Amazon UPC Secrets – Are there ways to sell on Amazon Without UPCs?

There was a significant increase in eCommerce in 2020 amidst the pandemic that catapulted the growing interest in online business. About 74 percent of consumers during the end of the year shifted to online shopping amidst the global health crisis brought by COVID-19. It is higher than its 69 percent growth the previous months. 

This development expects to continue in 2021 and the years to come with the new normal. Amazon is one of the most reliable e-commerce sites that offer sellers ways to list their items.

Newbies on this platform are worried if they can go through with their business without UPCs. Are you interested in the e-commerce business on Amazon without any idea where to get the UPCs? 

Take a look at the following ways to sell on Amazon without UPCs: 

What is a UPC?

UPC is an acronym of the Universal Product Code. They are barcodes used for tracking down the trade items in both online and offline stores.

The barcodes consist of twelve numeric characters with the EAN barcode found in product packages.

The purpose of UPCs is to scan the trade items at the time of sale for each GS1 specification. 

Not all retailers use the GS1 specification. Instead, they use other forms of article number systems or barcode symbologies. Some retailers use EAN/UPC symbology without the GTIN for items that they sell in their stores. 

Advantages of Using UPCs

The adoption of UPC in business has a lot of benefits for the international retail supply chains. Both consumers and business owners are benefitted from its use as it is easy to inventory the items, and check out is fast.  

Here are the advantages of UPCs:

1. They Speed Up the Checkout Process

UPCs play a role in recognizing the items scanned by the cashiers during checkout. You pick a product in a store and put them on the counter to buy. The cashier scans the product using a barcode scanner and adds your order during the POS system (point of sale).

After the scanning, you are ready to pay for the item in a few seconds. The absence of the barcode could be time-consuming if you buy things in bulk. The cashier has to manually add the item to your order while other customers are waiting in line.

2. They Increase Productivity

With its efficient scanning and tracking system, there is no doubt that UPCs boost productivity in both consumers and sellers. It takes only a few seconds to access the product information. Lesser time is spent on product distribution to retail stores and consumer homes.

This method saves time and energy. UPCs improve productivity in the retail industry because it saves time and energy in accessing the product details rather than manually.

3. Accurate Tracking Inventory

Hand counting could take hours to finish, especially if the customers buy many products. UPCs track inventory accurately than the traditional method.

UPCs know when products are no longer available in warehouses and retail shelves.

Customer complaints and “recall issues” delivered products will be resolved quickly with this method.

The barcodes play a role in the global supply chain through their accurate tracking inventory, which begins in the packaging and product labels. 

What are the Ways to Sell on Amazon without UPCs?

Listing your product without a Product ID, such as UPC, JAN, ISBN, or EAN, could be impossible. You need to secure a Product ID and request a GTIN Exemption to start listing on Amazon. So what is a Product ID? A Product ID is not your typical identification card, but it is a bar code of your product called Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). 

Here are some ways to sell on Amazon without UPCs:

1. Apply for Amazon’s Brand Registry

Applying for Amazon’s Brand Registry is the first step to list your items without UPCs on Amazon. The process could be complicated, but you have to wait for your approval. Some products do not have bar codes if you try to see the “other sellers” on Amazon.

To search for the product, copy the ASIN from its page and paste it on the Add a Product link found in the Seller Central. You will see if the product page is associated with a bar code or not.  

2. Buy UPC Codes

If you can’t do anything about selling without a UPC, the best way is to buy the codes. It is not at all costly. Try searching eBay. Some sellers offer codes, or you can purchase them from GS1. Amazon recommends GS1 for a high price. Buy the UPC from a reliable seller to get valid UPCs.

Code prices depend on your type of business. There are service providers that offer you codes with their corresponding prices. For example, a single code is equivalent to $30, or 10 codes are priced at $250. You need more codes if you are selling many products on Amazon.

Buying the code from a third-party vendor could be disadvantageous. Codes are resold and connected with different brands.

The product listings are incorrect, duplicate, and mismatched.

Regulating the codes is implemented by Amazon to ensure that each item is listed correctly and avoid confusion for consumers.

Amazon does not tolerate incorrect use of UPCs. You can even get your seller’s account suspended.

You might be interested in making money on Amazon without selling as well! Read this blog for more details: This Week’s Top Stories about Making Money on Amazon without Selling.

FAQs

Conclusion

UPC is a helpful tool for Amazon sellers. It helps track the product inventory once the products are delivered and moved out of the FBA warehouse. Startups would find the barcodes complicated. During scanning, you will know the quantity and updated information of the product to alert you if you run out of supply.