Amazon stands at the prow of online arbitrage. Suppose you are one of the few online retailers that aren’t selling on Amazon. In that case, you are missing out on what millions of other sellers are prospering from - mass customer retention and boosted profit margins.
Boasting over 12 million products, Amazon’s product catalog is continually growing.
This means that Amazon sellers are constantly employing strategies to help manage their data catalogs, supervise the sales history of every product sold and optimize their brand’s customer service to attract potential customers.
At OA Cheddar, we don’t limit ourselves to solely providing you with profitable, high-quality leads daily; we also offer the resources to guide the research that will get your business started!
Today, it is our mission to acquaint you with ASINs. If you don’t know the meaning of this term, its importance or how and when to use it, you don’t need to worry - we have got you covered!
What is an ASIN?
ASIN stands for Amazon Standard Identification Number. This 10-digit number is an alphanumeric code that serves as a unique identifier assigned by Amazon - and its partners - who utilize it to help organize their internal inventory structure.
Source: Amazon.co.uk
This means that the products available on Amazon have their own unique ASIN codes and are elicited to help customers locate the product they wish to find, as no two products are assigned the same ASIN.
Before we delve deeper into the benefits of using ASINs, there are a few things you should know about how they work:
Unlike universal product identifiers - also known as UPC (Universal Product Codes) - which distinguish products in the global marketplace, ASINs are intended to be used solely within the Amazon marketplace.
For books, the ASIN is the same as its International Standard Book Number, which is printed on the lower portion of the book’s back cover.
You shouldn’t confuse an ASIN with an EAN (European Article Number), which is the name given to a standard barcode image that represents the Global Trade Item Number number below it. EAN codes will be comprised of 13 digits.
Why are Amazon ASINs Crucial to the Success of Your Business?
Your Amazon ASIN number is fundamental to Amazon’s product catalog structure.
ASINs allow Amazon users to browse through multiple product categories with ease, increasing the chances that your product will become visible to potential customers.
Additionally, the ASIN of your product can lead a customer directly to your product if they type it into Amazon’s search bar.
This is why it is of paramount importance that you match your product with an existing Amazon ASIN or that you create a new Amazon ASIN, should the need arise. Later in this article, we shall teach you how to do this!
Furthermore, an Amazon ASIN is a great tool that can help you locate products in an Amazon warehouse (which is especially beneficial for FBA sellers) and track the picking and shipping of your products.
How to Find an ASIN on Amazon?
There are various ways you can situate the correct ASIN for your products. Whether you prefer to conduct manual research or utilize a third-party software tool, we have compiled a list of different methods to help you find every unique ASIN.
1. Within the Product URL
When looking for a specific product, a simple way to do it is by looking at a product’s URL.
Go to your browser’s address bar when you are looking at product details for a specific item on Amazon. What you see is the product URL, whereby the ASIN number is embedded into the link.
For instance: BUDERMMY Mens Socks Cushioned Work Socks Walking Socks Womens Crew Athletic Socks for Outdoor Hiking Trainer Running
The ASIN number here is B09DXVTLRZ.
2. Within the Single Product Detail Page
A single product detail page is a web page that outlines product identifiers that customers and buyers need to know about an existing product.
On this page, you’ll find a product’s unique ASIN, which you can search for in Amazon’s catalog.
3. With a Third-Party Software Tool
The previous methods are ideal for finding an ASIN for a handful of products. However, the obstacle to conducting manual research is scalability.
If you’re looking for bulk ASINs, you are going to need to take a more efficient approach.
This is where ASINFetcher comes in.
From ASINzen, ASINFetcher is a handy extension designed to help Amazon sellers find ASINs by their prices, seller names, or Amazon URLs from any Amazon search page or storefront.
Source: Chrome.google.com
When paired with ASINzen’s Bulk Scan Pro, you will be able to utilize your search results to analyze the market, competition, and product prices.
What is Reverse ASIN Lookup?
Reverse ASIN lookup is a tool that helps sellers analyze the keywords that are driving potential customers to their competition’s product listings.
Taking the ASIN of a product and uncovering the keywords that are bolstering its success requires a specialized tool like SellerAmp, which is designed to manage and organize this data.
Product Variations
Now that you know the various methods of ASIN lookups, it is crucial to know the possible variations in Amazon listings and the impact they can have on ASINs.
What are Product Variations?
Variations, also known as parent-child relationships, are simply the different product options available for purchase under one listing.
