Barcodes for Amazon: What You Actually Need
Last reviewed: 26 August, 2026. Amazon changes this policy without notice. If anything here looks out of date, tell us, and we’ll correct it.
Amazon is the one marketplace where the barcode you buy matters more than the barcode you print. This page explains what Amazon requires, what happens when a number is rejected, and how to work out which route is right for you.
The short answer
Amazon checks every barcode number you submit against GS1’s database. If the number isn’t registered to your brand there, Amazon can treat it as invalid.
That check has been running since 2020, and it’s automated. Amazon’s own guidance to sellers is to obtain numbers directly from GS1.
So if Amazon is your main sales channel, buying a GS1 licence is the safe route, even though it costs considerably more.
If Amazon is a secondary channel, or you’re selling mainly into shops, or you qualify for a GTIN exemption, read on as the picture is different.
Why the check exists
Amazon uses your barcode number (a 12-digit UPC or 13-digit EAN) as a product identifier and then assigns its own internal code, called an ASIN.
For years, this was barely policed. Anyone could list anything against any unused number, and legitimate sellers found their numbers had been taken and used by someone else. Amazon tightened the rules to stop it. The tightening is reasonable in itself; it’s the effect on small sellers that’s awkward.
What Amazon looks for
When you submit a number, the automated check asks roughly three things:
- Was the number issued through GS1?
- Does the company prefix trace back to the brand on your seller account?
- Has the number been transferred or resold from another entity?
Our numbers come from company prefixes issued under the original numbering system, which is what makes them legitimate and scannable everywhere. But a GS1 database lookup returns the original prefix holder, not you. That’s the point where an Amazon check can fail.
What actually happens in practice
Enforcement is inconsistent, and this is where honest advice gets difficult.
Some sellers list with our numbers and never hear a word. Others are blocked immediately. Others list successfully and are suppressed months later during a catalogue sweep.
The reason to take the risk seriously is the cost of failure. Once a listing exists, the product ID field is locked. You can’t swap the number for a valid one. Sellers in that position have had to create a new listing, losing the ASIN’s reviews, ranking and sales history along with it.
A cheap number that costs you an established listing is not a saving.
What we do to reduce the risk
Before we sell any number, we search Amazon for it, not just through Amazon’s public API, which only reaches so far into the catalogue, but with our own deeper search. If a number shows up in an old or fraudulent listing, we withdraw it and don’t sell it.
This is worth having. It rules out the most common failure: a number already in use. It does not, and cannot, register the number with your brand in GS1’s database. No reseller can do that.
The GTIN exemption route
If your product genuinely has no manufacturer barcode, Amazon may allow you to list it without one. This is the path most small sellers should look at first, and it’s free.
Exemptions typically suit handmade goods, private-label products, parts and accessories that don’t carry barcodes, and bundles you assemble yourself. They’re granted per brand and per category, and you’ll usually need images of your product and packaging that show your brand name, or no branding at all if you’re applying as unbranded.
If you’re enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry with a registered trademark, the process is shorter because your brand is already verified.
One thing to know: if your brand or category already uses GS1 barcodes, you generally won’t qualify.
Apply through Seller Central under Add Products → I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon → GTIN exemption.
A UPC is not an FNSKU
This trips up a lot of new sellers.
Your UPC or EAN identifies the product. An FNSKU is Amazon’s own label, used inside FBA warehouses to identify your units. They’re different things, and you may need both.
If you send stock to FBA, check Amazon’s current labelling rules before your shipment goes out. This area changed during 2026, and the requirements now differ depending on whether you’re the brand owner or a reseller.
When our barcodes are the right choice
We sell a lot of barcodes to people who also sell on Amazon, and most of them are buying for a different reason. Our numbers work well if you are:
- selling into physical shops, supermarkets or independents
- selling in Canada or internationally through ordinary retail
- listing on marketplaces with less strict identifier rules
- fulfilling wholesale orders where a retailer just needs a scannable code
- approved for a GTIN exemption, and want a barcode for the packaging itself
In all of those cases, you get a legitimate, permanently owned number for a one-off price, with no annual fees.
When they aren’t
Be honest with yourself about this list. Go to GS1 if:
- Amazon is your primary or only sales channel
- You’re building a brand you intend to grow on Amazon
- You’re enrolling in Brand Registry and want everything to align
- a listing suppression would seriously damage your business
Common Amazon listing errors
Most listing errors sellers hit are about the Brand field rather than the barcode itself, and most have straightforward fixes.
See our guide to Amazon error codes and solutions, and our videos on listing on Amazon.
Questions?
Contact us before you buy if you’re unsure. We’re a small team, and we answer our own emails, Monday to Friday. Tell us what you’re selling and where, and we’ll tell you honestly whether our numbers suit.
See retail barcode packages. From $39, one payment, delivered within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GS1 barcode to sell on Amazon? For most categories, you need a valid product identifier, and Amazon checks it against the GS1 database. If Amazon is your main channel, a GS1 licence is the safe route. If your product qualifies for a GTIN exemption, you can list without a barcode number at all.
Can I use a barcode from a reseller on Amazon? Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Amazon’s check looks for a number registered to your brand in GS1’s database, and resold numbers instead trace back to the original prefix holder. Enforcement is inconsistent, but a rejection after your listing is live is expensive to fix.
What is a GTIN exemption? Permission from Amazon to list a product without a barcode number. It’s free, granted per brand and category, and generally suits handmade goods, private-label products, unbranded items and self-assembled bundles.
Why is my Amazon listing suppressed? Common causes are a product identifier that fails the GS1 check, a brand name that doesn’t match your Brand Registry record, or a number already used on another listing. The error code in Seller Central tells you which one.
Can I change the barcode on an existing Amazon listing? Usually not. The product ID field locks once a listing is created. This is why it’s worth getting the number right before you list rather than after.
Do I need a barcode to sell on Amazon.ca? The identifier rules are the same on Amazon Canada as elsewhere. A UPC and an EAN are both accepted, and our packages include both for every number.
What’s the difference between a UPC and an FNSKU? A UPC identifies the product. An FNSKU is Amazon’s internal label for your units inside an FBA warehouse. They serve different purposes, and you may need both.