UPC / GTIN (Universal Product Code / Global Trade Item Number)
The barcode standard Amazon uses to match a product to an existing catalog entry or create a new one.
Why it matters
Amazon requires a valid GTIN, usually a UPC or EAN, to create most listings, and it verifies them against the GS1 registry. Codes bought cheaply from resellers rather than issued by GS1 are a recurring cause of listings being suppressed months after they went live.
In practice
If your brand is enrolled in Brand Registry you can apply for a GTIN exemption, which lets you create listings without a barcode. That is the cleaner path for brands with large or frequently changing catalogs, but it does not retroactively fix listings already created against invalid codes.
Related terms
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