For instance, you may have seen these varying attributes when browsing through the different colours of a shirt or different flavours of a type of food item.
Consider the example below, whereby you have the choice of Nutty, Fruity, Berry or Dark Chocolate and Strawberry flavours of cereal.
Source: Amazon.co.uk
The Two Components of a Parent-Child Variation/Relationship
We shall now explore the differences between the two types of ASINs that you will come across when listing products on Amazon.
1. Parent ASINs
A parent ASIN is the non-buyable primary identifier for a product with multiple variations. Simply, it is a holding place for the related child ASINs.
Parent ASINs help group product variations under one main listing, which can prove to be a valuable tool for customers who want to find and compare different products.
2. Child ASINs
Child ASINs represent each of the individual variations of a product (colour, size, flavor, and so on).
You can purchase these variants, and there can be multiple child products associated with a singular parent ASIN.
When to Create a New Product ASIN
If you search for your product on Amazon and find no results, it means that no other seller is distributing that particular product, and thus, no product detail page exists for it. Yet.
In order to create a product page, you will need to list your new product in Amazon’s product catalog first.
After you have done this, Amazon will provide you with a unique ASIN assigned to your product so you can start selling.
It is worth noting that businesses that sell private-label products, sport a unique brand or own exclusive distribution rights to certain products will follow this method too.
How to Create a New Product ASIN
Knowing when to create a new ASIN is one thing, but knowing how to create a new ASIN is a crucial part of your journey to becoming a successful Amazon seller, as you can’t start selling without one.
Look no further; we have provided the necessary steps for this easy-to-follow process.
1. Go to Add a Product in Seller Central.
2. Click on the I’m adding a product not sold on Amazon tab below the product identifier code search bar.
Source: Amazingmarketingco.com
3. Select your product category.
4. Enter your product information. This will include features of your product like your product title, brand name, images, universal product code, and so on.
Note: You can find your unique UPC/EAN number on your product’s barcode or label. You can also find this code on the manufacturer’s website.
5. Click Save and Finish.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you will have successfully uploaded a new product onto Amazon, which will then assign you a unique ASIN code and publish a product detail page for you.
How to Use an Existing ASIN
Resellers and retailers mainly use ASINs that already exist, as the product they hope to sell is already accessible to potential customers and will use the same ASIN number.
Just like how you’d go about creating ASINs, to find and use an ASIN that already exists, you locate Amazon’s Add a Product tool in your Seller Central account.
However, with active ASINs, you will use the product identifier code search bar. In this search bar, you must enter the product name, model number and UPC/EAN.
You then must select the appropriate product listing and click Sell Yours. From there, you can provide product details like price, quantity, and relevant keywords.
Once you’ve completed this process, you will share the same product page with other sellers who distribute the same product.
How ASINs Can Protect Your Brand
If used correctly, ASINs can help to protect your brand.
In order to understand how, you must familiarise yourself with Amazon’s Brand Gating.
Brand Gating on Amazon refers to a method businesses can use to protect their products and brands from counterfeiters and unauthorized sellers who would attempt to list certain ASINs on Amazon.
In order to secure your brand, you must follow these steps:
- Enroll on Amazon Brand Registry.
- Compile a list of ASINs that you want to have gated.
- Provide counterfeit-prevention/authorization documentation.
- Verify that your ASINs have been brand-gated.
The Additional Benefits of Using ASINs
- ASINs allow sellers to manage their inventory across a multitude of sales channels, reducing the risk of overselling/underselling.
- ASINs are a standardized way of identifying products and thus eliminate errors in product listings.
- An ASIN’s number is recognized by Amazon marketplaces on a global scale, making it easier for sellers to expand their customer base.
Getting Started with OA Cheddar
Source: Oacheddar.com
Now, you are an expert on ASIN numbers! However, there are so many different attributes that transform a good seller into an immeasurably successful seller.
At OA Cheddar, this transformation is our specialty.
To complement the knowledge you have acquired on ASINs and our excellent ASINFetcher tool, we offer the perfect Seller Central companion: Seller Candy.
With Seller Candy, you’ll never have to deal with Seller Central problems, tasks and cases because our team of professionals will take care of all of your issues by using the best industry practices, saving you time to focus on more pressing aspects of your business.
By rapidly organizing and prioritizing your requests, you can rest assured knowing that you can submit and monitor the progress of our supportive team and communicate any further queries you may have at any time.
Get your free quote today!