GS1 GTINs Required for Amazon.ca Listing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is happening?

Amazon.ca recently announced that they will now require a validated GS1 GTIN for all products before

they are allowed to be listed.

Who is affected?

Any and all people or businesses looking to sell on Amazon.ca.

Why is Amazon.ca doing this?

Amazon.ca is looking to improve the quality of their product catalogue and ensure a better experience

for their customers.

Mandating GS1 GTINs on all products:

 ensures the authenticity of all products listed on amazon.ca

 eliminates the opportunity for counterfeit products being sold on amazon.ca

 removes the possibility of customers being shipped incorrect merchandise, which can happen

when multiple products use duplicated, unauthenticated or resold barcode numbers.

What’s in it for the supplier?

 A cleaner Amazon.ca product catalogue that improves the customer experience

 Reduced risk of product counterfeiting.

 Greater trust in their relationship with their customers.

Do suppliers need to become subscribers to GS1 Canada to get their GTINs?

If they are getting GTINs through GS1 Canada, yes.

Do Amazon.ca suppliers need a barcode?

Not necessarily. According to Amazon.ca’s Terms and Conditions, only a GTIN or Company Prefix is

required. They will not need a barcode or to have loaded product images or data into ECCnet.

What if suppliers already have GS1 GTINs?

As long as they have a GS1 GTIN they are ready to do business with Amazon.ca, no matter which GS1

country provided the GTIN.

What does “validated” GS1 GTIN mean?

It means the supplier’s GTINs need to be official GS1-identifiers and that Amazon.ca will be checking

with GS1 Canada before products are allowed on-site.

What if I don’t know if my GTIN is a GS1 GTIN?

Call us on 1.800.567.7084 and we can check.

Can suppliers get GTINs from other MOs?

GS1 GTINs Required for

Amazon.ca Listing

Yes. All GS1-recognized GTINs are valid for products being listed on Amazon.ca. If they are a

Canadian-based trader though, they should be getting their GTINs through GS1 Canada as the official

member organization for Canada.

Does getting a GTIN satisfy Amazon.ca’s listing process?

No. It is a significant step within the process but Amazon.ca’s listing process will need to be followed

per their full terms and conditions.

A significant benefit to some subscribers is that Amazon listing forms will now be available through the

Vault – eCommerce.

Why are listing forms available through the Vault – eCommerce and not through ECCnet

Registry?

The Vault – eCommerce came with the ability to feature Amazon listing forms embedded in it. By

leveraging this capability GS1 Canada was able to deliver this functionality to subscribers faster than

if we had built forms from scratch.

Are there any services these suppliers need to subscribe to in order to satisfy Amazon.ca?

No but, where possible, new subscribers should be encouraged to load information into ECCnet

Registry and use the Marketing Content and eCommerce Content capture services to make it easier

for them to trade with Amazon.ca and other major trading partners.

Will other online etailers be following Amazon.ca’s example?

Possibly, yes, though it is too early to say how companies like Google, eBay and Kijiji will respond.

How do I become a subscriber?

Visit gs1ca.org/subscribe to begin the process.

Before starting the subscription process, you will need to have the below information handy:

 Company name and mailing/street address

 Credit card information for payment (including card verification code on credit card)

 Association membership information (ADQ, CFIG, CHFA, FCPC etc.), if applicable

 Total number of different products currently selling or planning to sell to trading partners

 Total annual company revenue, expressed in terms of Canadian dollars

 Ensure that you have signing authority and you are the correct person within your

organization to complete the subscription request

If you're a non-Canadian subscriber, which GS1 Member Organization you are with, your Global

Location Number and the GS1 Company Prefix range you plan to use in Canada.

How much does it cost?

Go to the Get a Barcode page of the GS1 Canada website for a standard subscription price list.

If you have below $5 million revenue (when expressed in terms of Canadian dollars) and stock fewer

than 20 products, you may be eligible for a Small Business Bundle, which bundles together popular

GS1 Canada services, including subscription, for a more cost-effective price.

What do I get with my subscription?

Depending on the level of subscription you choose, you may receive single GTINs or you own

Company Prefix, allowing you to create your own range of GTINs.

When selecting a subscription level, it is recommended you allow for future growth of your

organization.

Subscription to GS1 Canada also allows access to

 The GS1 Canada Learning Zone

 Your MyGS1 subscriber portal

 The GTIN Ombudsman

 GS1 Canada call centre support

GS1 GTINs Required for

Amazon.ca Listing

 And other benefits

Being a GS1 Canada subscriber in good standing is also a pre-requisite to use most other GS1 Canada

services.

How long does the subscription process take?

Approximately three days, including time to authorize their payment.

The initial submitting of information should take 15-20 minutes.

Who can I go to for more information?

Call us on 1.800.567.7084 or email [email protected]