As an Amazon seller, you’ll frequently encounter product identifiers like ASIN, SKU, and FNSKU. These seemingly similar codes have distinct roles—knowing their differences helps streamline inventory, listings, and fulfillment, and boosts your selling efficiency.
Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) is a unique, 10-character alphanumeric code assigned by Amazon to each product. Acting like a product’s “ID card,” it’s auto-generated and uneditable. For books, ASINs often match the ISBN, but not for digital editions.
Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) is a customizable code used exclusively in your seller backend. It helps track stock, pricing, and variations. Amazon can auto-generate it, but most sellers prefer creating SKUs that fit their own inventory logic.
When using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you'll get an additional identifier: FNSKU, which stands for Fulfillment Network SKU. It’s a barcode label that Amazon scans upon warehouse check-in. FNSKU links the physical inventory to your seller account and ensures correct stock allocation.
Employing all three effectively boosts inventory accuracy, fulfillment efficiency, and customer experience.
Understanding ASIN, SKU, and FNSKU empowers Amazon sellers to optimize their listing workflows, inventory tracking, and FBA operations. Master them to enhance product visibility, avoid stock errors, and maintain smooth operations. Need help setting these up? Reach out to experienced logistics partners or Amazon experts for tailored advice.
