Exemption or GS1?
We check each product and category and confirm whether a GTIN exemption fits, or whether GS1 barcodes are the better long-term route.
Amazon · Catalog · GTIN exemptionAmazon GTIN exemption help
Amazon GTIN exemption help
list products without a UPC, the right way
CommerceKind is an Amazon agency that helps brands list products that do not carry a GS1 barcode. Our in-house team checks whether a GTIN exemption is the right route for each product, matches the brand name exactly to what is printed on the product, prepares the real-world photos Amazon asks for, helps submit the request from Seller Central and then builds the listings with the exact brand, category and item name the exemption was approved for. If buying GS1 barcodes is the better route for your catalog, we tell you that instead.
Book a strategy call ★ Trustpilot 4.4/5 · $100M+ revenue for client brands · 60+ brands managedAt a glance
- Who it’s for
Private label, handmade and custom product brands, bundles, and parts without barcodes. - How we work
Eligibility by category first, then proof photos, the request, and listings built to match the approval. - Proof
150+ stores launched · $100M+ client revenue · 60+ brands managed in-house
What our GTIN exemption support covers
Brand name match
The brand entered matched exactly to the brand permanently printed on the product or packaging, including capital letters.
Proof photos
Real-world photos of the product and packaging from all sides, with permanent branding visible and no edits.
Request in Seller Central
The exemption request submitted for the right product category, with multiple brands or categories grouped where Amazon allows.
Listing after approval
Listings built with the exact brand, category and item name the exemption was approved for, so they publish without errors.
Brand Registry and catalog
Brand Registry, variations and catalog fixes handled alongside, so new listings sit in a clean catalog.
When a GTIN exemption fits, and when it does not
| Situation | GTIN exemption? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Private label or own brand with no barcode | Often yes | Amazon allows exemptions where the brand does not provide GTINs |
| Handmade or custom products | Often yes | Many handmade items have no barcode |
| Bundles of different products | Often yes | Bundles are usually requested as Generic or under the bundle brand |
| Products that already carry a GS1 barcode | No | If a GS1-approved barcode is on the product, Amazon expects you to use it |
| Large catalog selling across retailers | Usually GS1 | Most retailers need GS1 barcodes anyway, so buying them saves repeat work |
| Listing in a new category | Apply again | An exemption only covers the category it was approved for |
How we handle a GTIN exemption
01
Access
You grant Seller Central permissions through Amazon’s user-permission tools. No passwords.
02
Check
We review the product, packaging, category and brand name and confirm the best route.
03
Prepare and submit
You take real photos of the product with our checklist, and we submit the request and track the case log.
04
List
Once approved, we build the listings with the exact approved details and fix any errors.
$100M+
revenue generated for client brands
60+
brands managed in-house
$3M+
monthly ad spend managed
4.4/5
on Trustpilot (13 reviews)
What a GTIN exemption is
Amazon uses Global Trade Item Numbers, such as UPCs, EANs, ISBNs and JANs, to identify products in its catalog, and checks UPCs against the GS1 database. Some products do not have one: private label products whose brand never registered barcodes, handmade goods, bundles of different items and some parts. For these, Amazon offers a GTIN exemption, which lets you list in an approved category and brand without entering a product ID.
What Amazon asks for
According to Amazon’s seller guides, you start from Add Products in Seller Central, choose the exact product category, enter the brand name exactly as it appears on the product or packaging (or Generic for unbranded items and bundles), and upload between two and nine real-world photos showing all sides of the product and its packaging. Branding must be permanently affixed, not a removable sticker, and images should not be digitally edited. Amazon says it usually replies within 48 hours, and you can follow the request in your case log. Amazon sets these rules and they can change, so we always work from what Seller Central shows for your account.
Most rejections come from small details
Requests are often refused because the brand name typed does not match the packaging exactly, photos are studio images or renders rather than real-world shots, branding is on a sticker, or the product actually has a GS1 barcode. Listings can also fail after approval when the brand, category or item name differs from the request. We check each of these before anything is submitted.
GTIN exemption or GS1 barcodes?
An exemption is quick for a small catalog that sells only on Amazon. If you sell through other retailers, plan many products or variations, or want the same identifiers everywhere, GS1 barcodes are usually better, and Amazon recommends buying UPCs directly from GS1 rather than resellers. We look at your plans and recommend one route, as part of our Amazon store setup services and Amazon catalog management.
