon's system.
If you are going to ship your products yourself, the UPC barcode should be placed on the back of your product, lower right quadrant. You should make sure there is significant contrast between the barcode lines and the background. This is why most barcodes are printed with black ink on a white background. You must leave “quiet zones” ( ¼ inch of white space ) on the left and right sides of your barcode. If printing FNSKU labels, don’t forget to write the company name and the condition of your product. Don’t allow any protective packaging to obscure the barcodes, since it will reduce the ability to scan it. If your shipment will be done through Amazon FBA, you should print the FNSKU code provided by Amazon.
