In this article, we will cover what is a seller SKU on Amazon, identify the rules behind creating an Amazon seller SKU, and provide a step-by-step guide to generating one.
A seller SKU on Amazon is a unique alphanumeric code assigned by sellers to their products to manage inventory and monitor sales performance.
Example: A shoe seller might use seller SKUs like Running Shoes: "SHOE-001" or Dress Shoes: "SHOE-002" to aid stock management, order fulfillment, and platform listing optimization.
Amazon seller SKUs are essential for several reasons:
Inventory Management: Seller SKUs help you keep precise records of your products in stock. It allows you to easily track quantities and avoid overstocking or running out of products.
Order Fulfillment: When orders come in, seller SKUs ensure you pick the right products and ship them accurately. This minimizes the risk of sending the wrong items to customers.
Listing Optimization: Seller SKUs facilitate the optimization of product listings on Amazon. You can use them to organize and categorize your products effectively, making it easier for customers to find what they're looking for.
Efficient Operations: You can streamline your operations with seller SKUs as they enable you to identify and address issues promptly to reduce errors and improve productivity.
Sales Analysis: Linking seller SKUs with sales data enables the analysis of each product's performance helping in making informed decisions on pricing, restocking, and product promotion.
Amazon has specific rules and guidelines for creating and using seller SKUs. Here are some key rules for Amazon Seller SKUs:
1. Uniqueness: Each Seller SKU must be unique within your seller account. No two products should share the same Seller SKU.
2. Alphanumeric Format: Seller SKUs can consist of letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Special characters or spaces are not allowed.
3. Length Limit: Seller SKUs should not exceed 40 characters in length.
4. No ASIN Duplication: Avoid using an ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) as a seller SKU. ASINs are unique identifiers automatically assigned by Amazon.
5. Consistency: Maintain consistency in your seller SKUs to make them easily manageable and understandable.
6. Avoid Personal Information: Do not include personal information like your name, email, or contact details in seller SKUs.
7. No HTML or Special Characters: Seller SKUs should not contain HTML tags or special characters.
8. Reserved Keywords: Avoid using Amazon-reserved keywords like "new," "used," or "refurbished" in your seller SKUs.
9. Product Identification: It's recommended to include product-related information in your seller SKUs to make them meaningful and easy to identify.
10. Updates and Changes: If you need to make changes to a seller SKU, it's essential to follow Amazon's guidelines for updating SKUs without creating duplicate listings.
Here's how to generate an Amazon Seller SKU using an example:
Start by defining a consistent format for your Seller SKUs. This format should make sense for your inventory. For example, if you're selling shoes, you might decide on a format like "SHOE-001."
Next, assign unique identifiers to each product within your chosen format. Let's say you have two different types of shoes, a running shoe, and a dress shoe.
Running Shoe: "SHOE-001"
Dress Shoe: "SHOE-002"
Each identifier should be unique within your seller account, ensuring that no two products share the same Seller SKU.
If you have variations of the same product, you can extend your Seller SKU format to include variants. For instance, if the dress shoe comes in different colors and sizes:
Black Dress Shoe, Size 7: "SHOE-002-BLACK-07"
Black Dress Shoe, Size 8: "SHOE-002-BLACK-08"
Brown Dress Shoe, Size 7: "SHOE-002-BROWN-07"
This approach helps you create unique Seller SKUs for each product variant, making inventory management more precise.
Amazon Seller SKUs should consist of letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Avoid using special characters or spaces. For example, do not use "SHOE#001" or "SHOE 001" as Seller SKUs.
Maintain consistency in your Seller SKUs across all your products. Consistency simplifies inventory management and makes it easier to understand and track products.
Record your generated Seller SKUs and associate them with your products in your Amazon seller account. Use these SKUs to track inventory levels, fulfill orders accurately, and optimize your product listings on Amazon.
Following these steps enables you to create a meaningful and consistent Seller SKU format, efficiently manage your Amazon inventory, and enhance your overall selling experience on the platform.
We hope that we have now left with you a better understanding of what is Seller SKU on Amazon and how to generate one for your business.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on what SKU is on Facebook marketplace or our article on the meaning of SKU on Etsy.
