On Thursday, Amazon Seller Central shared a reminder regarding GTINs that could result in products becoming invalid.
In a recent Seller Central update, Amazon reminded sellers that a unique GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a requirement for its marketplace in most categories. Amazon warned that listed products without an acceptable GTIN would be removed if corrective actions aren’t taken in time.
As the update states, “GTINs are considered invalid if they are not GS1-vended or not recognized by the brand owner.”
The reminder arrives as Amazon continues to ensure its marketplace is up-to-code and worthy of consumer trust. Above all, GS1 provides standards for industries to allow products, services, and information to move efficiently and securely to benefit of businesses and consumers.
What You Can Do
Sellers can check to see if their products are in danger of being considered invalid due to the GTIN policy by visiting the Fix Your Product tool in Seller Central.
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If you don’t have any at-risk listings, no further actions are needed.
To fix any affected ASINs, you can submit a letter of authorization or a licensing agreement that meets the following criteria:
- Includes the name and address of the brand’s rights owner
- Legible: it is not too blurry and not too light or dark
- Displays the manufacturer name and contact information
- Includes the seller’s legal business name or the seller name that corresponds to your Account information page in Seller Central
- Includes the seller’s physical address
- Must be in English
- Includes a GS1 certificate
Note: We recommend that you obtain your GTINs directly from GS1 (and not from other third parties selling GTIN licenses) to ensure that the appropriate information is reflected in the GS1 database. For more information on licensing EANs or UPCs from GS1, refer to the GS1 website.
Also, it should be noted this is not a change of policy, but a reminder of the rules and guidelines. For the official statement from Amazon, please refer to the Seller Central statement.
Lastly, be sure to check your status within Seller Central immediately to avoid any future complications.
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