After the listing is live
Getting the product listed is the start. We then set up Brand Registry, write the listing, add A+ Content and launch with Amazon PPC. We have launched 150+ stores. See the listing-first case study.
Why brands choose CommerceKind for Amazon GTIN exemptions
CommerceKind has helped generate $100M+ in revenue for client brands, manages 60+ brands in-house and $3M+ in monthly ad spend, is an Official TikTok Shop Partner with a 10K+ creator network, and is rated 4.4/5 on Trustpilot from 13 reviews.
Brands that work with us
A few of the 60+ brands CommerceKind works with.
Verified Client Case Studies · Real Dashboards
See the numbers behind our client turnarounds.
Every case study below comes directly from unedited Seller Central, Amazon Ads, Search Query Performance, Sellerboard, TikTok Shop, and Walmart Connect dashboards.
+102% Ad Sales · −53% ACOSPrivate Label · Full Account Turnaround
Listing-first PPC turnaround: sales doubled, ACOS cut in half
Redesigned the main image for click-through, rewrote listing copy and A+ Content to convert, then rebuilt Sponsored Products and daily bid management.
Ad Sales$14,304 → $28,911+102%
Orders798 → 1,646+106%
ROAS3.99 → 8.48+112%
ACOS25.08% → 11.79%−53%
+117% Ad Sales · −29% ACOSPrivate Label · PPC Scale & Efficiency
Scaling PPC without ACOS spikes: 117% more revenue at lower ACOS
Rebuilt campaign hierarchy and segmentation with disciplined bid rules and A+ Content so 54% more ad spend produced 117% more ad revenue.
Ad Sales$19,680 → $42,712+117%
ACOS34.03% → 24.10%−29%
ROAS2.94 → 4.15+41%
Ad Spend$6,697 → $10,294+54%
+126% Ad Sales · −40% ACOSPrivate Label · 30-Day Turnaround
One-month PPC turnaround: sales up 126%, ACOS nearly halved
Tightened listing copy and imagery in week one, cut wasted spend across unprofitable targets, and set SKU-level ACOS goals with daily bid adjustments.
Ad Sales$15,170 → $34,257+126%
Orders553 → 1,233+123%
ROAS3.62 → 6.01+66%
ACOS27.64% → 16.65%−40%
+144% Ad Sales · +141% OrdersHealth & Wellness · Rapid Volume Scale
Health & wellness brand: 2.4× sales volume while holding ROAS steady
Mapped untapped high-intent keyword pockets and expanded placement coverage while upgrading creative so sales jumped from $38K to $93K at stable ROAS.
Ad Sales$38,207 → $93,266+144%
Orders1,545 → 3,719+141%
ROAS2.55 → 2.60Held
ACOS39.19% → 38.48%Held
+118% Click Share · +106% ClicksHealth & Wellness · SQP & CTR Growth
Keyword click share more than doubled in a declining search market
Diagnosed Search Query Performance funnel drop-off and redesigned the main image around the core buyer need—doubling click share even as market volume dipped.
Keyword Clicks34 → 70+106%
Click Share0.85% → 1.85%+118%
Impressions4,353 → 6,635+52%
Imp. Share2.53% → 4.08%+61%
~$97K → ~$160K MonthlyMulti-Category · Full Account Management
Multi-product store: broke a multi-quarter plateau to hit a record month
Sequenced listing conversion upgrades, A+ Content across hero SKUs, and structured PPC review cycles—compounding from ~$97K to ~$160K in monthly revenue.
Monthly Rev.~$97K → ~$160K+65%
Perf. Index~$128K → ~$190K+49%
Timeline7 monthsJun → Jan
OutcomeAll-Time HighRecord
+906% Purchases · 9.62% ShareBaby Supplements · Keyword Dominance
Baby supplement brand: 10× keyword purchases on #1 category term
Combined SQP search-funnel analysis, buyer-language listing SEO, main image CTR work, and exact-match ranking campaigns to capture 9.62% purchase share.
