How to Create a New Product Listing in Amazon Seller Central

Learn how to manually build a new product listing from scratch in Amazon Seller Central, including category selection and entering authentic GS1 UPCs.

July 3, 2026 By SellerPro Amazon Agency

This guide explains how to manually build a new product listing on Amazon Seller Central from a blank form. Completing this process allows you to properly launch your brand's unique items into the Amazon catalog.

This guide applies to Amazon Sellers and brand managers who need to add private label or newly registered products individually rather than via bulk spreadsheet uploads.

When adding products to the Amazon catalog, you can use a few different methods depending on your inventory.

Listing Method	Best For	Description
Existing ASIN	Resellers & Arbitrage	Search for a product already active on Amazon to attach your offer to the existing page.
Spreadsheet	Bulk Uploads	Upload a flat file template to create multiple listings or complex variations at once.
Blank form	Private Label / New Brands	Create a brand new product listing from scratch for an item not yet in the catalog.

This guide will focus on creating a listing using the Blank form method.

Getting Started

Step #1: Navigate to the Catalog tab in the main menu and click Add Products. — Navigate to the **Catalog** tab in the main menu and click **Add Products**.

Step #2: Click the Blank form tab to begin a new listing from scratch. — Click the **Blank form** tab to begin a new listing from scratch.

Step #3: Click Start. — Click **Start**.

Step #4: If a prompt appears asking to restore a previous draft, click Discard to start completely fresh. — If a prompt appears asking to restore a previous draft, click **Discard** to start completely fresh.

Selecting a Product Category

Category selection directly impacts your Amazon referral fees (commissions). For instance, Consumer Electronics generally carries an 8% fee, while Toys & Games typically charges 15%. Always classify your item as accurately as possible to avoid catalog listing suppression, but factor these fees into your categorization strategy.

Step #5: Click Select Product Type to choose the best category for your item. — Click **Select Product Type** to choose the best category for your item.

Step #6: Select your primary category (e.g., Electronics). — Select your primary category (e.g., **Electronics**).

Step #7: Select the applicable sub-category (e.g., Home Audio). — Select the applicable sub-category (e.g., **Home Audio**).

Step #8: Drill down further into your specific niche (e.g., Speakers). — Drill down further into your specific niche (e.g., **Speakers**).

Step #9: Click Select next to the final item type keyword to lock in your category (e.g., Center-Channel Speakers). — Click **Select** next to the final item type keyword to lock in your category (e.g., **Center-Channel Speakers**).

Product Identity and Details

When entering your brand name, the text is completely case-sensitive. It must match your exact brand name as approved in Amazon Brand Registry, including all capitalization and spacing.

Click into the Brand Name field and type your brand name exactly as registered.

Always obtain your UPCs directly from GS1. Purchasing discounted barcodes from third-party resellers (like UPC.com) will tie your barcode to a different company in the GS1 database. Amazon validates barcodes strictly and will suppress or delete listings that use third-party codes.

Step #11: Enter your GS1-issued barcode into the External Product ID field. — Enter your GS1-issued barcode into the **External Product ID** field.

Step #12: Select UPC / EAN / GTIN from the identifier dropdown menu. — Select **UPC / EAN / GTIN** from the identifier dropdown menu.

Formatting Listing Content

Step #13: Navigate to the Images section and upload your main product image. — Navigate to the **Images** section and upload your main product image.

Step #14: Enter your product details into the Product Description text box. — Enter your product details into the **Product Description** text box.

Do not include phrases like "contact us" in your product descriptions or bullet points. Amazon's policies strictly prohibit attempting to redirect customer service or sales away from their platform.

Step #15: Click into the bullet point fields to add key product features. While it is best practice to eventually add all five, only one bullet point is required to save a shell listing. — Click into the bullet point fields to add key product features. While it is best practice to eventually add all five, only one bullet point is required to save a shell listing.

Step #16: Click Next to proceed through the remaining required tabs and save your listing. — Click **Next** to proceed through the remaining required tabs and save your listing.

Q: Can I buy cheap UPC codes from third-party resellers online?

A: No. You must purchase official UPCs directly from GS1. Amazon cross-references barcodes with the GS1 database, and using a third-party reseller's barcode will show up under a different, random company, causing your listing to be invalidated.

Q: Does the product category I choose affect my Amazon fees?

A: Yes, each category on Amazon has a specific referral fee commission. For example, Consumer Electronics might charge an 8% fee, whereas Toys & Games typically charges 15%.

Q: Why is my listing showing an error for my brand name?

A: The brand name field is highly case-sensitive and must perfectly match the brand name exactly as it appears on your Amazon Brand Registry (Manage Your Brands page).

Q: Can I use HTML formatting in my product description text?

A: While technically against strict Amazon policy, many sellers still use basic HTML tags (like <br> for line breaks) to space out description text before they have A+ Content ready. Note that A+ Content eventually overrides the standard product description anyway.

Q: Do I have to add all five bullet points when first creating a listing?

A: No. To successfully create and save the initial listing shell, only one bullet point is strictly required, though you should return to add all five to fully optimize the product later.

Term	Definition
ASIN	Amazon Standard Identification Number, a unique 10-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to every product in Amazon's catalog.
GS1	The global authority and official standard-setting organization that provides authentic, verifiable UPC barcodes.
UPC	Universal Product Code, a standardized 12-digit barcode used to uniquely identify retail products worldwide.
Referral Fee	A commission paid to Amazon based on each sale, calculated as a percentage that varies by product category.
Item Type Keyword	The sub-category classification on Amazon that acts as the digital "shelf" determining where a product lives.
Brand Registry	An Amazon program that helps brand owners protect their intellectual property and gain greater control over their product listings.
A+ Content	Enhanced brand content on Amazon that allows sellers to replace standard text descriptions with rich image and text modules.