Amazon frequently asked questions (FAQs)
We provide Amazon with data on new members every day. Amazon needs to then process this information which means it may take up to 72 hours from the time you join GS1 UK for your numbers to become valid on the Amazon site.
If you have a product identified with a GTIN-13, when you’re listing the product type, you’ll need to select EAN. Amazon use the term GTIN to refer to the GTIN-14 which identify cases.
Ensuring the traceability of the GTIN back to the brand owner is crucial. If you acquire a GTIN from a third-party seller (sometimes known as a ‘reseller’), it will compromise traceability as the number will either be made up or linked to another company. Consequently, the number will not be associated with your brand or product correctly.
If your products are part of the Amazon's Brand Registry, however, you do have the ability to update this information. Similarly, on eBay, GTIN details can be updated any time.
On certain marketplaces, if you come across someone using your GTIN, you are able to report it as an infringement, as two different products should not be using the same number.
Marketplaces are actively working on cleaning their catalogues as such discrepancies can greatly affect customer trust, especially if they receive the wrong product.
Also, when you’re selling on Amazon, it’s crucial that you register your branded goods on the Amazon Brand Registry. This gives you control over your listings and simplifies the process of having incorrectly listed products removed.
If you come across any issues, you should initially contact the relevant marketplace. If you require proof that GTINs are licenced to your business, you are able download prefixes detailing your GS1 Company Prefixes in your My GS1 account.
Bundles are combinations of two or more trade items.
Rapid growth in online selling in recent years has highlighted challenges in product identification for bundles.
Sellers, brands, distribution centres and other players often create bundles (physical or virtual) that contain products from brands that they do not own.
There are two scenarios where our standards have been clarified:
Creation of a new physical bundle (two or more items physically combined together) requires a GTIN to be assigned.
Physical bundles require GTIN assignment because a new trade item is created.
Regardless of the contents of the assortment/bundle, the party creating the bundle is responsible for allocating the GTIN to the bundle.
The GTIN should be assigned as soon as the new trade item is created.
Virtual bundles do not require new GTIN assignment, but all individual items being listed for sale need to have their own GTINs.
Physical bundles require GTIN assignment because a new trade item is created. Regardless of the contents of the assortment/bundle, the party creating the bundle is responsible for allocating the GTIN to the bundle.
Virtual bundles do not require new GTIN assignment, but all individual items being listed for sale need to have their own GTINs.
Non-branded items are generic products that do not have a brand name. Sellers purchase non branded items directly from manufacturers and sell them online as they are. Multiple sellers can source identical or similar non branded items from the same or different factories.
There are significant numbers of this type of product being sold on online marketplaces and identifying them can be tricky.
GS1 standards have been clarified in the following ways:
Non-branded items should be allocated a GTIN before they are listed.
No downstream party may assign a different GTIN to a trade item that already has a GTIN, (e.g., distributor, wholesaler, importer, merchant) provided that the trade item is not changed in a way that would require a new GTIN as per the GS1 Management Standard.
The GTIN is to be assigned at the earliest point in any trade item’s journey.
For an item that does not have a GTIN, assignment of a GTIN may be done by any downstream actor by taking the role of GTIN allocator and taking responsibility for the trade item declarations.
What do we mean by ‘downstream’? A downstream party refers to subsequent stages or steps in the distribution process after the product is manufactured or produced.
Regardless of what Amazon country site you are selling your products on, you can still use our GS1 UK barcodes on all of them.
Remember, we will issue you a GTIN-13, which Amazon refers to as EANs, so be sure to select this as the product ID type when listing.