Amazon Bulk Services: Creating a package hierarchy

Before you get started, identify products for which you sell or want to sell 2 or more package configurations: unit, case pack, or pallet. For example, if you sell a box of 10 pens (unit) and a case of 10 boxes (case pack) or you sell a box of 10 pens (unit) and want to sell a pallet with 100 boxes, you can use package hierarchy to link those configurations. Note that selling a pallet is not a must to participate. As long as you offer 2 or more package configurations, package hierarchy is available to you.

Then follow these 4 steps to create package hierarchy.

1. In Seller Central go to Inventory > Add Products via Upload > Download an Inventory file.
2. Download the template:
   
   1. Select the right product type. You can select multiple product types.
   2. Select the store.
   3. When selecting the type of template, select either Advanced mode.
   4. Click Generate Template.

The template will have multiple tabs: “Instructions”, “Images”, “Example”, “Data Definitions”, “Valid Values” to help you to fill out the template. The “Template” tab is where you have to input information.

There are two possible scenarios as you fill the template:

• Product is already listed on Amazon: For example, unit and case of pens are already listed on Amazon. In this case, you only need to fill the template with information to create a package hierarchy:
  
  1. Fill item_sku and external_product_id. Each configuration (unit, case, pallet) of a product should have distinct external product IDs (such as GTIN or UPC, extra).
  2. Fill the package hierarchy attributes as illustrated below in the Filling package hierarchy attributes in the variation section of the template.
  3. Set the update_delete attribute to PartialUpdate.
• Product is not listed on Amazon: For example, a unit of pens is already listed on Amazon but a pallet isn’t. In this case, in addition to providing information to create a package hierarchy, you also need to provide information to create a listing for the pallet:
  
  1. Fill at least all the mandatory fields in the first section, including item_sku and external_product_id. Each configuration (unit, case, pallet) of a product should have distinct external product IDs (such as GTIN or UPC).
  2. Fill the package hierarchy attributes as illustrated below in the Filling package hierarchy attributes in the variation section.
  3. Set the update_delete attribute to Update.

The following table outlines how to fill out the package hierarchy attributes in Seller Central templates for a unit, case, and pallet:

	relationship type	package_level	package_contains_quantity	package_contains_identifier
	relationship_type	package_level	package_contains_quantity	package_contains_identifier
For a Unit		unit
For a Case	package_contains	case	Quantity of the seller SKU contained in the case	Seller SKU contained in the case
For a Pallet	package_contains	pallet	Quantity of the seller SKU contained in the pallet	Seller SKU contained in the pallet

Examples:

	Relationship Type	package_level	package_contains_quantity	package_contains_identifier
Case_SKU containing 5 Unit_SKU	package_contains	case	5	Unit_SKU
Case1_SKU containing 10 Case2_SKU	package_contains	case	10	Case2_SKU
Pallet_SKU containing fifteen Unit_SKU	package_contains	pallet	15	Unit_SKU
Pallet_SKU containing ten Case_SKU	package_contains	pallet	10	Case_SKU

1. In Seller Central, go to Inventory > Add Products via Upload > Upload your Inventory file.
2. Upload the completed template from Step 3.

Once you have uploaded the template, download the processing report by going to Inventory > Add Products via Upload > Monitor Upload Status. Check and correct any errors in the processing report. Error messages related to package hierarchy are provided in the Error Messages section. If there are no errors, the package hierarchy was successfully created.

1. What is package hierarchy?

Package hierarchy is at the core of the Amazon Bulk Services (ABS) program. Once multiple package configurations of a product are linked using package hierarchy, you will receive enhanced seller and customer experience features. The hierarchy can consist of units, cases, and pallets, defined as follows:

• Unit (also Each, Item): Smallest saleable package of a product, for example a “box” of 10 pens.
• Case (also Case pack): Package containing multiple units, for example a “case” of 10 “boxes”.
• Pallet: Stacked units or cases on a wooden or plastic frame to facilitate shipping and storage. For example, a “pallet” of 100 “cases”.

