Amazon Barcodes EXPLAINED GS1 vs UPC vs FNSKU How Many Barcodes to Buy & Which Barcode is Best

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Are you wondering how many barcodes you need for your products on Amazon? Whether you’re selling one item, multiple items, or a bundle of products, it’s important to understand the different types of barcodes available and how to use them properly. In this article, we’ll go over the three types of barcodes you can use on Amazon (manufacturer, Amazon, and transparency), as well as how many barcodes you’ll need and where to buy them.

First, let’s go over why you need a barcode in the first place. According to Amazon’s barcode guidelines, “Fulfillment by Amazon uses barcodes to identify and track inventory throughout the fulfillment process. Each item that you send to an Amazon fulfillment center requires a barcode.” So, if you’re selling on Amazon, it’s important to have a barcode on your products to ensure they can be properly tracked and fulfilled.

There are three types of barcodes you can use on Amazon: the manufacturer barcode, the Amazon barcode (also known as an FNSKU), and a transparency barcode. The manufacturer barcode is the one you’re probably most familiar with – it’s the one you see on the exterior packaging of products that you or a cashier scans at the checkout counter when you make a purchase. This barcode is unique to each product and is recognized worldwide, making it a good choice for wholesale or arbitrage sellers who are reselling other manufacturers’ branded products. There are two types of manufacturer barcodes: UPC-12 and EAN-13. UPC-12 barcodes are used primarily in the United States, Canada, and the UK, while EAN-13 barcodes are used internationally. If you’re planning on selling your products in multiple countries, it’s recommended that you use an EAN-13 barcode as it will be recognized globally.

The Amazon barcode, on the other hand, is only recognized internally by Amazon. It’s used to track products sold by FBA within the Amazon marketplace, and is only necessary if you want to ensure that your specific inventory is the one being shipped to the buyer. This can be especially important if you’re not the only seller of a particular product and don’t want your inventory to be commingled with that of other sellers.

Barcode guidelines

https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/201100910?ref=mpbc_201100970_cont_201100910&locale=en-US

So, how many barcodes do you need? It depends on how many products you’re selling. If you’re selling just one product, you’ll only need one barcode. If you’re selling multiple products, you’ll need a separate barcode for each product, that’s if it’s a different product altogether or different variations. And if you’re selling multiple products together as a bundle, you’ll only need to apply a barcode to the bundle as a whole. It doesn’t matter how many items are included in the bundle.

Where can you buy barcodes? You can buy manufacturer barcodes from organizations like GS1 US, and you can purchase Amazon barcodes through your seller account on Amazon. It’s important to note that you’ll need to have a unique barcode for each product you sell, so if you’re planning on selling a large number of products it can get expensive to purchase that many barcodes. However, the cost of barcodes is usually a small investment compared to the potential revenue you can generate from selling on Amazon, so it’s generally worth it.

Buy GS1 Barcodes

https://my.gs1us.org/product/1367/gs1-us-gtin?_ga=2.115216455.1554715961.1613605159-2052291439.1610046931

In conclusion, if you’re selling on Amazon, it’s important to make sure you have a barcode on your products to identify and track inventory. There are three types of barcodes you can use: manufacturer, Amazon, and transparency. Manufacturer barcodes come in two types: UPC-12 and EAN-13, with EAN-13 being recognized globally. It’s important to apply the barcodes to your products in a visible and scannable location, and to make sure they’re not obscured or damaged in any way. When purchasing barcodes, be sure to do your research and only buy from reputable sources to avoid any issues with your listings or potential legal issues.

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Crescent Kao