eBay and Amazon UPC Requirements for Shoes

Summary for sellers of branded sneakers

On both marketplaces, a new pair of branded sneakers should be listed with the UPC or EAN printed on its box.

• Amazon requires a product ID to create a listing in most categories. Its table lists Shoes, Handbags & Sunglasses with product ID required and no exceptions. A GTIN exemption is not available for a product that already has a GTIN.
• eBay says product identifiers are required in most categories. You may select "Does not apply" when the item has no identifier, and eBay policy does not allow that value when the manufacturer provided one.

eBay product identifiers

eBay defines product identifiers as unique codes created by the manufacturer and says they "are required when you're listing in most categories on eBay" (Seller Center). Its developer guide puts it this way: most branded products sold on eBay must be associated with one or more recognised product identifiers, which can be a combination of brand, manufacturer part number and GTIN (catalog products).

The format rules are in the product identifiers guide:

• A UPC must comply with the GTIN-12 or UPC-A standard.
• An EAN must comply with the GTIN-13 standard.
• Brand must be the actual brand name. eBay gives "Brand new" as an example of an invalid entry.

For a sneaker, the UPC or EAN is the number under the barcode on the box label, the brand is the manufacturer, and the MPN is the style code. A UPC that fails its check digit will not match a catalog product, so verify typed values with the UPC check digit calculator or the EAN check digit calculator.

We could not find a current eBay page that states the identifier rule for the shoe categories specifically. eBay's API reference says to call the Taxonomy API method getItemAspectsForCategory to see whether UPC is required, recommended or optional for a given category (reference).

When "Does not apply" is allowed on eBay

"Does not apply" is for items that have no identifier. Seller Center says that if you are listing a product that has no identifier, such as antiques, or you are not sure what it is, you can select it. The developer documentation says that if the listing category requires a GTIN and the product lacks one, you provide the substitute text for the listing site (product identifier text). The text is site specific: "Does not apply" on eBay US and UK, "Nicht zutreffend" on eBay Germany, "Non applicable" on eBay France, "Non applicabile" on eBay Italy and "No aplicable" on eBay Spain.

It is not allowed as a shortcut. The item description policy lists as not allowed the use of inaccurate information such as "Does not apply", unbranded or generic, or "N/A" for required product identifiers such as Brand, UPC or MPN when the manufacturer has provided that information. The actions eBay names for breaking the policy include removing the listing, issuing a warning, restricting activity and suspending the account.

eBay size variations: one identifier per size

In a multiple-variation listing, the UPC or EAN belongs on each variation. eBay's guide to product identifiers in multiple-variation listings sets four rules that matter for a size run:

• The product identifier must be specified only at the variation level.
• All variations within a single listing must use the same product identifier type. Mixing an EAN on one size with UPCs on the others returns an error.
• If an identifier is supplied at the item level for a multiple-variation listing, the add, revise or relist call fails.
• The MPN can vary between variations. The brand cannot.

The same-type rule is the one that catches sneaker sellers, because stock bought in the US carries 12-digit UPCs and stock bought in Europe often carries 13-digit EANs for the same shoe. A UPC with a leading zero added is a valid EAN-13, so you can express a mixed size run in one type. The GTIN converter does the padding.

Listing: one model, one colorway
  Brand  set once at item level
  Size 8    UPC from the size 8 box
  Size 8.5  UPC from the size 8.5 box
  Size 9    UPC from the size 9 box
All sizes use the same identifier type (all UPC or all EAN).

Amazon: the GTIN requirement for shoes

Amazon requires a product ID to create a new listing in most categories, and the shoe category has no listed exception. The Seller Central page on product IDs names UPC, ISBN, EAN and JAN as the commonly used GTINs and says the specific requirement varies by category.

The requirements by category table (United States) contains these two rows:

Both rows are marked as categories that require approval before you can list.

Amazon verifies the numbers. Its Valid UPCs page says it checks UPCs against the GS1 database, that UPCs which do not match GS1 information are considered invalid, and that all invalid UPC listings will be removed and may result in ASIN creation or selling privileges being removed temporarily or permanently. A UPC bought from a reseller of barcodes will not show the shoe brand as its owner in GS1 records.

Most branded sneakers already exist in the Amazon catalog. In that case you add your offer to the existing product page. Amazon's listing errors guide says a product ID error can mean you are trying to create a new detail page for a product that is already listed, or that the ID you entered is associated with a different product, and tells sellers to make sure they enter the exact GTIN that appears on the product's barcode. The Amazon pages we read do not describe how product IDs attach to size variations, so that part is not covered here.

Amazon GTIN exemption: not for branded sneakers

A GTIN exemption lets you list a product that has no product ID. It does not let you skip the ID on a product that has one. Amazon's page on listing products that do not have a product ID sets three starting conditions: the product is not in the Amazon catalog, the product has no product ID or GS1 barcode, and you have category approval if it is required.

Amazon says you can apply if you sell:

• private-label or handmade products
• products you manufacture, brand or publish without barcodes
• parts without a product ID
• bundled products
• generic, unbranded products

You cannot apply if the product has an existing GS1-approved barcode, has an existing GTIN, EAN, UPC or ISBN, is from a brand requiring a mandatory UPC, or is available in the Amazon catalog. A retail pair of Nike, Jordan, adidas or New Balance shoes has a manufacturer barcode on the box, so it falls under the second condition at least.

For sellers who do qualify, Amazon asks for real-world photos of all sides of the product and packaging, with the brand name permanently affixed. Its guide to generic products says approval usually arrives within 48 hours.

Where a barcode database helps

Both marketplaces want the manufacturer number for the exact size, and both check it. A barcode database is useful when you hold stock by style code and size but did not record each box label, or when you need to confirm that a number typed into a listing belongs to the shoe in hand.

The free sneaker barcode lookup takes a barcode and shows the product name, image and brand, which is a quick check before you submit. Run a full column through the barcode validation tool to find wrong lengths and bad check digits. Going the other way, from a style code to the barcode of every size in bulk, is an API feature on Plus plans and Enterprise. Neither marketplace accepts a database as proof of anything. Amazon checks GS1 records, so use lookup results to fill and verify your own data, with the box label as the reference.

For the other channels, see GTIN requirements by marketplace. For Shopping feeds, see Google Merchant Center GTIN for sneakers.