Counterfeits donโt just erode profitsโthey damage trust. For brands selling on Amazon, maintaining authenticity is mission-critical. Thatโs where the Amazon Transparency Program steps in.
In this blog, weโll break down everything you need to know: how the Transparency Program works, the key benefits it brings to brand owners, and how it ties into Amazonโs broader Brand Registry ecosystem.
If you're serious about protecting your brand and delivering genuine products, this guide is for you.
What is the Amazon Transparency Program?
Amazon Transparency Program is a product serialization service that is used to verify products before they are shipped. Introduced in 2017, the program is crafted to detect and prevent counterfeit products from being delivered to customers.
Amazon launched the transparency program and tried it on its line of products as a pilot. When it saw some success there, it made it available for third-party sellers gradually.
Currently, the Amazon Transparency program is available in several countries, including the United States, Germany, Canada, France, India, Australia, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The company plans to introduce the concept in other markets in the future.
The program is meant for third-party sellers and brand owners. For instance, if a third-party seller tries to โHijackโ a product and sell counterfeit items, their products will be blacklisted and wonโt be delivered to the customer.
How Much Does the Amazon Transparency Program Cost?
Although Amazon does not disclose its pricing policy for the Amazon Transparency program, brands can expect to pay anywhere from $0.01 to $0.05 per barcode, depending on the number of transparency-enabled units.
Suppose you have 1,000 units of your product, then the maximum amount you have to pay for your products to get authenticated would be approx $50. Itโs recommended to sign up for this program if you are selling highly-priced, luxury items to prevent any losses incurred due to counterfeits. Gradually, you may expand the transparency program for your other products as per your budget and need.
Another expenditure you must consider while using the Transparency program is your labeling cost. Transparency codes can be applied to units/items using sticker labels.
Although you can simplify the process by getting the labeling done by your supplier during manufacturing, they usually cost more to apply during the manufacturing process.
Pro Tip: A good idea is to apply Transparency barcodes on your own using printers that implement those codes during the packaging process.
How to Enroll in the Amazon Transparency Program?
Enrolling in the Amazon Transparency program is pretty simple. But youโll need to meet a few requirements first:
- You must apply unique transparency codes to each of your products.
- You must be a legitimate brand owner and show evidence of the same.
- You must display a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) on all your products.
Once youโre sure you can meet all the above requirements, hereโs how to sign up:
- Go to the Amazon transparency page and click on the โGet Startedโ button.
- Fill out the short form that pops up.
- After completing the form, click โRequest more informationโ to get more information from Amazon about your enrollment.
- If your application gets approved, you can choose which products you want to authenticate with Transparency codes.
Itโs a good idea to start by enrolling your high-priced items first, instead of trying to enroll everything at once.
Amazon Transparency vs. Amazon Brand Registry
Amazon Brand Registry and the Transparency Program are two great tools by Amazon to check fraud, prevent counterfeits, and protect both buyers and sellers in their marketplace. While both tools also help sellers maintain their brand credibility, they have their differences.
By now, you already know that the Transparency Program is all about checking or preventing counterfeit products.
Letโs talk about what the Amazon brand registry is. The Amazon Brand Registry is designed to help sellers verify and protect the authenticity of their brands.
Itโs a tool that helps you find and track down unauthorized product pages and violations. You can search the marketplace for product listings or logos that look similar to yours, and the program will provide you with everything you need to submit a detailed report.
The eligibility requirements to enroll in the Amazon brand registry program vary by country. But in general, hereโs the information youโll need to provide:
- A brand name with an active registered trademark.
- The trademark number.
- The names of countries where you manufacture and distribute your brandโs products.
- A list of product categories (for example, electronics, sporting goods, or apparel).
When applying, pay close attention to details like capitalization and punctuation. Your brand name must match the trademark text exactly, or your application will be rejected.
Transparency Program Requirements:
As an Amazon consultant, we can provide the following information about the Transparency program requirements based on the references provided:
To enroll your brand and products in the Transparency program, you must meet these key requirements Protect your brand with Transparency & Enroll to Transparency :
- Have an Amazon Brand Registry account associated with your brandโs trademark and assigned the โrights ownerโ role
- Have an active, registered trademark for your brand
- Have a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) for each product you want to enroll
Once enrolled, there are additional requirements to apply Transparency codes to your products Steps to Enroll Transparency & Transparency Program :
- You must be able to apply unique Transparency codes to every unit you manufacture, regardless of where those units are sold
- If youโre using your own existing serial codes, they must be unique, serialized numbers that are 7 to 20 characters long, and in a 1D, QR, or 2D barcode format
After enrolling your products, youโll need to pass an operational performance review before the Transparency protections can be activated.
