Are you considering starting a private label business on Amazon? You’ll find different Amazon barcode numbers like GTINs, UPCs, EAN, FNSKU, and more. To the untrained eye, these numbers and barcodes can seem confusing, but to sell on Amazon, you need to understand what these codes mean and how they function.

 

We had an opportunity to sit down with Meagan from GS1 US this past week. Meagan and Patrick put together this comprehensive Q&A to help sellers just like you learn the ins and outs of everything barcodes and GTINs on Amazon.

 

Patrick, take it away!

Q&A

 

Patrick: What is GS1 US, and what does the company do?

 

Megan: GS1 US is a not-for-profit information standards organization with more than 300,000 members. GS1 Standards are the most commonly used supply chain standards worldwide. Based in Ewing, New Jersey, GS1 US administers the Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode, which is just one example of the many information standards that power the supply chain.

 

We work with companies to identify products through unique identification numbers that are accepted by a wide variety of trading partners and support consumer demand. We work to help improve business processes by encouraging the adoption and use of standards-based solutions.

 

These standards also help support certain regulatory compliance requirements for many industries, including healthcare and the food industry, where tracing a product throughout the supply chain is critical to enhance patient and consumer safety. Through key industry initiatives, GS1 US also works with various sectors to develop good practices for efficient supply chains and effective business partnerships while providing customers with accurate information regarding the products they buy.

 

That was a mouthful! I’m passionate about helping Amazon sellers Patrick, just like you folks at the Skunk Labs.

 

Patrick: Okay, great explanation. But what exactly are GTIN identifiers?

 

Megan: Right, the famous GTIN acronym! GTIN is short for Global Trade Item Number. It is a unique number that helps identify products in the supply chain.

Other types of product identification numbers exist, such as an ISBN (International Standard Book Number), in the publishing industry. GTINs are commonly used for any product that is intended to be sold in a store or online. They are encoded into different types of barcodes that are scanned at the point of sale, including:

• UPC (Universal Product Code), mostly used in North America
• EAN (European Article Number), mostly used in Europe
• JAN (Japanese Article Number), used in Japan

 

A GTIN will be structured slightly differently depending on the barcode intended to carry it.

 

Most products uploaded on Amazon or Google must have a GTIN, with a few exceptions by product category. If this match is not made, the platform may reject your product.

 

E-commerce businesses benefit from GTINs in several ways:

 

• They help make better matches between a user’s search and the products available; GTINs help identify products easily when such products appear on search results.
• They help small businesses build credibility with retailers, as well as consumers.
• They help businesses meet onboarding and product listing requirements for retailers and online marketplaces.
• GTINs also help ensure good inventory management practices and consolidated sales data.
• GTINs help Amazon and search engines run product comparisons more effectively.

 

Actually, Patrick, the need for authentic GTINS has become so crucial that retailers and online marketplaces are choosing to pull down product listings not identified with proper GTINs.

 

Patrick: So, where can Amazon sellers get GTINs?

 

Megan: Glad you asked! Getting GTINs may seem intimidating, but it’s a pretty straightforward process. First, it’s important to come to GS1 US (or your local GS1 member organization) to license your GTINS. Licensing GTINs from GS1 US means that your GTINs are automatically included in the GS1 Global Registry. This is a system many online marketplaces and retailers use to verify products. Although there are other sources out there, a GTIN licensed from GS1 will be unique to you within this global registry, ensuring the number is not in use by another company.

 

There are two ways to go about it, depending on how big your business is. If you’re running a small business, the best option is to license individual GS1 US GTINs. This will cost you $30 for each GTIN. If you run a bigger business and are planning to launch multiple products, then licensing a GS1 Company Prefix makes more sense. This option allows businesses to create GTINs in bulk quantities. The GS1 Company Prefix usually links your numerous products to your brand and is the same on all GTINs. Does that help?

 

Patrick: Yes, absolutely. Okay, next question. How can sellers create their own unique GTINs?

 

Megan: We have a tool for that! Once you license either your single GTIN or your company prefix, you will automatically receive a GS1 Certificate and a free subscription to the GS1 US Data Hub tool. If you licensed a single GS1 US GTIN, log into GS1 US Data Hub to download your barcode and add any product details associated with that GTIN. If you opted for the GS1 Company Prefix, you have the ability to assign GTINs to your products yourself in GS1 US Data Hub. Use the tool to automatically keep track of your used and available GTINs and ensure you don’t make any mistakes in the number sequence. If you sell different products in one category, you must buy unique GTINs for each variation such as size, style, color, or flavor. Makes sense?

 

Patrick: Kind of. So what exactly are UPCs, and how are they different from GTINs?

 

Megan: Well, a UPC is a type of barcode often used in the U.S. and Canada, usually at the checkout counter. Retail systems use UPCs to capture GTINs. A U.P.C. and GTIN are different, although some marketplaces use the terms interchangeably.

 

Patrick: Alright. Hmmm. Why a GS1 Company Prefix, though?

