Don't Risk It: The Truth About Generic Listings
With Q4 underway and many sellers expanding their inventory, it's crucial to understand Amazon's policies around generic products. We've noticed an increase in account issues related to generic listing violations - these mistakes can lead to serious consequences like account suspensions, product removals, and lost sales. Whether you're launching new products or reviewing existing listings, getting this right is essential for your business success.
What is a "Generic" Product?
A generic product is:
- An unbranded item with no identifiable brand
- A product with no label or branding on the packaging
Key Rules to Remember
- Use "generic" as the brand name for unbranded products
- Never list branded products as generic ASINs
- Don't use another brand's intellectual property in generic listings
- Once created as "generic," the brand name cannot be modified later
Common Error Codes & Solutions
- Error Code 5665: You may be using a brand name other than "generic" for an unbranded product
- Error Code 5668: There is a missing brand name for an ASIN with an identifiable brand. If the product is unbranded, you can create a generic ASIN.
- Error Code 5882: The product listing being created as "generic" infringes on another brand's intellectual property (go to Amazon Brand Name Policy and Amazon Intellectual Property Policy for more information). If you believe that you are complying with our policies, contact Selling Partner Support and mention the error code 5882.
- Error Code 5885 and 5886: Attempting to change or add offers to another seller's generic product. If you believe you are complying, contact Selling Partner Support and mention error code 5885/5886.
- Error Code 5887: Changes aren’t allowed on a generic product detail page. If you want to sell a generic product, create a new product by following the process as outlined in Add Products.
💡 Pro Tip: If you plan to brand your product in the future, create a new ASIN with the brand name rather than trying to modify a generic listing. This small step now can save you significant time and effort later.
Helpful Resources:
- Amazon Generic Product Policy
- Brand name approval requirements and issue resolution
- List products that do not have a Product ID (UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN)
- Product Detail Page Rules
- Error Message Related to Amazon Generic Product Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy for Sellers
Share Your Experience
Now that you know the proper way to handle generic products and avoid violating Amazon policies, we want to hear from you! Have you encountered challenges with generic product listings? What solutions worked for you? Share your experiences below to help fellow sellers avoid common pitfalls!
Don't Risk It: The Truth About Generic Listings
With Q4 underway and many sellers expanding their inventory, it's crucial to understand Amazon's policies around generic products. We've noticed an increase in account issues related to generic listing violations - these mistakes can lead to serious consequences like account suspensions, product removals, and lost sales. Whether you're launching new products or reviewing existing listings, getting this right is essential for your business success.
What is a "Generic" Product?
A generic product is:
- An unbranded item with no identifiable brand
- A product with no label or branding on the packaging
Key Rules to Remember
- Use "generic" as the brand name for unbranded products
- Never list branded products as generic ASINs
- Don't use another brand's intellectual property in generic listings
- Once created as "generic," the brand name cannot be modified later
Common Error Codes & Solutions
- Error Code 5665: You may be using a brand name other than "generic" for an unbranded product
- Error Code 5668: There is a missing brand name for an ASIN with an identifiable brand. If the product is unbranded, you can create a generic ASIN.
- Error Code 5882: The product listing being created as "generic" infringes on another brand's intellectual property (go to Amazon Brand Name Policy and Amazon Intellectual Property Policy for more information). If you believe that you are complying with our policies, contact Selling Partner Support and mention the error code 5882.
- Error Code 5885 and 5886: Attempting to change or add offers to another seller's generic product. If you believe you are complying, contact Selling Partner Support and mention error code 5885/5886.
- Error Code 5887: Changes aren’t allowed on a generic product detail page. If you want to sell a generic product, create a new product by following the process as outlined in Add Products.
💡 Pro Tip: If you plan to brand your product in the future, create a new ASIN with the brand name rather than trying to modify a generic listing. This small step now can save you significant time and effort later.
Helpful Resources:
- Amazon Generic Product Policy
- Brand name approval requirements and issue resolution
- List products that do not have a Product ID (UPC, EAN, JAN or ISBN)
- Product Detail Page Rules
- Error Message Related to Amazon Generic Product Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy for Sellers
Share Your Experience
Now that you know the proper way to handle generic products and avoid violating Amazon policies, we want to hear from you! Have you encountered challenges with generic product listings? What solutions worked for you? Share your experiences below to help fellow sellers avoid common pitfalls!
54 replies
Seller_jvfhuXWiqaKrs
Hi @NR_Amazon,
"Once created as "generic," the brand name cannot be modified later"
This rule is being exploited by bad actors who intentionally create "Generic" ASINs for a branded product, using that branded product's real UPC, with the intent of blocking all other sellers from listing the same product. Amazon needs to plug this hole by either allowing rebrandings of Generic pages when the request is coming from the brand and substantiated, or by allowing a disassociation of a branded UPC incorrectly used on a Generic ASIN.
