Amazon UPC Codes: What You Need and Where to Get Them

Does the UPC of your GTIN from GS1 match your ASIN, or did someone just sneeze in their alphabet soup? When it comes to product identification and barcodes, things can get a little confusing with all those numbers and letters floating around. Throwing Amazon into the mix only makes it worse.

To complement our recent guide on GTINs, UPCs, and Barcodes — written by Michelle Covey, an actual member of the GS1 US team — we wanted to compile an additional guide to specifically discuss how these things relate to Amazon. Below, we explain what you need to know about Amazon UPC codes, including where to get them.

What’s the Difference Between UPCs, GTINS, and ASINs?

Let’s start with a little clarification. In case you’re not familiar with product identification numbers, here’s a quick glossary to help you keep your acronyms in order.

GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number

The number used to identify products in the official international database. These numbers are used to synchronize all product databases worldwide to help with verification and faster reference.

GS1, or Global Standards 1

This is the international organization that maintains the GTIN database.

UPC, or Universal Product Code

A type of GTIN with an accompanying barcode that is used mostly in the US and Canada.

EAN, or European Article Number

Another type of GTIN similar to a UPC, but it's used mostly in Europe and the rest of the world.

ASIN, or Amazon Standard Identification Number

This is a product identification number used exclusively on Amazon, but not affiliated with GS1 or GTINs. ASINs are mainly for Amazon’s own internal organization and are not officially recognized outside of Amazon like GTINs are. A product’s ASIN can be found on their Amazon product page in the description or at the end of their URL.

Let's dig a little more into their differences by analyzing how each of them impacts your business.

How Does Amazon Use UPCs?

Amazon requires a GTIN for most products. This could be either a UPC or EAN, as long as it’s registered by GS1. Amazon uses these numbers to verify products as authentic and combat fraudulent listings — but they also come in handy for organizing products on an international scale.

Once your product is registered on Amazon, it’s automatically assigned an ASIN. You don't have to acquire it yourself.

If you’re reselling products or selling them directly from the manufacturer, the UPC or EAN should already be there. But what do you do if you’re selling homemade or private label products? In these instances, you have two options:

Buy your own UPC (explained below)
Apply for an Amazon GTIN exemption

GTIN exemption is designed for individual products without a GTIN or barcode, either through the manufacturer’s error or because they’re homemade. Amazon's GTIN exemption is based on brand and category; you can apply for up to 10 different brand name and category combinations on a single exemption form.

If you mass-produce or manufacture your own products to be sold under many different brands and categories, it might be easier to purchase your own GTINs or even a GTIN company prefix.

Where Can You Find Amazon UPC Codes?

GTINs, like UPCs, are a necessity for every retailer. Small businesses that make their own products locally might be interested in individual UPCs, while large companies with multiple factories might prefer buying their company prefix to consolidate hundreds of unique barcodes. Either option can be purchased directly from GS1 or a GS1 US Channel Partner, such as eComEngine!

The standard fee for a single UPC barcode is $30 with no renewal fee. However, if you require several UPCs, you can get price breaks by buying in bulk.

Using a GS1 Company Prefix offers even more perks, such as access to the GS1 US Data Hub, which has tools that let you create your barcodes and manage your product data. This, however, comes with an annual renewal fee, so it’s only advisable for established brands that require a lot of barcodes.

Ready to Learn More?

Still have more questions? Be sure to take a look at GTINs, UPCs, and Barcodes: Everything You Need to Know for a more thorough explanation of product identification numbers, not limited to just Amazon.