Quick answer. Most Amazon categories require a unique product ID, called a GTIN, such as a UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN, to create a new listing. Amazon verifies UPCs against the GS1 database and treats any UPC that does not match GS1’s information as invalid. Amazon removes every listing with an invalid UPC and may temporarily or permanently remove your ASIN creation or selling privileges. License UPCs directly from GS1 instead of buying them from resellers, use the manufacturer’s GTIN when you resell a branded product, or apply for a GTIN exemption if your product qualifies.
Barcodes look like an administrative detail until listings start disappearing. A product ID is the number Amazon uses to decide whether your product already exists in the catalog, which brand it belongs to and whether you may create a new detail page for it. When the number is wrong, the catalog is wrong, and Amazon treats that as a listing integrity problem that can reach the account.
What Amazon Requires
Amazon’s listing requirements state that for most categories you must provide a unique product identifier, known as a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), to create new listings. The most common GTINs in the Amazon catalog are the following.
- UPC. The Universal Product Code, a 12-digit number.
- EAN. The European Article Number, a 13-digit number.
- JAN. The Japanese Article Number, a 13-digit number.
- ISBN. The International Standard Book Number, a 13-digit number used for books.
The specific GTIN required for product page creation and matching varies by category. Amazon summarizes each category’s requirements, including exceptions and exemptions, on its Product ID (GTIN) requirements by category page. Check that table for every category you list in, because a rule that applies in one category does not carry over to another.
Where the product ID goes
The Product ID field is required in every listing tool. In the Add a Product tool, if you find your product in the catalog, Amazon fills in the product ID and you create an offer on the existing page. If you create a new listing, you enter the product ID after classifying the product. In an inventory file template, you fill two fields, the product ID itself and the product ID type, which tells Amazon whether the number is a UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN. XML feeds carry the number in the StandardProductID element. If you leave the product ID out when creating a new listing, Amazon returns an error.
Matching versus creating
The product ID drives the decision between matching an existing ASIN and creating a new one. If you resell another brand’s product, the manufacturer’s GTIN should match you to the existing detail page. If you create a second page for the same product with a different number, you have created a duplicate. Amazon’s seller code of conduct lists creating multiple detail pages for the same product as an example of providing misleading information to Amazon or customers.
How Amazon Validates UPCs Against GS1
Amazon’s Valid UPCs page is short and specific. Amazon verifies the authenticity of product UPCs by checking the GS1 database. UPCs that do not match the information provided by GS1 are considered invalid. Amazon tells sellers to obtain UPCs directly from GS1, and not from other third parties selling UPC licenses, so that the right information is reflected in the GS1 database.
The same page marks the consequence as important. All invalid product UPC listings will be removed, and the violation may result in your ASIN creation or selling privileges being temporarily or permanently removed. The page links to GS1 for licensing and to GS1’s company database so you can look up the record behind a number.
Brands Amazon has already identified
Amazon also checks brands, not only numbers. Its page on listing products without a product ID states that Amazon regularly identifies brands that have registered GTINs. Brands Amazon has identified as having GS1 barcodes are not eligible for a GTIN exemption and must provide a valid product ID. Amazon may also expire earlier GTIN exemptions for brands that initially had no GTINs but have since acquired GS1 barcodes. A brand that licensed barcodes after launch can therefore lose a working exemption, and its listings then need valid product IDs.
Why Reseller Barcodes Fail
A GS1 license connects a block of numbers to the company that licensed it. When you list a product under your brand with a UPC, Amazon compares the number to the information GS1 holds. If the number was licensed to a different company, to a company that no longer exists or to no company GS1 can identify with your brand, the UPC does not match and Amazon treats it as invalid.
Amazon names the risk directly when it tells sellers not to buy UPC licenses from third parties. A number bought that way scans, but the information GS1 holds for it may not describe the buyer’s brand. A listing can go live on such a number and still be removed later, together with every other listing that used numbers from the same source. That is why we treat a reseller barcode purchase as a liability that grows with each new ASIN created from it.
Scanning is not validation. A barcode that reads at a register or in a warehouse proves only that the digits and check digit are well formed. Amazon’s test is whether the GS1 information matches, and a scanner cannot tell you that.
