Have you ever been curious about how Amazon manages its vast catalog of products? The answer lies in ASINs. These unique product identifiers are the backbone of the AMZ marketplace, and it’s important to understand their role before selling on the platform. In this article, you’ll find out what ASINs are, how to search by ASIN,  and how to create them for your own products. 

Keep reading to learn more!

What Is ASIN on Amazon? 

ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is a unique identifier assigned by the platform to each item listed in its catalog. It helps AMZ to manage its vast merchandise catalog and also allows sellers to identify their products and list them on Amazon. They are 10-digit alphanumeric codes that are used to identify products on the platform.

Moreover, such numbers are not universally standardized merchandise identifiers and can differ based on the marketplace in which they are being sold. This implies that the numbers will not be the same if you sell the same item on both AMZ US and AMZ UK.

ASINs can also have a hierarchical relationship with each other, known as a parent-child variation. This feature can help you structure your catalog and keep track of inventory.

A parent ASIN is the main product, while child ASINs are variations of the parent product, such as different colors or sizes. For example, a parent one could be a T-shirt, and the child one could be the same T-shirt in different colors like red, blue, and green.

Child ASINs inherit the attributes of the parent ASIN, such as the title, brand, and description. It makes it easier for customers to find the goods they want and for sellers to manage their AMZ listings.

Sellers can use the parent-child relationship to group their products, manage inventory, and offer product variations to customers. This feature is handy for sellers who offer a range of products with different options or variations.

In summary, ASINs are unique identifiers used to identify products in the AMZ catalog, and parent and child numbers allow sellers to group their products together and offer variations to customers.

Why Are ASINs so Important to Sellers?

Overall, ASINs are a critical component of selling on AMZ, as they provide a standard way to identify, manage, and advertise products on the platform: 

  • Identification: ASINs uniquely identify each item on the platform. It helps sellers and buyers to search by ASIN and find the exact item they are looking for amidst the millions of products listed on the site.
  • Catalog management: They enable AMZ to manage its massive merchandise catalog more efficiently. When a seller lists goods using its ASIN, Amazon automatically pulls up all the relevant product information, such as the description, images, and reviews, from its database. It saves sellers a lot of time and effort that would have otherwise gone into manually entering product information.
  • Brand protection: When sellers create a new listing, AMZ checks whether the item already has a number assigned to it. If it does, the seller cannot create a new listing for the same product. It helps prevent unauthorized sellers from selling counterfeit or fake products under a different listing.
  • Advertising: ASINs are used in Amazon’s advertising system, allowing merchants to target specific products with their ads. By using ASINs in their ad campaigns, sellers can increase the visibility of their products and drive more traffic to their listings.

Are ASINs Always Required? 

It is not always necessary to have a merchandise ID, such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, or EAN, to sell on Amazon and create an ASIN number for your product. If your item already exists in the AMZ catalog, you can add your offer on the existing product detail page without a GTIN. 

If your item does not correspond to any existing product, you can apply for a GTIN exemption and then proceed to add your item to the AMZ catalog. This exemption will enable you to create a number for your item without a Universal Product Code (UPC) and list it on the platform.

Moreover, if you lack a UPC, Amazon must attach a barcode or Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit (FNSKU) to your packaging if you choose to have your items fulfilled by AMZ.

How to Get an Amazon ASIN Number? 

There are different ways of Amazon ASIN lookup. Here are a few:

Amazon ASIN search: product detail page

The easiest and most common way to find a product’s ASIN is by checking its Product Detail Page on Amazon. It is usually located in the “Product Information” section under the “ASIN” label. It is a 10-character alphanumeric code that starts with “B0”.

ASIN number lookup: Amazon URL

Another way to find a product’s ASIN is by looking at the URL of the product’s detail page. The ASIN is located after the “/dp/” portion of the URL and usually starts with “B0”.

ASIN lookup: Amazon Seller Central

If you’re a seller on Amazon, you can find the ASINs of your goods in your Seller Central account. Go to “Manage Inventory” and click on the item you want to find the ASINs for. The ASIN is located in the “Product Information” section.

AMZ Advertising API

The Amazon Advertising API allows developers to access product data, including the number. If you’re a developer, you can use the API to retrieve the ASIN of a product.

Overall, finding a product’s ASIN on AMZ is relatively easy and can be done through different methods, depending on your needs and access to the platform.

How to Add ASINs to Your Listing? 

To sell goods on the platform, sellers can use an existing ASIN or add a new one. ASINs are not unique to a seller but to an item. If another seller is already selling the same item on Amazon, you can use the same number.

AMZ strictly limits each item to only one ASIN to keep its catalog organized. Attempting to create a new number if one already exists in the marketplace can temporarily or permanently suspend the seller’s account. AMZ eventually merges any duplicate entries that manage to slip through.

It’s also worth noting that the ASINs can be in a parent-child variation, where they are organized in a hierarchy to give the catalog structure and help keep inventory coordinated. It is especially useful for sellers offering merchandise variations, such as sizes or colors.

Using an existing ASIN

The ‘Add a Product’ tool within an Amazon Seller Central account allows you to look for existing ASINs by typing in a merchandise name, EAN, UPC, or the ASIN if it’s already known.

It’s important to ensure that the number selected matches the item being sold, as any discrepancies may lead to negative customer feedback and damage the seller’s performance rating.

When there are multiple ASINs for an item, it’s best to choose the one with the most comprehensive merchandise details. Once the appropriate ASIN has been selected, the seller can click ‘Sell yours’ to add their price, condition, and quantity. You can also add keywords and supplementary content to optimize your listing and improve its quality.

Creating a new ASIN

If you’re introducing an item that has not yet been listed on Amazon, you must create a new ASIN. It is usually the task of manufacturers and brands. However, if you come across a product not yet available on Amazon, you can be one of the first to list it, giving you a competitive edge.

New sellers are only allowed to create a restricted number of new listings until they establish a reputable sales record on AMZ. The more sales you generate, the more ASINs you can generate.

To start, go to the ‘Add a Product’ feature in Seller Central, and click on ‘Create a new product.’ Amazon will ask you to fill out a form with the product’s name, size, color, brand, material, and other info.

Once you submit the form, AMZ will assign your goods a unique number and create a product detail page for it. You can then use this page to list your goods, and other vendors can do the same.

How to Thrive on AMZ with SellerSonar Listing Monitoring? 

Now that you have a good understanding of what an ASIN is and how it can benefit your business, it’s time to take things to the next level with SellerSonar. This powerful tool can help you leverage ASINs for item identification and get a leg up on the competition.

The Amazon software is designed to help you stay on top of critical changes that could negatively impact your business. With SellerSonar, you can monitor reviews, track keyword rankings and BSR history, estimate profit margins, and even spy on your competitors, all from one easy-to-use dashboard. And if you want to get a more detailed view of any product, simply input it into SellerSonar to get information on the Amazon Best Sellers Rank, price, number of sellers, and more.

The tool helps you make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve in the competitive world of Amazon selling. So why not try it and see how it can benefit your business? To unlock the benefits of the tool and succeed on AMZ, register for a free 22-day trial today.

Final Thoughts

An ASIN on Amazon is like a foundational brick that sets the base for the platform. Therefore, it’s crucial to learn how to use them effectively.

In this article, we have covered the various ways of finding and creating ASINs, including creating them without a product ID. We have also explored how you can organize your inventory using parent-child variations and use them to safeguard your brand from unauthorized sellers.

Let’s leverage your skills to enhance your business on Amazon. Don’t forget that with SellerSonar you can do it easily by simply clicking a few buttons. 

Happy selling!