As someone who’s worked extensively with Amazon FBA, We know that proper barcode sizing can make or break your selling experience. Let us share our insights with you.
The world of Amazon selling can be complex, but getting your barcodes right doesn’t have to be. Today, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, starting with the most crucial aspect – the size requirements.
Items Barcode Size Requirements for Amazon FBA
The most critical dimension for your Amazon barcodes is the height.
Amazon mandates two criteria for barcode height:
- Minimum Height: The barcode must be at least 0.25 inches (6.3 mm) tall. This ensures that the scanner can easily distinguish the individual elements of the barcode.
- Percentage of Length: The barcode height must be at least 15% of its total length. This helps maintain a proportional relationship between the height and length of the barcode, ensuring optimal readability.
Example:
Let’s say you have a barcode that is 3 inches long. To meet Amazon’s height requirements, the barcode should be:
- At least 15% of 3 inches: 0.15 * 3 inches = 0.45 inches (11.43 mm) tall.
Since 0.45 inches is greater than 0.25 inches, this barcode meets both requirements.
When printing your barcodes, you need to consider the narrow element width, which varies based on your printer’s capabilities. For a 300 dpi printer, set it to 13.33 mils (0.3386 mm). If you’re using a 200 dpi printer, adjust to 20 mils (0.508 mm). The wide-to-narrow element ratio should always be 3:1.
Don’t forget about the quiet zones – these are the blank spaces around your barcode. You’ll need at least 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) on the sides and 0.125 inches (3.2 mm) on the top and bottom. We’ve seen many sellers overlook these spaces, but they’re crucial for proper scanning.
Other Specifications Required for Barcode in Amazon FBA
The label must be white – this isn’t negotiable. We’ve learned that even slight off-white colors can cause scanning issues.
For fonts, you’ll need to use specific ones depending on your operating system. Windows users should stick with Consolas, Mac users with Monaco, and Linux users can use Andale Mono. These fonts ensure clear, readable text that complements your barcode.
Your label size can range from 1″ x 2″ up to 2″ x 3″. We typically use 1″ x 3″ labels as they provide enough space for all required information while remaining cost-effective. The adhesive must be removable to prevent damage to products during label removal.
Shipping Label Print Specifications Required in Amazon FBA
Height Requirements
Barcodes must be at least 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) tall. Alternatively, they can be 15% of their total length. This allows for flexibility in barcode design, especially for longer codes. For example, if a barcode is 3 inches long, it must be at least 0.5 inches tall (minimum height requirement). However, it could also be 0.45 inches tall if it’s 15% of the 3-inch length.
Narrow Barcode Elements
The narrowest elements of the barcode must be at least 0.0075 inches (0.19 mm) wide. This prevents the scanner from mistaking narrow elements for imperfections. For example, if a barcode uses a standard UPC-A format, the narrowest elements are typically 0.009 inches wide, which easily meets this requirement.
Wide-to-Narrow Element Ratio
The ratio of wide elements to narrow elements should be 3:1. This helps the scanner distinguish between the different data-encoding patterns. In a UPC-A barcode, the wide elements are three times as wide as the narrow elements, maintaining the 3:1 ratio.
Quiet Zones
There should be a quiet zone of 0.25 inches on both sides of the barcode and a quiet zone of 0.125 inches on the top and bottom. For example, a barcode with a width of 2 inches would have quiet zones of 0.25 inches on each side and 0.125 inches on the top and bottom, totaling a total width of 2.75 inches.
Shipping Label Printing Requirements
When it comes to the actual shipping labels, stick with white labels for consistency. Use the same fonts as your product labels for uniformity. The standard size Amazon recommends is 4″ x 6″ (10.2 cm x 15.2 cm), though you can go up to 6″ x 8″ (15.2 cm x 20.3 cm) if needed.
Unlike product labels, shipping labels require permanent adhesive. This ensures they stay put throughout the shipping process.
Conclusion
Getting your Amazon barcode specifications right is crucial for successful FBA operations. We’ve walked you through everything from basic measurements to specific printing requirements, and we hope this guide makes the process clearer for you. Remember, paying attention to these details now can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
If you’ve got any questions we haven’t covered, feel free to drop them in the comments below. We’re excited to help you succeed in your Amazon selling journey! Thanks for reading, and here’s to your FBA success!