Your Barcode Options
| Situation | What to do | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| You own the brand and need new barcodes | License GTINs directly from GS1 | Low, if the GS1 records match your brand |
| You resell another brand’s product | Match the existing ASIN and use the manufacturer’s GTIN | Low, if the product is identical |
| You bought cheap UPCs from a reseller | Replace them with GS1-issued GTINs | High, because UPCs that do not match GS1 are invalid |
| Private label, handmade, bundle or generic product with no barcode | Apply for a GTIN exemption | Low, if the application meets Amazon’s image and brand rules |
| The brand requires a UPC because it is GS1 enforced | Get the GTIN from the brand owner or buy from GS1 | No exemption path is available |
Multi-Packs, Bundles and Variations
Amazon’s multi-pack guidelines start from one rule. Each unique product manufactured and sold to consumers must have a unique trade item number. An item sold singly is a different sellable unit from a pack of the same item, and each sellable unit needs its own product identifier, usually a UPC.
- Multi-packs. In most categories you must use a separate UPC for a multi-pack and enter the item package quantity when you list it. A six-pack listed under the single unit’s UPC tells the catalog it is the single unit.
- Bundles. A bundle combines different products and needs its own unique UPC or EAN. Amazon’s Product Bundling Policy sets the rest of the rules.
- Variations. Each size, color or style is its own product and needs its own GTIN. Reusing one number across a variation family makes the catalog merge or split pages incorrectly.
Invoices follow the same logic. Amazon’s invoice requirements for appeals ask for product identifiers including UPC, EAN or ISBN, with variation details that match the listing and every component of a bundle listed. A product ID that does not match your supplier paperwork makes any later authenticity appeal harder.
When You Can List Without a Barcode
Amazon allows GTIN exemptions for products that are not in its catalog and have no product ID or GS1 barcode, provided you have category approval where one is required.
Who is eligible
- Private-label or handmade products.
- Products you manufacture, brand or publish without barcodes.
- Parts without a product ID, such as automotive parts or mobile accessories.
- Bundled products, such as a belt and wallet pack.
- Generic, unbranded products under Amazon’s generic product policy.
Who is not eligible
You cannot apply if the product already has a GS1-approved barcode or an existing GTIN, EAN, UPC or ISBN, if it comes from a brand that requires a mandatory UPC, if it is already in the Amazon catalog, or if it is a book and you try to list the publisher as generic. A brand with a mandatory UPC returns the message that your account does not qualify.
The four application scenarios
Amazon’s process depends on your relationship to the brand.
- Brand owner or generic product. Create a new listing, enter the brand or select that the product has no brand name, and check the box for no product ID. Truly generic, unbranded products receive automatic approval. Amazon says this path does not apply to printed books.
- Brand on Amazon that is not UPC mandatory. You need brand name approval in addition to the exemption. Amazon opens an application and states a timeline of within 48 hours. If approved, you receive both.
- Brand on Amazon you were not previously affiliated with. You need approval to create new ASINs for the brand, which Amazon calls Match Only approval, plus the exemption. The stated timeline is also within 48 hours.
- UPC-mandatory brand. Amazon declines automatically. You must obtain the GTIN or UPC from the brand owner or purchase it from GS1.
How far one exemption reaches
You request a GTIN exemption separately for each store and each category. Once approved, it covers other products in the same category in that store, including future products. Amazon gives the example that one apparel exemption covers both shirts and pants. Exemptions are granted at the parent product type level and automatically cover child product types, so a Party_Supplies exemption covers Balloon. If you already hold an exemption for the product type, the Apply now option will not appear because you do not need a new application.
After approval, wait 30 minutes before listing. Amazon warns that listing sooner can trigger a product ID error while the exemption is processed. Enter the category and brand name exactly as they appear in the approval notice. In a bulk upload, select GTIN exempt as the product ID type and leave the product ID column blank.
Why exemption applications are rejected
Amazon lists the top reasons. They are missing six-sided images of the product and packaging, brand names that are not permanently affixed or have been digitally altered, digital renderings instead of real photos, low-quality images, brand names that do not match across images, and products that already have a GS1 barcode. Books are rejected when the front, back, spine, inside cover or publisher name is missing from the images.
Amazon’s image standards ask for clear, real-world photos of all six sides of the product and packaging, front and back for flat items, and each component plus the assembled set for bundles. Files must be JPEG or PNG, well lit, and no larger than 10MB. An error code 400 usually means the image file does not meet requirements.
