Amazon Barcodes Guide
Are you selling on Amazon in USA? You can buy our UPC barcodes here. Selling outside USA? Buy EAN barcodes here.
Amazon’s barcode policy has changed recently. Amazon uses barcode numbers (13 digit EAN or 12 digit UPC) as unique product identifiers.
Previously, Amazon & barcodes were very uncontrolled – anyone could list any product on Amazon using any barcode number, as long as that barcode number wasn’t already being used for another product on Amazon. However, this caused problems for legitimate sellers, if they found their number had already been stolen by someone else.
More recently, Amazon seems to be trying to stop branded products (big brands) being listed on Amazon using barcode numbers other than the original brand – possibly to stop pirating, or illicit listings. To enforce this, Amazon has become ‘tighter’ with barcode numbers – although the implementation of this policy seems to vary a lot. We spoke to a customer recently who has three products on Amazon using our barcodes. Amazon had just asked him for further proof of ownership for one of the barcode numbers but not the others. Apparently, he was able to provide the proof needed (of ownership), and the problem was solved.
We don’t know where Amazon is heading with their barcodes policy. We hope they will be reasonable and allow people to list products using legitimate and verifiable barcode numbers (the ones we sell).
However, it is possible that Amazon might become more restrictive and stop accepting our barcodes in the future – hopefully, this won’t happen. We currently have thousands of customers using our barcodes on Amazon & they haven’t told us about any issues.
We have customers that are continuing to be able to use our barcode numbers to list their products on Amazon. We presume that is because if Amazon decides to check the numbers (and it is unclear whether they check many barcode numbers), then our barcode numbers can be seen on the GS1 database (showing that they are of GS1 origin – although the listing will show the original licensee). Also, because our customers can list their product details alongside the barcode at www.barcodesdatabase.org, which also feeds to other databases, this helps our customers prove to Amazon that the barcode numbers are legitimate. We can’t update the GS1 GEPIR database – no barcode resellers can do this – GS1-US don’t want any competition and hence won’t update this database.
We also offer a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you buy our barcodes and then find they can’t be used on Amazon (with us helping to get past any minor problems or questions if they arise), then we will give you a full refund.
You might need to enter our barcodes in Amazon’s system as 12-digit versions (UPC) without the leading 0 – both versions of the number are the same, and belong to you – but Amazon possibly prefers the 12-digit version at the moment.
Also, we have been advised by customers that Amazon require their website address (URL) on the barcodes invoice – so please let us know (when you purchase barcodes or later) that you would like your website address on the invoice/receipt.
Using Barcodes On Amazon
If you have products that you want to list on Amazon, you will need barcode numbers for them. Amazon requires a unique barcode number for each listing on its websites. Our UPC barcode numbers are the right choice for use in the USA, and EAN-13 for countries outside of USA. Amazon has confirmed that our Amazon barcode numbers are acceptable and meet their standards. Our customers are successfully using our barcode numbers on their Amazon products.
Our Amazon barcode numbers can also be used in other online shops (e.g. CD Baby or Play.com), and in regular retail stores.
You will need a unique barcode number for each separate listing on Amazon. It is your choice whether to make separate listings for each different variation (size/color/design) of your product or just to get your customers to specify the size/color after ordering.
We have kept our standard Amazon barcode products straightforward and cost-effective by including the barcode images. If you are shipping the product yourself, and only selling on Amazon, you don’t need to print the actual barcode on your product. You just need the barcode number to enable you to list your product on Amazon. If Amazon is fulfilling your order and shipping for you, you need to print the actual barcode images on your product as well.