At SalesDuo, we understand that managing the Transparency program requirements can be complex, especially with a mix of FBA and MFN fulfillment. Please let us know if you have any other questions. We are here to help ensure you meet the necessary criteria to protect your brand and products on Amazon.
Reduce Damage Caused by Counterfeiters:
Counterfeiters are scammers who seek to disrupt online businesses. They create listings for products that they do not manufacture, and they try to get money from customers by selling these products.
They usually earn profits by selling those imitations at reduced prices, or by selling the imitations to distributors who then sell the goods to end consumers.
This is hazardous to your business because these counterfeiters undercut you on your price, and take away all your potential customers. In addition, they also damage your brandโs reputation as customers assume itโs your brand selling duplicate products.
Not to mention, this can even cause your business to shut down for further investigation.
Prevents Bad Reviews
It is obvious that customers will be unhappy if they receive fake products.
The last thing youโd want them to do is write a negative review on your social media handle or the product page.
This could highly ruin your brand image, as 84% of users trust online reviews.
The Transparency program can protect you from all such mishaps and safeguard your brandโs reputation for a streamlined Amazon business.
Benefits of the Amazon Transparency Guide
The Amazon Transparency Guide offers important advantages that can significantly improve your business operations. It focuses on enhancing brand protection and building trust with your customers, which are essential for a successful selling experience.
1. Enhanced Brand Protection
The Transparency Program helps protect your brand from counterfeits.
By providing unique codes for each product, you can ensure that only authentic items reach customers.
Each code verifies the authenticity of the product, making it harder for counterfeiters to deceive customers.
These measures prevent negative reviews that often result from customers receiving fake products.
This can help maintain your brand's reputation. A strong reputation is vital in todayโs market, as it influences purchasing decisions and customer loyalty.
Additionally, being part of the program shows youโre proactive in defending your brand. That can discourage would-be counterfeiters from targeting your products.
2. Building Customer Trust
Building trust with customers is crucial for long-term success.
When customers can verify a productโs authenticity using the Transparency app, it enhances their overall shopping experience.
This comfort can lead to increased sales and repeat customers.
Providing enhanced product information through Transparency allows customers to engage more with your brand.
They appreciate knowing they are purchasing authentic products. This transparency reduces the risk of bad reviews based on counterfeit items.
Furthermore, having a registered trademark reinforces your commitment to quality and legitimacy.
Customers are more likely to choose trusted brands, understanding that quality matters.
By using the Transparency Program, you create a positive cycle of trust and loyalty among your customer base.
Final Thoughts
Product counterfeiting is one of the numerous challenges that retailers and sellers on the Amazon marketplace face. Counterfeiters can hurt your reputation, damage your brandโs image, and cause a severe revenue loss if left uncontrolled.
The Amazon Transparency Program helps protect your products by ensuring customers receive only genuine items. Since itโs a product serialization service, enrolling means your customers can trust that theyโre getting the real dealโboosting their confidence in your brand.
If youโre a brand-registered seller, take a moment to go over the Amazon Transparency Program requirements, so youโll know what it takes to join. Help Amazon fight against counterfeiters and help the marketplace continue to grow.
For brands seeking predictable, hands-off protection and proactive compliance management, SalesDuo offers end-to-end support.
From enrolling in the Transparency Program to implementing advanced brand protection strategies, our team of Amazon experts knows the ins and outs of the Amazon algorithm and ensures your productsโand your reputationโstay secure.
With deep platform expertise and cutting-edge tools, SalesDuo is the partner that helps you grow without compromise.
Need help executing this strategy?
Book a 1:1 growth call with our Amazon experts and let SalesDuo's integrated platform and experienced team elevate your performance.
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About the Author
A dynamic customer success professional, Rahul Gowda helps businesses grow smarter at Amazon by building strong relationships, solving tricky operational challenges with data-driven strategies. Beyond work, Rahul loves exploring new tech trends and experimenting with creative cooking.