 

Megan: A GS1 Company Prefix allows you to create authentic GTINs in bundles depending on how many products or product variations you plan to launch. The GS1 Company Prefix has many benefits, like helping you scale and diversify your business in the long term. When you have a Prefix, you can create additional identifiers to support supply chain management.

 

One of the identifiers you can create is the Serialized Shipping Container Code (SSCC), which helps trading partners identify cartons exchanged between them. A GS1 Company Prefix also helps manage mixed coupons and cases. In the end, a Prefix comes in handy in overall inventory management and retail partnerships.

 

Patrick: I see. So, at what point do you need to get a new GTIN as an Amazon seller?

 

Megan: Well, as we discussed, each new product needs to be assigned a unique GTIN. But let me give you an example of how you might realize you need more GTINs than you think. For example, if you sell a line of t-shirts, and they come in 3 colors, you will need 3 GTINs. If they also come in 3 sizes, you will need 9 GTINs. (3×3=9) If they also come in 3 different styles, you will actually need 27 GTINs. (3x3x3=27) This is why the GS1 Company Prefix is usually a good option for anyone who expects to be adding products frequently or changing assortment seasonally. And you don’t have to assign all the GTINs at once. You can have a reserve stock for future product additions.

We have a Barcode Estimator tool on our website that can help you figure out how many GTINs you will need to create ahead of time

 

Patrick: So, what happens if I already got a GTIN from somewhere else?

 

Megan: Sellers that opt for another source for GTINs don’t have the opportunity to realize the full benefits of GS1 US membership. GS1 US members will often avoid having a product listing flagged or suppressed by Amazon because their GTINs link directly back to their company. Because product authenticity has become a priority in recent years, sellers with other GTINs now recognize that GS1-sourced GTINs may be more beneficial and want to change their numbers over. GS1 US recommends that you not attempt to change these out unless you are directed to by Amazon. However, if your listing is currently being suppressed, work with Amazon Seller Support to determine the best way to approach changing the GTIN associated with your listing without losing its history and equity.

 

Patrick: What issues do Amazon sellers commonly face then when trying to list products on Amazon using GTINs?

 

Megan: It depends. Every product variation you list on Amazon should have its GTIN. Most sellers make a few mistakes when listing products on Amazon. Let me give you a few examples:

 

• A common issue is that sellers don’t always understand what type of product identification they are providing. When listing your product, you must select between EAN, UPC, or GTIN. Sellers need to know which one to choose based on the number of digits. For instance, if you select UPC, you should provide that 12-digit, UPC version of your GTIN.
• Another issue is entering details that don’t match. It’s super common! In that case, sellers will get an error message from Amazon telling them that they’re using a U.P.C. that doesn’t match the products they want to list. Sometimes this will be due to the fact that they get their GTINs using their company name, but perhaps set up their listing with a different brand name. Generally, you can fix this by contacting Seller Support and providing your GS1 US Certificate and other supporting proof of your brand ownership.
• Lastly, sellers can also get an error message that the product they are trying to list already exists. This could be a sign that a hijacker has interfered with the listing, which is something we hear from our members all the time. We try to guide them through the process of proving they are the rightful owner of the listing.

 

Patrick: Interesting. What role do GTINs play in Amazon product listing hijackings? For those who don’t know, a hijacking is when…

 

Megan: If a listing is hijacked, the first thing sellers need to do is report it to Amazon. When a seller makes the report, they will have to prove that they’re the rightful owner of the listing. Amazon will require them to provide their GS1 certificate, which is one of the main ways they verify the brand owner. This can be a long process to sort out but there have been many success stories we’ve heard from our members where they were able to reclaim their listings.

 

Patrick: Sounds a little complicated. We’ve seen that alot on Amazon, unfortunately. What happens if you’re a U.S. seller willing to sell on multiple Amazon platforms outside of the U.S.?

 

Megan: A GTIN is a unique identifier regardless of the marketplace or retailer that work with. So, if you have a GTIN on a product, that identifier will be globally recognized if you wish to sell the product on multiple Amazon marketplaces as well as Walmart, eBay, industry-specific marketplaces, or in brick-and-mortar stores. Our GS1 US Data Hub tool also enables you to prepare and gather all the necessary product attributes that might be required for other retailers’ onboarding processes.

 

Patrick: I see. Where can sellers learn more about GS1 product identification and other supply chain standards?

 

Megan: The best place to learn about supply chain and other product identification issues is from the GS1 US website: www.gs1us.org. The organization offers education through GS1 US University, and hosts events throughout the year to help businesses learn more about the future of supply chain. You can follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter to keep up to date with what we have coming up. In addition, if you are member or considering becoming a member, you can always reach out to our incredible member services team. They are real people, they are available by email and phone, and they are incredibly knowledgeable about all things GS1.

 

Patrick: This has been incredibly informative, Meagan. Thanks for all the information and such detail.

Sellers, if you need more information about how to get started on Amazon or how to choose the right barcodes for your product, the Skunk Labs can help.

Book a free consultation call to get started today. Ensure you’re labeling your products with the right barcodes from day one with help from the Skunk Labs.