Barcodes for Selling on Amazon
Selling on Amazon opens doors for businesses, but it requires precision—starting with your barcodes. Terms like GTIN, UPC, and Company Prefix are critical for Amazon sellers, and they’re more than jargon; they’re the key to product identification in e-commerce.
For seamless Amazon compliance, you need a brand-licensed UPC Company Prefix and Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), sourced with expert support from Barcode US ). GS1 sets the global standards and provides the numbers, but Barcode US delivers both the GTINs and the actual barcodes you need, along with personalized assistance.
Why does this matter? Amazon verifies barcodes against GTIN.cloud and the global GS1 database to ensure authenticity and trust. Using Barcode US ensures your GTINs are brand-licensed and your barcodes are Amazon-ready, helping you avoid listing issues or account risks. The following information will explain why a UPC Company Prefix is vital, how Barcode US simplifies the process, and illustrate the risks from using non-brand licensed barcodes from discount resellers.
Amazon GTIN Requirements
Amazon explicitly states that suppliers should ONLY obtain UPC barcodes with brand-associated Company Prefixes/GTINs. Companies who circumvent the process and obtain cheap 3rd party barcodes jeopardize their company’s chances for success.
What Are GTINs and Why Are They Essential for Amazon?
A Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is a unique product identifier, often a 12-digit UPC, required by Amazon to catalog and track inventory. Without a valid GTIN, your listings could be rejected or suppressed, halting your sales. Amazon checks GTINs against the GS1 database to confirm they’re tied to your brand. Barcode US provides these authentic GTINs—backed by GS1 standards—along with scannable barcodes, ensuring your products meet Amazon’s strict requirements. Cheap, non-GS1 barcodes from resellers won’t cut it and could lead to costly errors.
Brand Ownership
A correctly brand licensed UPC Company Prefix from guarantees your barcodes are uniquely yours, preventing overlaps with other sellers
Amazon Compliance
Amazon validates GTINs against GS1 data. Barcode US ensures your numbers pass validation testing and avoid de-listings
Scalability
With a legitimately licensed UPC Company Prefix you can generate GTINs and barcodes for all your products, supporting your Amazon growth.
Valid UPCs – Amazon’s Definition
Amazon eventually acknowledged a significant oversight in their failure to verify properly obtained UPC barcodes, which led many suppliers to unknowingly purchase unauthorized UPCs from third-party resellers online. Beginning in 2016, Amazon started emphasizing the importance of using only GS1-licensed Company Prefixes. By July 2019, they escalated their approach with a formal notice on the Seller Central platform that outlined stricter compliance requirements.
Despite multiple warnings and notices, numerous successful Amazon sellers are only now experiencing product listing deactivations due to improper use of Company Prefixes not correctly licensed to their brands. This ongoing compliance issue was recently highlighted in a Seller Central forum post.
Amazon GTIN Product Identification FAQ’s
Are suppliers required to have UPC or ISBN barcodes for items/books being sold on Amazon?
YES. When establishing products in Amazon’s brand registry, sellers must provide a UPC number for general merchandise or an ISBN for books as an essential part of the product registration process.
Does Amazon have a GTIN Exemption Policy?
Yes! Amazon offers a GTIN exemption process that allows certain product categories and sellers to use FBA warehouse fulfillment without standard barcodes. However, it’s crucial to understand that this exemption is primarily a temporary solution for listing non-barcoded products on Amazon.
Businesses committed to building sustainable brands with long-term marketplace presence—whether on Amazon, other online platforms, or in physical retail locations—should invest in properly registered GS1 UPC barcodes that officially link their products to their brand identity. Click Here To Learn About the Amazon GTIN Exemption
Does Amazon allow suppliers to use UPC barcode numbers obtained from a UPC Reseller?
As of May 2016, the answer is NO. UPC barcode numbers from resellers are NOT PERMITTED on Amazon. The company updated their UPC requirements on Amazon Seller Central to explicitly state that “valid UPCs” must be obtained directly from GS1. Furthermore, Amazon now verifies that UPC barcodes are registered to the actual sellers rather than third parties.
Every month we assist numerous Amazon suppliers who encountered problems during product listing when Amazon’s system flagged their UPC numbers for verification issues, typically for one of the following reasons:
- UPC Numbers were already being used by a different supplier
- UPC Numbers were not issued to supplier being set-up.
In every case, Amazon required the supplier to license a UPC Company Prefix from GS1.
Lessons Learned By Other Small Companies
Real stories by companies who first purchased 3rd Party Reseller UPCs and realized too late that they should have licensed UPC barcodes to their company.
“Think of the GTIN as the digital fingerprint associated with a product”
– Sam Heyword, Vice President, Consumables at Amazon
Conclusion
Success on Amazon demands precision, and barcodes are where it starts. A brand-licensed GS1 Company Prefix and GTINs, delivered by Barcode US, ensure your products are compliant, trusted, and visible. While GS1 US sets the standards and provides the numbers, Barcode US (www.barcode-us.com) provides both GTINs and barcodes with expert support to streamline your process. This investment safeguards your brand, prevents listing headaches, and sets you up for long-term growth.
Brand Identity
Amazon want so ensure that GTIN brand attribution matches.
Avoid De-Listing
When Amazon flags a product for incorrect GTIN, all reviews posted will be lost.
Consumers Trust
Trusted data is now a mandatory requirement by consumers.
Future-Proof Growth
Adhering to global standards prevents today’s mistakes from derailing your success.
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