Amazon UPC, GTIN & Product ID How-To Guides

This is the Amazon product ID section of the Goat Consulting blog, where we cover how UPCs, GTINs, and Amazon's product identification system actually work from a seller's point of view. You'll find practitioner-written guides on the differences between UPC, GTIN, and EAN, Amazon error codes, what GS1 is, how to apply for a product ID exemption, and how GTIN hijacking and commingling work. Every post is written by a member of our team who has set up and cleaned up product catalogs for brands, so you get both the rule and the real-world workaround.

Most sellers land here trying to diagnose a listing error or figure out what kind of barcode they need, so the posts below are a working reference when Amazon throws a product ID problem at you. If you'd rather have the Goat Consulting team reclaim a GTIN, fix an error code, or clean up your catalog's product IDs for you reach out to us.

GS1, GTIN, UPC, Product Identity, Error Code Liz Carson GS1, GTIN, UPC, Product Identity, Error Code Liz Carson

How to Fix a Down Amazon Listing With GTIN UPC Issue

This blog post covers what to do if your Amazon listing has been pulled due to GS1 UPC issues. Sometimes, when creating a new listing or adding a new offer to an existing listing, you may run into this issue. This blog post will cover the specific issue of the error message “This ASIN has GTIN codes that do not match the brand associated with the ASIN.” It is vital as a seller to clear this error so you can activate your listing and start selling on Amazon. It is important to have active and compliant listings so customers can find your products. Amazon enforces issues like GTIN compliance to ensure Amazon is a fair marketplace, and to avoid any fraudulent listings. If you do not provide GTIN proof and clear this error with Amazon, you will not be able to list your product. This can result in disappointment among customers looking for your products. If Amazon did not enforce this rule, there could be many fraudulent sellers on Amazon using UPC GTIN codes that do not belong to them, which would cause a lot of errors and confusion on the platform. This post will cover what causes this error, what to do when you face this error, and the necessary items to appeal it.

Read More
GS1, Product Identity Eric Sutton GS1, Product Identity Eric Sutton

Goat Consulting Interview with GS1 US Celebrating 50th Anniversary of First Barcode Scan

On June 26th GS1 US celebrated its 50-Year Barcode ‘Scanniversary’. Goat Consulting had the opportunity to interview Amber Walls, Senior Director, GS1 US about the past 50 years of barcode history and where the Universal Product Code is headed in the future. Imagine a world where every item in a store lacked a label, making it difficult to track inventory or ring up purchases efficiently. That's where the humble UPC barcode comes in! Developed initially by a former IBM engineer George Laurer a, UPCs allow retailers and online marketplaces to effortlessly identify, track, and manage their stock across all channels. The standardized codes act like a product's unique fingerprint and have revolutionized the way we shop with every scan since their debut in 1974.

Read More
Product Identity, GS1 Eric Sutton Product Identity, GS1 Eric Sutton

GS1 US Launches New Verified by GS1 Search Database Interview

The introduction of GS1 US's new Verified by GS1 Search database represents a significant leap forward for sellers on Amazon and those utilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services. This enhanced database, designed to replace the legacy GEPIR system, offers a centralized and more robust platform for validating and authenticating product information through GS1 identifiers such as GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers) and GLNs (Global Location Numbers). For Amazon sellers, the ability to access and verify detailed product information easily and accurately is crucial to help protect seller’s Amazon listings and ensure compliance with Amazon's stringent product identification requirements. This will help Amazon sellers ability to scale their operations internationally, streamline their supply chain processes, and improve the customer experience by providing accurate product information.

Read More

Amazon Error Codes 8008 and 8801

The Amazon 8008 and 8801 error codes are common issues that come up on Amazon when trying to create variations. The 8801 error code states that a child SKU cannot be added to a parent variation because another child SKU has the same variation attributes. The 8008 error code is not specifically related to variations, although it frequently occurs in feeds with variation attributes submitted. The 8008 error on Amazon states that the submitted child SKU cannot be recognized. Resolving these error codes is necessary because having product variations is important for both sellers and shoppers on Amazon. Customers expect to see all of the color, style, and size options available for a product on Amazon. Sellers want to showcase all related products together in order to combine reviews for the child ASINs and increase detail page views. For these reasons, it’s important to resolve the 8801 and 8008 errors to fix variation issues as soon as possible. This article will provide some basic variation troubleshooting tips and go through the process of diagnosing the causes of these error codes, identifying possible solutions, and frequently asked questions about Amazon error codes.

Read More
Product Identity, Error Code Stella Nelson Product Identity, Error Code Stella Nelson

Amazon Error Code 8016 on Seller Central

The Amazon error code 8016 error on seller central is a common issue that impacts sellers’ ability to set up product listing parent/child variations. The error can be caused by the seller failing to provide enough product identification information about the variation in the feed or by submitting information that is different from the content currently in Amazon’s catalog. Grouping Parent/Child variations is better for the Amazon customer experience as it combines all of the size, color, and style options available to them.

Read More

How to List a Product on Amazon Without Brand Registry 5665 Error Code

This article describes what the 5665 error code is and how to list products without being brand registered on Amazon. We will discuss what the 5665 error is and explain exactly what the error message is saying. Next, we will describe how to list your products without brand registry in order to resolve the 5665 error. This will include information about what you need to provide to Amazon. We will finish by outlining the basic steps and summarizing best practices for resolving the 5665 error code.

Read More