Fulfillment by Amazon uses barcodes to identify and track inventory throughout the delivery process. Every item you send to an Amazon fulfillment center must have a barcode.
There are three barcodes used to identify products:
- Manufacturer barcode (eligible barcodes include GCID, UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN)
- Amazon barcode (such as FNSKU)
- (Brand owner only) Some products may require additional Transparency verification codes to prevent counterfeiting
Note: Starting April 17, 2018, GCID cannot replace UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN to create ASINs. If your brand has been approved to join the Amazon Brand Registration Program and your product does not have a UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN, please apply for a global trade item code exemption.
Manufacturer barcode
Unless you change the barcode settings, Amazon will always use the manufacturer barcode to track your inventory during the shipping process. If multiple sellers’ inventory has the same manufacturer barcode, Amazon will use the inventory closest to the buyer to fulfill the order. We do this to speed up the delivery speed.
If your product does not have a barcode that meets the requirements, you can use Amazon barcodes instead of manufacturer barcodes.
For more information, see Use manufacturer barcodes to track inventory.
Amazon barcode
For all products that are not tracked using a manufacturer’s barcode, you must paste an Amazon barcode. This category includes:
- Products with expiration date
- Consumer goods
- External products, such as skin care products, shampoos, and cosmetics
- Products that have been preprocessed but whose barcodes cannot be scanned
You can print the Amazon barcode and paste it on the product yourself, or you can print and paste the barcode by Amazon (charged per item). For more information, see Using Amazon barcodes to track inventory and FBA labeling services.
Transparency verification code
Transparency codes are product-level verification stickers that help brand owners and buyers prevent counterfeiting . The Transparency code bears the Transparency logo “T” and must not be covered by any other label, nor should it be covered by any other label.
