Hi, does anyone here have two different barcodes simultaneously on product packaging? By this, I mean UPC + Amazon barcode, both visible without covering each other.
If so, have you experienced any performance issues with your inbound shipments?
The reason is to send products to both retail stores (UPC) and Amazon (its barcodes) using the same packaging. Avoiding the necessity to relabel units intended for Amazon to cover UPCs.
Thank you for your attention!
You don’t need to cover your regular UPCs, you can just mark through them so they won’t get scanned.
You’ll get chargebacks/fines/deductions/fees (or whatever you want to call them) from Amazon at some point if you don’t do this.
Simple and interesting point about marking, without the need to cover. Thank you!
I understand and agree with what you are saying… however, we aimed to minimize the handling of units once they left the factory (given that the factory can’t change product packaging)
That IS covering them though, as far as the scanner is concerned.
And yes, the rule is you cannot have multiple SCANNABLE barcodes on the packaging since that’ll confuse Amazon’s systems.
Why don’t you just print your Amazon FNSKU right on your packaging and not have any UPC code at all for units destined specifically for Amazon? That’s what we do. There are some things you need to pay attention to though and here they are:
We manage 2 sets of packaging - 1 for Amazon, and 1 for everywhere else with a UPC code.
When our products are manufactured, we often do part of a run with the FNSKU label and switch it in the middle for a portion with UPC code. It’s a little easier for us bc we are the manufacturer and control everything.
The costs incurred to mark through / cover UPCs will be cheaper than whatever re-labelling or “fines” Amazon imposes. You usually get a few “freebies” before they start accruing, though.
IDK about this. We get hit now and then for doing absolutely nothing wrong, although it has been awhile since that happened.
You can only go so high on your “Problem Rate” as a percentage, before you have to have one of those wonderful “Coaching Calls” where you’re told if you keep screwing up, even though you aren’t, that you could lose your ability to use FBA.
Very passionate and knowledgeable on this particular subject. 
At the moment tbh I am not sure why we can’t have two different packaging. Initially, I imagined it was for economies of scale reasons, but your explanation now makes it sound as if there is not much difference involved. Maybe the cost lies in segregating batches…
Thank you for the details!
I agree on this also…
The thing is that we have historically been sending in a ton of units with both barcodes and inbound issues are only occasional (so far)
And I don’t understand why over several shipments, containing several thousands of units, we seem to get flagged only on 24-48 units on average (24 is the number of units contained in a case pack - so it seems that we only have one or two boxes caught with problems) therefore it is hard to understand if the problem is related to the double barcodes thing, or some other problems specifically related to those few boxes
That’s how Amazon does it. 2 of my 3 SAS managers were former DC managers for Amazon. Every single unit is scanned on a belt when it comes in for counting. Each unit that has to be hand-scanned if it fails on the belt is counted against you.
If you have a whole pallet that doesn’t scan, that’s when the shipment goes into investigation and you have a problem to deal with. Plus they will charge you 55 cents a unit to label them.
When you get shipment problem emails, dispute every single one of them and tell them your process (or make one up) of how you verify your barcodes scan. We win ~75% of the time because Amazon can’t find that inventory they said they labeled, probably because it already sold.
Always dispute - never admit guilt. I know that works better for some things on Amazon but not this.
It’s fine until it isn’t
Read this post, they didn’t follow the FNSKU rules and that may have been the root cause of this problem. I don’t know if/how this issue was resolved since there’s been no update, but breaking the barcode rules can be fine for a long time until you get smacked with a major issue.
This is very interesting to know. Thank you for sharing it!!!
Do you mean you would never click on “Aknowledge” and would not answer this “quiz”, but go for the dispute?
Yes, dispute always! Especially if you know for a fact that you’ve done nothing wrong.
Yes that’s a major problem. And it is fair. I am aware
Actually…
Especially if you know for a fact that you’ve done nothing wrong.
This can’t be said
I wouldn’t dispute if you’re violating the barcoding rules, since they’ll come back to you with a picture of the 2 barcodes confirming the problem is your fault.
For the short term, I’m considering sending units using manufacturer barcode, because the UPC is more prominent on the packaging than the FNSKU. So this may reduce scanning confusions…
As mentioned earlier, our products belong to a category that typically doesn’t allow commingling. However, we’ve noticed that some of our SKUs can be sent with either the Amazon or manufacturer barcode.
It’s unclear to me whether this is due to a glitch or because we’re brand registered. ( if I am not mistaken, it’s possible to apply for exemption from using Amazon barcodes, even for products in categories usually ineligible for such exemptions - so I don’t actually know if we got automatically enrolled in this many years ago).
Vehemently seconded.
Always!!
If it is brand registered under your brand, you should not have to worry about co-mingling unless you have other overlapping sales channels.
Just make a shipment and see if this option is available. “save by using manufacturer bar code”