Weekly Orders16 → 161+906%
Purchase Share1.17% → 9.62%+723%
Keyword Clicks95 → 516+443%
Click Share2.71% → 6.81%+151%
+$87K Net Profit · −30.6% Ad CostLarge Catalog · Profitability Turnaround
Large-scale catalog seller: +$87K net profit turnaround in one quarter
Audited SKU-level contribution margins in Sellerboard, eliminated $34K in low-margin ad waste, and reversed YoY profit trend from −31.4% to +12.5%.
Net Profit$698K → $785K+$87K
YoY Trend−31.4% → +12.5%+43.9pp
Ad Spend$111K → $77K−30.6%
Ad Savings$34,024 saved1 Qtr
£256 → £297,128 GMV · 11,827 OrdersTikTok Shop · Creator-Led Growth
TikTok Shop (GBP): from £256 to £297,128 GMV driven by affiliate creators
Built an affiliate recruitment, seeding, Discord community, and brief engine from scratch—generating £197,522 in creator-attributed GMV and 11,827 orders.
Shop GMV£256 → £297,128Window
Orders11,827In Window
Creator GMV£243 → £197,522Creators
Hero SKU£71 → £145,065Top Item
+51.9% Shop GMV · +67% OrdersTikTok Shop US · GMV & Creator Scale
TikTok Shop (US): +51.9% GMV growth in two months by widening creator base
Broke through creator concentration plateau by expanding publishing affiliates from 503 to 556 and scaling GMV Max ads behind top-converting videos.
Shop GMV$77.3K → $117.4K+51.9%
OrdersFeb → Apr+67.0%
Creator GMV$48.7K → $70.3K+44.3%
Active Sellers120 → 133+13
$1.27K → $21.6K Sales · 2.72 ROASWalmart Marketplace · Channel Expansion
Walmart Marketplace: from $1,271 to $21,646 in monthly sales & Pro Seller
Rebuilt Walmart listing quality scores from Poor to Good, cleaned up catalog structure, and scaled Walmart Connect Sponsored Search to 2.72× ROAS.
Monthly GMV$1.27K → $16,855Oct → Mar
Apr Sales$13.3K → $21,646870 Units
Ad ROAS$1.80 → $2.72+51%
Listing Score57% → 67%Pro Seller
Original Client Reviews · Unedited
Every written review from our Trustpilot page.
Read all 12 original written client reviews verbatim—linked directly to Trustpilot so you can verify every single one.
Frequently asked questions
Can an agency help with an Amazon GTIN exemption?
Yes. CommerceKind helps brands with Amazon GTIN and UPC exemptions: checking eligibility by category, matching the brand name to the packaging, preparing real-world product photos, submitting the request from Seller Central and building listings with the exact approved brand, category and item name.
What is an Amazon GTIN exemption?
It is Amazon’s permission to list products without a UPC, EAN, ISBN or JAN in a specific category and brand, for products whose brand or manufacturer does not provide a GTIN, such as private label, handmade or bundled products.
How do I get a UPC exemption on Amazon?
In Seller Central, go to Add Products, choose to add a product not sold on Amazon, pick the exact category, enter the brand name exactly as it appears on the product (or Generic for unbranded items and bundles), select that you do not have a product ID and submit real-world photos of the product and packaging.
What photos does Amazon need for a GTIN exemption?
Amazon asks for two to nine real-world photos showing all sides of the product and packaging, held or placed on a surface, with the brand permanently affixed and visible, and no digital edits.
How long does a GTIN exemption take?
Amazon says it usually emails a decision within 48 hours, and the status shows in your case log. Rejections add time, which is why we check the details first.
Why was my GTIN exemption rejected?
Common reasons are a brand name that does not exactly match the packaging, branding on a removable sticker, studio or edited images instead of real photos, or a product that already has a GS1 barcode.
Does a GTIN exemption work in every category?
No. An exemption only covers the category it was approved for. To list in another category you apply again.
Should I buy GS1 barcodes instead?
If you sell in other retail channels or have a large or growing catalog, usually yes. For a small catalog sold only on Amazon, an exemption is often enough. Amazon recommends buying UPCs from GS1 directly.
Do you help outside the US?
Yes. We work across Amazon marketplaces, including the US, the UK, Canada and Europe.
Can my agency white-label this for clients?
Yes. Agencies can offer GTIN exemptions, listing setup and catalog work under their own brand through our white-label Amazon catalog management, with an NDA and non-solicit first.
Products without
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