Why do you need barcodes on Amazon?

It’s worth noting right away that the identification system on Amazon is quite confusing. But we hope this article will help you figure out which product barcodes to use and where to get them.

Let’s start with the simple question: why do you need them?

Barcodes are needed for labelling goods, keeping track of them, and searching for them. They help automate warehouse processes (receiving/shipping/inventory) and simplify the entire sales process.

If you plan to sell on Amazon, you will need one of these types of identifiers:

• UPN 12 barcode – a universal product marker consisting of twelve digits (from the English Universal Product Number. Also, the abbreviation UPC – Universal Product Code – is often found);

• EAN 12 barcode – the same identifier, but in the European format. The difference is in the number of characters: in the EU, 13 digits are used, but for compatibility, the code is not created anew, but 0 is added at the beginning. The pattern remains identical.

How do I get a barcode for a product in Ukraine?

There is only one organisation that deals with accounting standardisation at the official level – GS1. It is a monopolist and has offices in different countries of the world.

It’s possible to get a barcode from GS1, but it’s quite time-consuming and expensive (first, you need to become a member of the association, provide information about your legal entity and trademark, wait up to 10 days, and then pass the verification). Therefore, most sellers, let’s just say, “don’t bother” and buy identifiers on other services. In fact, the code from GS1 and others will be similar.

How much does a UPC code for Amazon cost?

The cost of registering a barcode depends on the quantity: on average, from $5 per unit to 14 cents when purchasing from 1000 pieces.

Important! 1 product modification = 1 code

For example, if you sell 300 completely identical caps, you will need only 1 code for all of them. But if 200 of them are white and 100 are black, then it is already considered two modifications. So, you will need 2 different product markers.

What other codes are available on the trading platform?

If you are working on the Fulfilment model, i.e. you send your stock to Amazon warehouses, you will need a ten-digit FNSKU, which is generated based on UPN. You will receive it for free during the listing process.

There’s also the ASIN, which is a native Amazon barcode that every product added to the site receives. You don’t have to buy it separately either, it’s generated automatically.

If you still have many unresolved questions after reading this article, please contact our team. We have been professionally engaged in bringing businesses to foreign markets for more than 30 years and can help not only with obtaining codes, but also with the comprehensive launch of a business on Amazon or any other trading platform.