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FNSKU or EAN – what is the difference?
When it comes to FNSKU and EAN, the world is not black and white, even if the barcode itself might be. It depends on what is important to the seller.
Both codes serve a similar purpose but are being used in different logistics companies.
EAN stands for „European Article Number“ and is a specific type of Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). GTIN is an umbrella term for globally unique product identifiers, which includes EANs (GTIN-13) and UPCs (GTIN-12). An EAN is a 13-digit GS1-barcode that you typically obtain once per product.
The FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit) is Amazon’s own internal system label. It’s basically a combination of the ASIN and the seller identification.
Pros and cons of EAN
EAN codes are recognised throughout Europe and can be used in retail, supermarkets and other sales areas to identify and assign a product within a merchandise management system. They are assigned only once per product and can be used by any company that sells this product. That means: Everybody who has the same EAN on a product, can send this product to Amazon, and this will go into one big mingled pile of stock (of this product) at the Amazon warehouse. This is referred to as „commingled inventory.“ The big advantage of EANs is that you don’t have to think too much about where you are going to send the product. Whether you want to sell in stores, on a platform like Ebay or elsewhere, you can always use the exact same barcode. The drawback, on the other hand, is the aforementioned mingling of stock. This might lead to hijacking issues: A seller might for example send a fake product to Amazon while another one sends the original. The stock is being stored in the same place because it has an EAN code – and in the end, both sellers are getting into trouble because nobody can tell who sent in which product anymore. Amazon increasingly enforces brand registry and GTIN validation, adding complexity when relying solely on EANs on Amazon.
Pros and Cons of FNSKU
FNSKUs are Amazon’s own internal label. Because of the connection to the seller or the ASIN, you always know exactly which article belongs to which seller. Amazon requires either Manufacturer barcodes (UPC/EAN) or FNSKU labels on each unit sent to FBA. While certain product categories historically required FNSKU codes on Amazon, such as food or cosmetics, due to traceability needs, almost all products fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) now require FNSKU labels unless using a scannable manufacturer barcode and opting for commingled inventory.
The reason can best be explained with the following example: If two people are selling the same food item and some of it went bad or was otherwise not of the right quality, Amazon always has to know who sold which of the respective products. As a seller, your benefit is that you can always proof which stock belongs to you, and you can avoid being accused of fakes or plagiarism. Using an FNSKU ensures your inventory is non-commingled and seller-specific, helping with accurate tracking and returns management. For enhanced brand protection, Amazon also offers the Transparency Program, which uses unique, serialized codes alongside or in place of traditional FNSKU labels to authenticate and track units.
The disadvantage is that every seller account has their own FNSKU, which means less flexibility – and those codes also won’t work outside of Amazon, of course. Sellers can print FNSKU labels themselves using Amazon’s provided barcode graphic or pay for Amazon’s Label Service, ensuring labels are clearly visible and scannable without opening packaging.
FNSKU or EAN: Which code do I need on my products?
Generally speaking, if you want to sell something that might be faked or plagiarized by others, or if you want to ensure your specific inventory is tracked separately: Use FNSKU numbers to protect yourself and prevent inventory commingling. Amazon FBA sellers must confirm in Seller Central whether to use Manufacturer barcodes or Amazon barcodes (FNSKU).
If you’re selling a lot outside of Amazon or work with SPACEGOATS and own several accounts, EANs might be more practical because you save yourself some administrative work and are also able to sell your products anywhere outside of Amazon. However, be aware of the commingling risks on Amazon if you choose this option.
If you’ve already started using FNSKUs on your products and then want to join SPACEGOATS, we also have a solution for that (of course): We can either upload your products with the general product-oriented EAN code or we can (re-)label them with the FNSKU codes from our account so that the goods can be assigned correctly upon delivery to the Amazon shipping center.
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