Different package configurations - unit, case, pallet - of a product can be represented in a package hierarchy with multiple levels of parent-child relationships. The following are the most common types of package hierarchies:

		Parent	Child
Case containing multiple Units		Case	Unit
	Case contains Unit
Pallet containing multiple Units		Pallet	Unit
	Pallet contains Unit
Pallet containing multiple Cases and each Case containing multiple Units		Pallet Case	Case Unit
	Pallet contains Case contains Unit

Many other hierarchies are possible, such as:

• Case 1 containing Case 2 containing Unit
• Pallet containing Case 1 containing Case 2 containing Unit
• Case 1 containing 10 Units and Case 2 containing 20 Units

2. What is the difference between Package hierarchy and Variation?

Package hierarchy is different from variation relationships. Variations are sets of products that are related to one another in terms of size, color, flavor, and so on. With package hierarchy, different package configurations (unit, case, pallet) are linked to each other through an established hierarchy. Features for better seller and customer experience, including the referral fee discount launched as part of the ABS program, are applicable for products linked using package hierarchy but do not apply to variations. Package hierarchy and variation relationships can co-exist, that is a product can be part of a variation relationship and also a package hierarchy at the same time.

Variation			Package hierarchy
	Parent
Green color product	Blue color product	Yellow color product	Pallet contains Case contains Unit

3. Which mechanisms on Seller Central can I use to create or change a package hierarchy?

Package hierarchy can be created:

• for products already listed on Amazon, or
• while creating new listings

Currently, you can create a package hierarchy using templates on Seller Central. Support for a web-based interface and API integration will be introduced later down the line.

4. What are the new attributes to create a package hierarchy?

The three new attributes used to enable package hierarchy, which have been implemented into existing Seller Central templates, are:

• Package level: Indicates whether a product is a unit, case or pallet
• Package contains identifier: Indicates the SKU of the product contained in the package. This field is left blank if the package level is “unit”.
• Package contains quantity: Indicates the number of SKUs contained in the package. This field is left blank if the package level is “unit”.

For example:

Case containing 10 units
case seller SKU: Case_SKU unit seller SKU: Unit_SKU	For Case: Package level = case Package contains identifier = Unit_SKU Package contains quantity = 10
	For Unit: Package level = unit Package contains identifier = blank Package contains quantity = blank

Pallet containing 5 cases and each case containing 20 units
pallet seller SKU: Pallet_SKU case seller SKU: Case_SKU unit seller SKU: Unit_SKU	For Pallet: Package level = pallet Package contains identifier = Case_SKU Package contains quantity = 5
	For Case: Package level = case Package contains identifier = Unit_SKU Package contains quantity = 20
	For Unit: Package level = unit Package contains identifier = blank Package contains quantity = blank

5. How do I change package hierarchy attributes if I input an attribute incorrectly while submitting the template?

If you have already created a package hierarchy and want to change any of the package hierarchy attributes, fill the template as follows:

1. Fill all mandatory fields including item_sku and external_product_id.
2. Fill all package hierarchy attributes to reflect the desired change.
3. Set update_delete attribute to Update.

6. How do I delete ASINs in a package hierarchy?

Deleting an ASIN in a package hierarchy will remove the ASIN and the corresponding package hierarchy relationships. For example, if there is a hierarchy pallet–case–unit and you delete the case ASIN, case ASIN will be removed. Additionally, the package hierarchy relationship with the pallet and the unit will also be removed.

To delete, fill the template as follows:

1. Fill the item_sku and external_product_id.
2. Set update_delete attribute to Delete.

7. I received error messages when I uploaded my template. What do they mean?

The following table lists the errors you may encounter while creating package hierarchy:

Error code and message	Reason for error
99010: A value is missing from one or more required columns from this group: [Relationship Type], [package_level], [package_contains_identifier], [package_contains_quantity].	When Relationship type is set as “package_contains” and package_level is set as "case" or "pallet", then package_contains_identifier and package_contains_quantity are required fields.
99008: The value in the "Relationship Type" (Variation) field conflicts with the value in the "package_contains_identifier" field.	The package_contains_identifier attribute can have a value only when Relationship type is package_contains.
99008: The value in the "Relationship Type" (package_contains) field conflicts with the value in the "package_level" (unit) field.	For package_level "unit", package_contains_identifier should be blank.
99008: The value in the "Relationship Type" (Variation) field conflicts with the value in the "package_level" (case/unit) field.	The package_contains_identifier attribute can have a value only when Relationship type is package_contains.
990101: The ${relationship_type} relationship from parent SKU ${sku} to child SKU ${child_id} was refused because one or more GTIN values on the parent (${duplicate_gtins}) are duplicated on a descendent (SKU: ${duplicate_gtin_child_id}).	Each SKU in the hierarchy must have a unique external product ID (such as GTIN or UPC).
990100: We have detected a potential error with “package_contains_identifier” attribute. If you see other errors or warnings related to “package_contains_identifier”, correct and resubmit. Otherwise your request may still be processing and this error will resolve itself.	If there are no other error or warning messages related to package_contains_identifier, then this error will resolve itself. Otherwise, the error or warning needs to be fixed.

Amazon Bulk Services