While it is usually mandatory to provide a GTIN before listing to the Amazon marketplace, there are scenarios in which you may apply for a GTIN exemption, allowing you to list your products without providing a product identifier (for example, if you are selling private label goods with no GTIN). Ensure you are eligible before requesting a GTIN exemption from Amazon.

The only exemptions from supplying a product identifier (UPC/EAN/ISBN) for listing new products on Amazon are obtaining Brand Registry or GTIN exemption from Amazon.

After successfully applying for a GTIN exemption on your Amazon account, you must share a copy of the approval with Codisto so that we can make the necessary changes to your Amazon by Codisto account. We recommend also waiting 24hrs before attempting to list your products again to ensure Amazon has also applied the necessary changes. Contact us on ascsupport@codisto.com.

It is necessary to provide evidence of exemption because:

We communicate with Amazon on your behalf via API.  Unfortunately Amazon provides no way via API for us to know that Brand registry/GTIN exemption has been granted for the categories/brands applied for on your account.

This means we can't automatically 'read' in which categories/brands qualified merchants are allowed to submit product listings without GTINs.

Without an initial block on being able to create listings without GTINs, our solution would be used as a way around GTIN exemption.  It would get abused by non-qualified merchants looking for a way around Amazon's requirements potentially listing thousands of items against Amazon regulations.

Amazon recognizes incorrect use of ASIN creation (i.e. listings created without GTINs) and blocks users' ability to create future ASINs on Amazon accounts potentially causing major headaches for affected merchants from which there is no way back.  We need to protect merchants against this by requiring proof from Amazon of Brand Registry/GTIN exemption at which time we lift the requirement in Codisto to list with a GTIN for approved categories/brands.