Amazon product listing creation

Creating a listing step by step

1. 01

   Search

   Check whether the exact product already exists.

   Output: New or existing

2. 02

   Identify

   Barcode or identifier ready, or exemption considered.

   Output: Identifier

3. 03

   Classify

   The right product type chosen.

   Output: Correct category

4. 04

   Describe

   Details, bullets and description from the product master.

   Output: Complete listing

5. 05

   Check live

   Listing viewed as buyers see it; errors fixed.

   Output: Correct live page

Does the product already exist?

If you resell a branded product, it may already have a product page, and your offer belongs on that page rather than on a new one. Check carefully that the existing page is the same product, including pack size, version and colour. If you make the product yourself, search anyway, in case someone else has created a page for it. Creating a duplicate of an existing product can cause catalogue problems that take time to resolve.

Record the result of the check in your product master.

Identifiers and exemptions

Amazon's US guide describes a GTIN as a globally unique number up to 14 digits long, usually associated with scannable barcodes. It explains that if you cannot match an offer to an existing listing you may be eligible for a GTIN exemption, which allows a listing without a GTIN, and that applying needs a product name or title and images showing all sides of the product and its packaging. Check the requirements for your category and marketplace before launch, and obtain barcodes from a legitimate source where they are required.

This guidance comes from Amazon's US pages; confirm the current position for your marketplace.

What Amazon asks for

What to prepare before creating

Choosing the product type

The product type decides which details Amazon asks for and where the product appears. Choose the type that describes the product most precisely, not the one with the fewest required fields. A product placed in the wrong type may be missing from relevant filters and may need recreating later, so check the choice before submitting, especially for products that could fit several types.

Check the live listing

After creation, view the listing as a buyer would, on a phone and on a computer. Check the title, bullets, description, attributes, variations and images appear as intended, the price and stock are right and the product shows in the expected category. Fix errors straight away, while the listing is new and before buyers see it.

Example: a new range of five products

Creating many listings at once

For larger launches, Amazon describes options for adding products using spreadsheets, and says sellers on a Professional plan can list products in bulk. Prepare the file from your product master, upload in batches and check how each row was processed before moving on.