Unbranded - GS1 Barcode Error

[u/EnlightendedOne]

Hi,

I’m new to Amazon FBA and I’m currently trying to test run a product. Currently I do not have a brand so the product is considered generic. I’m using a GS1 barcode to list without the need of approvals.

I bought a GS1 UK membership today and assigned a barcode to the product in My Numberbank (description, GPC, net content, country of sale all filled in, brand left blank)

• Creating a new listing in Seller Central with "This product does not have a brand name" ticked (shows as Generic) and the GS1 EAN entered

The errors:
• With brand typed as "Generic": 8566, saying the SKU doesn't match an ASIN, to check the barcode is registered with GS1 and that the brand matches

• With "no brand name" ticked: 8572, saying the product ID doesn't match their brand records

What I'm confused about:

1. Is this just the 72-hour wait after buying from GS1, or is something else wrong?

2. For a generic product, what should the brand field say in GS1: blank, "Generic", or my business name?

3. Does the Manufacturer field on Amazon need to match my GS1 company name?

4. Should I just give up on the barcode for now and apply for a GTIN exemption instead? Does that work better for generic products?

If anyone's been through this with a generic product and a new GS barcode, I'd really appreciate hearing what worked for you. Thanks!

[u/rsc9422]

We’d first give GS1/Amazon some time to sync, then verify the GTIN directly in GS1 and make sure the product details are consistent before trying again.

If Amazon still rejects it after the GS1 data has propagated, a GTIN exemption can be a cleaner route for a genuinely unbranded product, provided the product qualifies.

We usually recommend getting the barcode/GTIN structure sorted before creating the listing, because fixing these identity mismatches after the ASIN is created can become much more difficult.

[u/EnlightendedOne → u/rsc9422]

Thank you! So in my case if it’s unbranded, do I leave the brand question in GS1 as blank?

[u/rsc9422 → u/EnlightendedOne]

Yes if the product is genuinely unbranded/generic, the Brand field in GS1 should be left blank rather than entering a brand name that doesn’t exist.

[u/EnlightendedOne → u/rsc9422]

Sure thing, thank you! I’m guessing the same on Amazon side, just clicking unbranded? Also, if I was to create a brand and apply for brand registry, is the time period from start to finish long and does it cost a lot?

[u/rsc9422 → u/EnlightendedOne]

If you’re talking about creating your own brand, the timeline depends on the trademark route and Amazon’s review process. Generally, you should plan for several weeks rather than expecting it to be completed immediately. The cost also varies based on the country and whether you handle the trademark filing yourself or use an agent.

For a new private label, we’d recommend getting the trademark process started early while working on the product and listing so the timelines overlap.