There are many things you need to organize and consider as you’re sourcing products and setting up an online storefront. One of the most common to-dos for sellers is to ensure products have Global Trade Identification Numbers, or GTINs. Also known as product IDs, GTINs help identify your unique product, share information about your product, track your products throughout the supply chain, and support effective inventory management.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- What GTINs are
- Different types of GTINs
- How GTINs are different from ASINs and SKUs
- Why it’s important to have a GTIN
- Where you find a product’s GTIN, and how you use it to list with Amazon
- How to get a GTIN for a new product
- How to list a product in the Amazon store without a GTIN
What are product IDs or GTINs?
A product ID is a series of numbers that are assigned to a product to help identify it through the supply chain as it moves from a manufacturer to a seller or retailer, and then to a customer. A GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number, is considered a product ID.
A GTIN is a globally unique number up to 14 digits long. GTINs are usually associated with scannable barcodes. You can often find a product’s GTIN under its barcode.
Products are assigned a GTIN to help differentiate them from other products so they’re easier to track. They help alleviate misidentification of products and confusion between products that may be similar, but not exact. This is especially helpful for sellers who work with a variety of distributors and deal with a wide range of products—or a large volume of products.
What are different types of GTINs?
There are many types of GTINs. Here are the most common GTINs used to create product detail pages in the Amazon store:
- Universal Product Code (UPC): A UPC is a standard product identifier to help you sell your product.
- International Standard Book Number (ISBN): An ISBN is a product identifier used specifically for books and is usually associated with a publication date.
- European Article Number (EAN): An EAN is a type of product identifier used specifically for products for the European marketplace. This product identifier is also referred to as an “international article number.”
- Japanese Article Number (JAN): A JAN is a type of product identifier used specifically for products for the Japanese marketplace. This product identifier is also referred to as an “international article number.”
How are GTINs different from ASINs and SKUs?
Though GTINs, ASINs, and SKUs are all used to help identify products based on a series of numbers, each one serves a different purpose and function.
An ASIN—or Amazon Standard Identification Number—is a series of 10 letters and numbers used to identify products within the Amazon catalog. ASINs are created and assigned to each new product when it’s listed. They appear on product detail pages and can be used to search for specific products within the Amazon store. They can also be helpful for inventory management in Seller Central. But an ASIN isn’t able to help with product identification outside of Amazon, whereas a GTIN can be used to identify a product no matter its retailer.
A SKU, or stock keeping unit, is another collection of numbers with a scannable barcode to help track a variety of product details like price, manufacturer, and more. They’re mostly created by companies to monitor their own inventory, so the same product at a different company can have different SKUs. A GTIN differs in that it’s a standard product ID no matter where it’s sold—so while a product can have two different SKUs at two different companies, its GTIN will be the same.
Why is it important to have a GTIN?
GTINs are a valuable part of the ecommerce journey. Everyone from suppliers to retailers to ecommerce brands use GTINs, most commonly for:
- Sharing product information with customers: Because each product has a unique GTIN, it’s easy for a seller to get specific details related to their product to give customers a complete view of the item they’re buying.
- Identifying products: This is particularly useful for products that may look the same, but have different features. A GTIN can specify which product is which, and how they differ—allowing sellers to craft more accurate product descriptions and product listings.
- Verifying order accuracy: Because the last number of a GTIN corresponds to a product’s packaging—for example, whether it’s one unit or part of a bulk shipment—this can help sellers and customers ensure they’re getting exactly what they ordered.
- Managing inventory: GTINs make inventory tracking and management easier. In stores like Amazon’s, sales databases are updated as soon as a product is purchased, so it’s easy for sellers to see what they’re running low on—and what they have too much of. GTINs can also be used for a variety of inventory management strategies, like ensuring the oldest items are sold first. Ultimately, GTINs make inventory management a more streamlined and automated experience so sellers don’t have to manually track their products throughout the retail process.
See GTIN requirements by product category
Where can you find a product’s GTIN and how do you use it to list with Amazon?
To find a product’s GTIN, look for the barcode on your product’s packaging or cover. The number will appear above or below the barcode. Your product’s GTIN may also be on the shipping container it arrived in.
Once you have your product’s GTIN, you can use it to match an offer to an existing listing in the Amazon store, or to create a new product listing.
- Hover over Catalog in the Seller Central main menu, then select Add Products.
- Select to search by Product IDs and enter your GTIN, then select Submit.
- If your product appears on the following page, select it to match an offer. If your product doesn’t appear, select Create a new listing and follow the prompts to create a product detail page.
Learn more about creating product listings
How do you get a GTIN for a new product?
If you source your products from a manufacturer but don’t have the GTIN, you can request the GTIN from them. If you create and own a new product yourself, you can get a GTIN through an organization called GS1.
Getting your GTIN will depend on how many products you have, or the variations of products you offer. You can license GTINs individually or apply for GTINs in bulk, which may save you money if you have numerous products. If you have an extensive range of products that need GTINs, you may be able to license a GS1 Company Prefix, which will include some standardized digits that identify your company.
How do you list a product in the Amazon store without a GTIN?
If your product doesn’t have a product ID or a GTIN, you should first see if your product is already sold in the Amazon store.
- Hover over Catalog in the main menu of Seller Central, then select Add Products.
- Enter the title of your product into the search field and select Submit.
- If you find a matching product, you can add an offer to the existing product detail page without a GTIN.
If you can’t match an offer to an existing product listing, you may be eligible for a GTIN exemption, which allows you to create a product listing for your product without a GTIN.
To request a GTIN exemption:
- Select Create a new listing after searching for your product and seeing it’s not in the Amazon catalog.
- In the listing workflow, select the I don’t have a product ID checkbox and click Next.
- If an Apply now button appears, select it and complete the application form. Then click Submit.
When applying for a GTIN exemption, you’ll need to have a product name or title, and images showing all sides of your product and its packaging.
Learn more about requesting a GTIN exemption
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