Countries
Read only
From January 2019 GTINs should never be reused again
Amazon has been using the GS1 Company Database (GEPIR) as a benchmark for some time now, as indicated (among other places) in the Manage Inventory warning blurb many are likely familiar with:
“The validity of a Product ID is checked against the GS1 GEPIR and ISBN.org databases. If your Product ID is not registered with GS1 then the linked ASIN will be suppressed and it may result in removal of your product creation privileges.”
Changes are coming down the pike in terms of the reusability features for certain select product categories. Searching the web for the title of this post should return an informative 16Jul18 article from GS1UK that’s been a subject in both of its last two monthly newsletters: searching “GTIN No Reuse” will return a GS1US page (“GS1 US > What We Do > Standards > GTIN No Reuse”) that includes an FAQ.
December 31 is fast-approaching, so for those who will be affected by the changes scheduled to happen on that date, time is growing short to get all your ducks in a row.
Seller_jZWpyInw8RkYT
Thankfully, this didn’t seem to come to pass, but there is this…
35 replies
Seller_8Wfpcf6cHQaPy
Should be pinned, along with:
HP Printing Products Restriction
Effective on August 14, 2018, you will no longer be able to sell these products on Amazon unless you become an authorized seller of HP Products:
- Ink
- Toner
- sprocket printer
- paper
- printers
To learn how to become an authorized reseller of HP ink, toner, sprocket printer, and paper products on Amazon, contact HP at HPQualifiedUSMarketplaceProgram@hp.com at your earliest convenience.
Starting August 14, 2018, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) will no longer accept additional inventory shipments of these products. For inventory currently in Amazon fulfillment centers, you can continue selling your remaining inventory until August 14, 2018.
After August 14, 2018, you will need to create a Removal Order for return or disposal of your remaining FBA inventory.
For more info, see the Help page Remove inventory (overview) in Seller Central.
Although each Removal Order generates an “FBA Return Fee” or “FBA Disposal Fee” that appears in your Seller Central account, we will reimburse the fees charged for any Removal Order for the affected FBA inventory placed until September 14, 2018.
After September 14, 2018, removal fees charged for affected FBA inventory will no longer be eligible for reimbursement.
and this:
By September 2018, you may see items suppressed due to the following defects in the main image:
- Blurry or pixelated image or image with jagged edges
- Image with any text, logo, graphic, or watermarks shown
- Multiple product views or colors or sizes are shown in image
- Product on model
- Product occupies less than 85% of the frame
Seller_kRjrHjmaVlyZK
Why is this not implemented for all illegitimate sellers?? People are buying faulty products for cheaper than the real supplier and receiving faulty products & then complaining to the real seller!! Amazon should have a process in place for this. Customers are not satisfied, it affects business for small companies and it diminishes our brand. Please advise if Amazon is only doing this for HP printing products or going to ensure that all REAL LEGITIMATE sellers will enjoy the benefits of Amazon by having fake sellers removed.
Seller_MU8ehgZgMJ9K0
Where do you go to lookup GS1 UPC codes? When I lookup a code at https://www.gs1us.org/tools/gs1-company-database-gepir few show the company matching the product.
Seller_fHDPKsoSI2rA3
Amazon only relies on that database in some cases. I’ve been trying to get them to correct a problem with 4 UPCs for weeks. The GS1 databas shows these UPCs are owned by Lifestyle Solutions to be used for lift chairs. Amazon already has these UPCs in use for mattresses sold by Westport Home. I pointing out to them almost a dozen times that Westport Home does not own these UPCs. I have asked them to confirm with the GS1 database. They just keep telling me that the responsible team is investigating and they will get back to me. So apparently the bots can check the GS1 database when you try to list a new product. But actual humans are incapable of using it to verify information for existing listings. Yet one more way that Amazon is wildly inconsistent in enforcing their policies.
Seller_MU8ehgZgMJ9K0
Since UPC codes will no longer be reassigned, does this mean that GS1 will be selling the UPC codes like some other vendors? Or will they still only be leasing them?
Seller_jZWpyInw8RkYT
@yenobek – two good points:
Sometimes the parent company doesn’t necessarily interact with the brand on Amazon, and vice versa–intentionally or otherwise. For example, all of our UPCs are under our parent company/manufacturer (noted as manufacturer in listing details), but it’s only one of our brands that seems to show up on Amazon, even in the Product Details, etc. (despite listing manufacturer). Unless you know the company or brand, you might not realize that they ARE actually related.
And just because perceived UPC incongruence happens for legit reasons such as above does NOT make it ok to pilfer someone elses UPC and think it’s fine because it looks like others are doing the same (not that you personally would do that, @yenobek!). 
GS1 is the only legitimate generator of UPC codes. In the past, they SOLD codes, which produced the ability of rights-holders to then re-sell unused OR DISCONTINUED codes–and gave some shadier entities the ability to discover discontiuned UPC codes and either poach them or sell them without rights. Relatively recently, GS1 moved to ONLY LEASING codes–no sell–retaining rights of control. With the change in January 2019, there will be no more “discontinued” codes, only “archived”, which takes them out of play.
GS1 said that the internet was the specific reason that they are making this change because UPC codes live forever online, causing confusion with products unscrupulously using a discontinued product UPC code or the shady folks mentioned above poaching UPCs from a company who has paid to lease them. With the change, there will only be “archived,” “draft,” “active,” and “pre-sale” (if I remember correctly), in order to cut down on UPC code online fraud.
We see it all the time on Amazon and plenty of mentions on the forums of situations where legitimate UPC code rights-holders can’t list their legitimate product or re-list a previously discontinued product because their code has been poached (like @My_Home_Theater_Seat mentioned). Fingers crossed this will help!
Hope that helps! 
Seller_jZWpyInw8RkYT
Here’s another thread with some more info:
Seller_sUfyk7ajzPzny
In the interests of helping our Seller Community remember this looming deadline:
BUMP
Seller_PvvHuLAcJphpn
Thank you for the heads up Dogtamer. I have a few questions if anyone could please answer
What needs to be done for a seller who’s ASIN that is attached to a UPC that was bought through a third-party seller (SpeedyBarcodes)?
Can they simply buy a new UPC through GS1, call Amazon and swap it out?
Or, must a new listing be created?
Will this affect current rank, reviews? Will this all be lost?
Seller_jZWpyInw8RkYT
@elbows, @Collin20010, and @Dogtamer – I suspect that this will be handled on this platform as smoothly and clearly as any other external policy change, procedure issue, or state law has been thus far handled 
I would not worry or take any action just yet, but I would vigilantly check the Forum, the GS1 website, and news agencies for the most up-to-date information.
Similar Discussions
