New sellers often face challenges in adding their products to Amazon. Setting up an Amazon account and accessing Seller Central can be overwhelming due to the multitude of functions and tabs available.

To start selling on Amazon, creating a product listing is essential. Whether you are listing an existing product on Amazon or a brand-new one, it is vital to input your product details accurately. Errors or omissions in the information could result in financial consequences in the long term. Therefore, it is advisable to strive for accuracy. This article outlines the requirements for listing products and the steps to upload them on Amazon.

What Do You Need to List a Product?

Before listing your items on Amazon, you need to undertake preparatory work to provide all the necessary information for your listing in line with Amazon’s standards.

Obtain UPC barcodes

Amazon mandates that all items listed on the platform must have unique barcodes for inventory tracking in their fulfillment centers. You may need an individual barcode for bundles comprising multiple items. Amazon may stipulate the use of an international manufacturer code such as UPC or an internal Amazon barcode, known as Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit (FNSKU).

If your product lacks a manufacturer-issued UPC, you can obtain one from GS1, a reputable global provider of UPC codes. FNSKUs are allocated by Amazon during the product listing process.

Identify the product’s weight and size

To list products on Amazon, you must indicate their weight and dimensions. If you are uncertain about these details, there are two methods to determine them. You can retrieve the weight and dimensions from the online product description if your product is sold elsewhere. Alternatively, you can physically measure and weigh the item. It is important to ascertain the product’s length, width, height, and weight.

Furthermore, accurately identifying your product’s measurements and weight can lead to cost savings on storage and fulfillment. For example, if you sell small and light items meeting specific size, weight, and price criteria, you may qualify for Amazon’s Small and Light program.

Create high-quality product images

The product images on the listing should be of high quality, professionally captured from various angles. These images are crucial for your listing as they assist buyers in understanding the product better. Additionally, providing a 360-degree product view can be beneficial. Familiarize yourself with Amazon’s guidelines on product images.

Enhance product discoverability

Before uploading your product to Amazon, ensure that potential customers can easily find your products. If you are new to selling on Amazon, ensure that you assign the appropriate category to your product. Verify that the category is not restricted; restricted categories require approval from Amazon to list products. Quickly check product restrictions with tools like Seller Assistant. Moreover, include relevant keywords in your listing, which necessitates conducting keyword research.

2 Ways to List Products on Amazon

There are two kinds of products on Amazon: ones that are already on Amazon and those that are not on Amazon yet. You have to list them differently.

1. Listing existing Amazon products

Existing products are added to pre-existing listings on Amazon. If you are reselling established brands through online arbitrage, retail arbitrage, wholesale, or dropshipping, chances are your products are already part of Amazon’s catalog. According to Amazon’s policies, duplicate listings of the same product are prohibited. Instead, your offer should be added to the existing listing alongside offers from other sellers.

Guide to Listing Existing Products Step by Step

Step 1. Access your Seller Central account. Navigate to ‘Inventory’ > ‘Add A Product.’ For efficient bulk uploads from spreadsheets, consider using ‘Add Products via Upload.’

Step 2. Utilize the search bar under ‘Find your products in Amazon’s catalog’ to locate your product by name or ID. For bulk additions, opt for ‘Bulk upload.’

Step 3. Select your product’s condition and press ‘Sell this product.’

Step 4. Craft your offer: input your selling price (Standard Price), product condition (Offering Condition Type), fulfillment channel (Fulfillment by Merchant — FBM or Fulfillment by Amazon — FBA), and generate an SKU — your unique product identifier (Contribution SKU).

Step 5. Click on ‘Save and finish.’

2. How to Create Listings for New Products on Amazon

When introducing a product not yet available on Amazon, a new listing must be created. For private label items, a fresh listing is necessary.

Step-by-Step Guide for Listing New Products on Amazon

Step 1. Log in to your Seller Central account. Go to ‘Inventory’ > ‘Add A Product,’ and select ‘I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon.’

Step 2. Pick the primary category and specify additional categories or sub-categories applicable to your product.

Step 3. Navigate to ‘Advanced View’ and complete all the product information fields under each tab — ‘Vital Info,’ ‘Variations,’ ‘Offer,’ ‘Images,’ ‘Description,’ ‘Keywords,’ ‘More Details.’ In case of listing variations (similar products differing in aspects like size or color), enter data in the ‘Variations’ tab. To facilitate this, refer to the ‘Inventory file template’ under the ‘Help’ tab and download the relevant template after ensuring all mandatory fields are filled.

Step 4. Press ‘Save and finish.’

In Conclusion 

For successful selling on Amazon, merchants need to accurately detail their products in the listing. Providing precise information enhances customer comprehension and boosts sales effectively.

Moreover, conducting thorough product research holds equal significance. Use specialized product research tools like Seller Assistant to make this routine process easier for yourself. Seller Assistant stands out as a robust product research tool tailored for Amazon sellers dealing with online arbitrage, wholesale, and dropshipping. This comprehensive extension integrates essential features for product research such as Advanced IP Alerts notifying about sales restrictions or account health issues, FBM&FBA profit calculator, UPC/EAN to ASIN converter, ASIN Grabber, Quick View, Stock Checker, and Restrictions Checker in a single tool.