Using FBA virtual tracking

Virtual tracking allows Amazon to fulfill orders using identical products from different suppliers. This enables us to process a customer order more efficiently and expedite its delivery from the fulfillment center closest to the customer. Virtual tracking traces the source of eligible products throughout the fulfillment process so that identical items from different suppliers do not need to be physically stored together within a fulfillment center. Used by default for eligible products, virtual tracking relies on the manufacturer barcode already on each unit, such as the UPC or EAN, instead of the Amazon barcode sticker. Virtual tracking is sometimes referred to as "commingling" and the inventory that uses it as "stickerless inventory."

Benefits of virtual tracking

Using virtual tracking can help:

Save sellers the cost of creating and applying unique barcodes for each unit
Improve customer service by shipping items to customers faster, using a more distributed fulfillment network
Minimize fees to sellers by lowering fulfillment costs
Reduce carbon emissions and packaging waste

Example

Suppose a customer in Florida orders a product and there are only two units of that exact product available. One unit is in California, one unit is in New York, and the seller who owns the California unit is the one who makes the sale. To provide the customer with faster delivery, we will send the customer the unit in New York, credit the seller who made the sale, and virtually transfer ownership of the identical unit in California to the seller who did not make the sale.

Product eligibility

For a product to qualify for virtual tracking, it must meet all of the following requirements.

The product must:

Be in new condition.
Have a single scannable UPC, EAN, or ISBN barcode matching a single ASIN in the Amazon catalog.
Not be an FBA restricted product or a dangerous good.
Not be an expiration-dated product.
Not be a consumable or topical product (such as grocery items, skin creams, cosmetics, soaps).
Not be a media product (such as books, CDs, VHS tapes, or DVDs)
Not be a product related to children or infants (such as toys and baby clothes)

Important:

If the manufacturer barcode matches more than one ASIN, an Amazon barcode is required.
Not all products are eligible for virtual tracking and Amazon updates which products are eligible for this service periodically. Sellers are charged for a labeling fee if ineligible products are sent to fulfillment centers with only the manufacturer barcode.

For an overview of which categories require standard IDs for major brands, visit Product ID (GTIN) requirements by category.

Choosing not to use virtual tracking

If your products are not eligible for virtual tracking, or if you choose not to use this service, you can use Amazon barcode stickers on each of the products you ship to fulfillment centers. You can print Amazon barcodes from your seller account and apply them to the products yourself, or Amazon can print and apply them for a per-item fee. For more information, visit FBA Label Service.