Acceptable permanent brand markings include embossed and debossed logos, printed and screened brand names, sewn-in labels, permanent stickers and tags, and metal and plastic nameplates. Removable stickers, temporary tags and digitally added marks are not acceptable. The brand name in your application must match the capitalization on the product and must not contain extra spaces, underscores or trademark symbols.
Exception requests for brands that require a product ID
If your brand is flagged as requiring a product ID and you believe it should not be, Amazon accepts exception requests in specific situations. Your brand may be a homonym of a mandatory brand. You can provide a letter of authorization from the brand or manufacturer. GTINs are not available in the country where you list. You are unable to purchase new GTINs for the product, for example because of cost or low sales. The products are replacement parts without UPCs.
To request one, go to the Get help and resources page, choose Add a product, select Product identifier exemption and contact an associate. Include the brand, product type, country, the “UPC Exemption not approved” error, your justification, product images that meet the exemption image guidelines and a screenshot of the error.
Barcodes in the Warehouse
Product IDs and FBA labels are related but separate. The GTIN identifies the product in the catalog. The FNSKU identifies your units in Amazon’s fulfillment network. Amazon’s packaging requirements set three barcode rules for FBA.
- One FNSKU per product. Any FNSKU you use must be unique and correspond to one unique product. Each size or color needs its own FNSKU, and each condition, such as used like new and used good, needs its own.
- A scannable unit label. Each unit must carry an exterior scannable barcode or label with the barcode and the human-readable numbers, placed where it is easy to reach and not on a corner or curve.
- No stray box barcodes. Remove, cover or render unscannable any existing barcodes on the outside of shipping boxes, for example with opaque tape or a black marker, so the wrong code is not scanned during receiving.
Amazon may refuse, return or repackage inventory with inadequate or non-compliant packaging or labeling, and inventory that arrives with non-compliant, unsafe packaging may be refused or disposed of at your expense without reimbursement. Mislabeled units can also be received as the wrong product, which then ships to customers who ordered something else. See our guide to FBA basics.
See also Amazon Seller Feedback and Selling Medical Devices on Amazon.
See also Selling Organic Products on Amazon.
If Listings Were Already Removed
A product ID removal is a catalog problem first. Work it in this order.
- List the flagged product IDs. Read the notification and Account Health to find every ASIN and number Amazon flagged. Then search your own catalog for other ASINs that used numbers from the same source, because they carry the same defect.
- Look up each number. Use the GS1 company database Amazon links from its Valid UPCs page to see who the number belongs to. A record in another company’s name confirms the cause.
- Choose the fix per product. For your own brand, license GTINs from GS1 or apply for an exemption if you qualify. For another brand’s product, use the manufacturer’s GTIN and match the existing ASIN.
- Do not create new pages to get around the removal. Amazon’s code of conduct prohibits multiple detail pages for the same product, and a new ASIN created to replace a removed one adds a second violation.
- Correct supplier records. Make sure your invoices and packaging show the same identifiers your listings use.
- Appeal if privileges were removed. If Amazon removed ASIN creation or selling privileges, appeal from Account Health. Amazon asks for a clear, factual explanation of the root cause and the specific actions you took, with dates and documentation, and evidence for every product under review.
Our listing recovery service restores removed and suppressed listings. If the issue reached your account, our Amazon suspension and reinstatement team can help with the appeal.
Mistakes That Make Product ID Problems Worse
- Reusing one UPC across sizes, colors, multi-packs or bundles.
- Listing a branded product you resell under a new UPC instead of matching the manufacturer’s ASIN.
- Entering a brand name of a known brand on a GTIN exemption application without authorization from that brand.
- Applying for an exemption with renderings, edited photos or a brand mark that is a removable sticker.
- Listing within 30 minutes of an exemption approval and then creating workarounds when the product ID error appears.
- Deleting and relisting removed ASINs, which creates duplicates and does not change the invalid number.
- Replacing only the numbers Amazon named while leaving other numbers from the same reseller batch live.
- Writing an appeal that blames the barcode seller. Amazon’s guidance is clear that you obtain numbers from GS1, so the responsibility stays with the listing account.
First-Time and Repeat Cases
A first invalid UPC finding often ends at listing removal. The decision is to fix the catalog fast and completely. Every remaining listing on the same bad numbers is a future removal, and Amazon’s warning covers temporary or permanent loss of ASIN creation or selling privileges, not only the listings.