Seller_isfUwyrhbyGPr
And we've noticed a massive increase in listing errors where bots somehow erroneously flag branded listings as generic!
Seller_Jpr1iJSGbQOdQ
"We" should understand?
What does Amazon understand....
Seller_7AcEeaT8sGdxu
I don’t understand why sellers can’t add offers to existing generic listings. If an item is truly unbranded, “generic” should simply mean it’s open for multiple sellers to offer similar products, not locked to whoever created the ASIN.
Right now, it feels like generic listings are more restricted than branded ones, which doesn’t make sense. Can Amazon clarify why a non-brand listing is treated as proprietary?
Seller_Qz69JE98dDmI6
So what if we apploed for trademark after we built the posting. I have a product it is mine but the trademark is still pending
Seller_17KeRYHH2Pasz
I just love it when other sellers abuse this practice by creating a Generic listing for a branded item. Then, when you try and list by entering the correct UPC, Amazon Seller Central blocks you because it is listed a "Generic". One corrupt seller gets a the sales and nobody fixes anything.
SMH
Seller_LB7QZfBHi19dH
@NR_Amazoncan you please tell me why this seller (Shop Aegis) has been allowed to sell hundreds of branded products listed as generic? Their entire catalog is filled with generic policy violations, photoshopped images to remove brand name, and it also looks like they are somehow hacking/bypassing the generic error 5886 and attaching themselves to other sellers generic listings (which are also violations).
Link to Shop Aegis storefront, where nearly all listings are policy violations: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A1I1Q91USVU4A5&page=13&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1762828143&xpid=5TihaSkRK2zBG&ref=sr_pg_13
Here are a few ASIN examples:
B0DY7227Z5
B0FPWGPXQF
B0DSF79LBL
B0DZFN499W
Again, they have hundreds of listings that violate the generic listing policy and have somehow found a way to bypass 5886 error. I noticed this as I was looking for Multivitamins this weekend, and this seller (Shop Aegis) is on several generic branded vitamin listings, with the logo altered or cropped out all together. I would like an answer as to why this is allowed for them? I have reported dozens of their listings, all are still up. I have done so on the report violation tool (Case ID: 18812919151) and directly on the product listing page through "report an issue". The report through "Report a violation tool" was denied almost immediately. It does not seem that Amazon has cared about this concern, although this is very concerning to sellers abiding by Amazon's listings policies, as well as customers that are impacted by fake listing information and potential counterfeit products. Especially when many listings this seller has are supplements. Other sellers are hit almost immediately by suspected IP violations, product page tampering, or other violations that impact their ability to sell. This seller is by far the worst case of policy violations I have ever seen on Amazon, yet they're still up and running. How is this fair to anyone else?
Please answer:
1. What steps need to be taken to report these violations since the report violation tool doesn't seem to work here?
2. How is this seller allowed to create or attach themselves hundreds of generic listings such as the examples given without any type of repercussion to their selling ability?
3. How are they bypassing Amazon's generic policy error 5886 and attaching themselves to hundreds of other generic listings?
ALL OF THESE LISTINGS ARE BRANDED PRODUCTS and should not be generic. This seller (Shop Aegis) should not be able to do this at this scale. I'm amazed this has not been called out or fixed.
Looks like theyve been reported in the past, but have just continued to violate policy: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/2a640ca8-3653-4809-b538-4537888944e6
Seller_tltjh6QSyzuC8
Oh, and btw reporting violations is absolute misery............There are way, way too many products on Amazon wrongly branded or identified as generic which indeed are branded. No matter how you try to report the abuse it gets met with one of the following responses:
1) no response at all - claim disappears
2) you must be a brand owner to report
3) Nothing has been reported so you cannot report
4) add the item to your catalog for which you cannot because of prior UPC use
5) Changing the brand from the wrong brand to the right brand can lead to customer confusion
6) just keep trying (maybe there is a better way to explain yourself)
Seller_KQCMtoe35ywB1
So how about if some sellers sell so-called branded products with no label or branding on the packaging? They should be listed as generic products instead.
Those sellers gain unfair advantages against branded competitor products such as they have less MOQ than branded products, save save label/packaging costs, access to A+ contents, brand store, etc....
Seller_C014gz2CtNWhK
You don't want generic, but Amazon continually removes my brand name from customer search pages and product detail pages. I am brand registered, and this happens constantly. Each time, my sales dive too. Why does Amazon keep removing brand names on some but not others?
