ASINs blocked on Amazon: understanding the new GS1 compliance rules
What's really going on: Amazon tightens GTIN control
Since the beginning of the year, Amazon has begun blocking thousands of GTINs deemed to be non-compliant with GS1 rules.
Affected sellers often receive a message like :
"This ASIN has been removed due to a mismatch between your GTIN and the brand in the GS1 database."
To put it plainly, there are a number of recurring problems:
- Bar codes (GTIN) not recognized as valid in the official GS1 database;
- A brand name that does not correspond to the one registered with the GTIN at GS1 ;
- GTINs purchased via unofficial platforms, sometimes even resold illegally.
Immediate consequences: products removed, loss of BuyBox, de-indexing, even account suspension in the most serious cases.
Why Amazon is acting now
There are two reasons for this turn of the screw:
- Cleanse your catalog of millions of incorrectly entered or duplicated records;
- Limit legal risks: intellectual property, product safety, environmental compliance...
More broadly, Amazon is increasingly shifting regulatory responsibility to third-party sellers: tax compliance, EPR, product information, recyclability... it's up to you to prove you're up to scratch.
For sellers, it's a double warning
Sellers must now :
- Check that their GTIN codes are registered with GS1 ;
- Carry out a complete audit of their catalog: codes, brands, product sheets, EPR compliance with presence of UINs.
CompliancR : regain control over your EPR compliance on Amazon
At CompliancR, we support Amazon sellers in :
- Check their EPR eligibility (by ASIN, by category) ;
- Get their UINs and register with the right eco-organizations;
- Automate volume declaration (via Seller Central integration or catalog file) ;
- Provide proof of compliance in the event of an Amazon block or administrative audit.
Your product compliance must be as robust as your catalog sheets. Don't let an administrative detail ruin your sales.