Repeat cases are judged against the pattern. Amazon’s Account Health Rating reflects policy adherence over the last 180 days, and repeat violations of the same policy cost more points each time. For higher severity violations, Amazon says the maximum number of repeat violations in 180 days can be as low as two before the account is at immediate risk of deactivation. A seller who keeps creating ASINs on unverified numbers after a first removal gives Amazon a pattern, and the appeal then has to show a changed process, not a single corrected listing.
Loss of ASIN creation privileges deserves its own attention. You can still sell on existing pages, but you cannot launch new products until the privilege returns. The appeal for that restriction needs proof that your product IDs now come from GS1 or from the brand, and a list of the listings you corrected.
US, EU and UK Differences
The GTIN rules described here come from the Amazon.com help pages, and each Amazon store publishes its own version of the product ID pages and category table. The core rule is the same across stores. A GTIN is required for most categories, and the number must be valid. Amazon lists EAN alongside UPC, JAN and ISBN as one of the most common GTINs in its catalog, and the product ID type field accepts each of them.
The difference that most affects sellers is the exemption scope. Amazon grants GTIN exemptions per store and per category. An exemption approved on Amazon.com does not cover the same category on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.de, and a seller expanding into Europe needs a separate approval in each store where the product will be listed without a product ID. Amazon also lists the unavailability of GTINs in the country where you list as one of the grounds for an exception request.
In the EU and UK, a suspension or restriction of selling privileges also carries the procedural rights in Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 and its UK version. Article 4 requires a statement of reasons before or when a restriction or suspension takes effect, at least 30 days of notice before full termination, and a chance to clarify the facts through the internal complaint process, subject to the exceptions the regulation lists.
Prevention
For brand owners
License GTINs from GS1 in the company name that appears on your brand and packaging. Assign one number to each sellable unit, including every variation and every multi-pack, and keep a master sheet that links each GTIN to its SKU, ASIN, FNSKU and supplier part number. Print the same GTIN on the packaging that you enter in Seller Central.
For resellers
Match existing ASINs with the manufacturer’s GTIN and confirm the product is identical, including size, count and condition. If a product has no ASIN, ask the brand for its GTIN before creating a page. If the brand requires a UPC, you cannot list without one.
For private label and handmade sellers
Decide between GS1 numbers and a GTIN exemption before launch. An exemption is cheaper at the start, but Amazon may expire it once your brand acquires GS1 barcodes, so plan the switch if you expect wholesale or retail distribution that will require GTINs. Mark the brand permanently on the product or packaging before you photograph it for the application.
Before every FBA shipment
Check that each unit carries the correct FNSKU, that variations and conditions have separate labels, that labels sit on a flat surface, and that old barcodes on outer boxes are covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use UPCs bought from a reseller on Amazon?
Amazon tells sellers to obtain UPCs directly from GS1 and not from third parties selling UPC licenses. UPCs that do not match the GS1 database are invalid, and their listings are removed.
Do I need a UPC to sell on Amazon?
For most categories you need a GTIN to create a new listing, which can be a UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN depending on the category. Products that are not in the catalog and have no barcode may qualify for a GTIN exemption.
Who can get a GTIN exemption?
Sellers of private-label, handmade, bundled, generic or self-manufactured products without barcodes, and parts without product IDs, if the product is not already in Amazon’s catalog and the brand does not require a UPC.
Does one exemption cover all my products?
An exemption covers one category in one store, including future products in that category. Each additional category or store needs its own approval.
Can invalid barcodes get my account suspended?
Yes. Amazon warns that invalid UPCs may result in the temporary or permanent removal of ASIN creation or selling privileges, in addition to removal of the listings.
Fix Your Product IDs
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Get Help With Your Amazon Case
Our Amazon suspension team can take the case from here. You can also see all our marketplace suspension services.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Central, Listing requirements: Product IDs (GTINs)
- Amazon Seller Central, Valid UPCs
- Amazon Seller Central, List products that do not have a product ID
- Amazon Seller Central, UPC Guidelines for multi-packs
- Amazon Seller Central, How to add your Product ID when listing products
- Amazon Seller Central, Product packaging requirements
- Amazon Seller Central, Selling policies and seller code of conduct
- Amazon Seller Central, Invoice requirements for appealing a policy violation
- Amazon Seller Central, Complete an appeal questionnaire to reinstate selling privileges
- Amazon Seller Central, Account Health Rating program policy
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2019/1150
- legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 Article 4, UK version
