Third-party and independent sellers who venture into the Amazon Marketplace can be classified into two broad categories: there are those who bring new products into the marketplace and those who mostly sell existing products. Although those who introduce new products are more likely to deal with the Amazon Standard Identification Number system, all sellers may encounter situations when they may need to create ASINs.
When Might You Need to Establish an ASIN?
Let’s say you have acquired a small inventory of unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphones that you would like to sell in the marketplace; this is an example of a product that does not require a new ASIN since it has already been registered as B01CYYYRNK and thus you can get started selling them. When you run out of your own inventory, you can check if Fulfillment by Amazon centers can accommodate you so that you can continue selling this particular Samsung model.
If you are an inventor, manufacturer, exclusive distributor or purveyor of private label products, you will have to manually create new ASINs based on the Universal Product Code of your items. In some cases, you may run into a situation that will require you to use the “Create Product Detail” tool if you have items that have significant variations of existing products; for example, you may have Armani sweaters in a size and color that no other seller has previously listed, and thus you will have to create a “child” ASIN based on a “parent.”
About Amazon’s ASIN Registry
The ASIN registry is intrinsic to Amazon’s e-commerce ambitions; as the company continues its quest to become the “Everything Store,” having its own inventory and cataloging system is crucial, particularly now that CEO Jeff Bezos is heading into a brick-and-mortar direction with Whole Foods and the Amazon Go convenience stores. Since this is a complex system, there will be times when you will run into ASIN creation issues; to this effect, here are some mistakes you should avoid.
1. Standard Product ID Not Provided
All products intended to be sold on Amazon require previous registration. If you are based in the United States, you have to register your company with GS1 and get a prefix that will help you obtain Universal Product Code (UPC) numbers and barcode labels. For more information, visit gs1-us.info.
2. Product Restrictions
Amazon keeps an extensive list of items that the company will not accept on the Marketplace; one example of restricted items would be an accessory that includes the word “Amazon Kindle” in the product name. Nonetheless, if you manufacture handmade decorative covers for the Kindle reader, Amazon will let you use a referential name such as “Paisley Cover Compatible with the Kindle.”
3. Invalid Content
Let’s say you distribute graphic novels produced by European artists who are known to be risqué. If Amazon deems the content to be pornographic, the system will not grant you an ASIN.
4. Unprotected ASINs
Although Amazon will let you create new ASINs and leave them unprotected, this would be a mistake from a branding point of view. If you create 10 or more new ASINs, you need to protect them against unauthorized sellers and counterfeiters with a service such as Brandlox.
Of the four mistakes listed herein, the most problematic would be to leave your new ASINs without protection. The last thing you want as a manufacturer or exclusive distributor is to realize that your ASINs have been hijacked by rogue sellers. Contact a Brandlox e-commerce specialist today to learn more about ASIN and brand protection. Call 866-848-6072 or email us with any questions you might have.
