QUICK ANSWER
Amazon Transparency is a product serialization program that helps brands stop counterfeit or materially incorrect products from being listed or shipped through Amazon. Enrollment is free. Amazon-issued codes cost $0.05 each for the first million codes ordered each year, $0.03 for the next tier, and $0.01 above 10 million. Brands with compatible existing serial codes can connect them for a separate per-unit charge. To be eligible you need Brand Registry rights-owner access, an active registered trademark, a GTIN for each enrolled product, and a workable serialization process. Products using Amazon-issued codes must pass an operational performance review at 98% accuracy before protection activates; existing-serial-code integrations follow a different onboarding process.
ENROLLMENT
Free
AMAZON-ISSUED CODES
$0.01 to $0.05
ACTIVATION
98% review
Most brands start looking at Transparency the week they find a counterfeit of their own product. By then, the question isn't whether to protect the listing but how fast, and Transparency isn't fast. It's a supply-chain decision that needs planning. This guide covers what Transparency does, what it really costs, how to get codes, how to prepare for activation, and how to decide whether it's worth it for your catalog.
Amazon Transparency at a Glance
| What it does
|
Gives every enrolled unit its own code; units without a valid code fail Amazon's check |
| Cost
|
$0.01 to $0.05 per Amazon-issued code by annual volume; separate per-unit charge for connected serials; no enrollment fee |
| Code options
|
Amazon-issued codes, or your existing serial codes connected to Transparency |
| Activation
|
Amazon-issued codes: after a 98% accuracy review. Existing serials: separate onboarding process |
| Covers
|
FBA and seller-fulfilled offers in Amazon's store |
What Does Amazon Transparency Do?
Transparency stops counterfeit units before they reach a customer, whichever way the order is fulfilled. Once protection is active for a product, every unit must carry either an Amazon-issued code or a connected serial code, and a code is required whenever a new offer is created. Amazon scans FBA units when they arrive at a fulfillment center, and seller-fulfilled sellers provide codes when they confirm orders in Seller Central. Units without a valid code fail the check.
Amazon-issued codes add features for customers and brands. Customers can scan the code with the Amazon Shopping or Transparency app to check that the product is authentic, and brands can add images or videos that appear when a customer scans. Products using Amazon-issued codes may also be eligible for a Transparency badge on their detail pages, but the badge isn't guaranteed for every enrolled product. Connected existing serial codes provide the core authentication without those customer engagement features.
▸ Official source: Amazon Transparency program page
How Much Is Amazon Transparency?
Amazon's published US pricing for Amazon-issued codes is tiered by annual volume:
| TIER 1
$0.05
per code
1 to 1,000,000 codes a year
|
TIER 2
$0.03
per code
1,000,001 to 10,000,000 codes a year
|
TIER 3
$0.01
per code
10,000,001+ codes a year
|
There's no enrollment fee, subscription or minimum order. You pay when you order codes, not when the units sell, and the volume tier resets on your account's creation anniversary rather than January 1. Connecting existing serial codes has its own per-unit charge, so don't assume the tiers above apply to that option. Amazon also notes that fees vary by geography.
The code price isn't the program cost
Here's an illustrative first-year budget:
| ANNUAL UNITS |
AMAZON CODE FEES |
ESTIMATED LABELING COST* |
ILLUSTRATIVE TOTAL |
| 10,000
|
$500 |
$300 |
$800
|
| 50,000
|
$2,500 |
$1,500 |
$4,000
|
| 100,000
|
$5,000 |
$3,000 |
$8,000
|
*Assumes $0.03 per unit for printing and application. This isn't an Amazon rate or a supplier quote, and your actual costs may be higher or lower.
THE REAL COST FORMULA
Annual Transparency cost= code charges + printing and application + packaging changes + quality-control costs
Use this formula when you ask your manufacturer or a Transparency service provider for quotes. Then compare the total with what counterfeits currently cost you in lost sales, returns and negative reviews.
How to Get Amazon Transparency Codes
| 1
|
Confirm eligibility
You need a Brand Registry account with the rights owner role, an active registered trademark, and a GTIN (such as a UPC or EAN) for each enrolled product. For Amazon-issued codes, you must also be able to code every unit you manufacture, including units sold through distributors and retailers, not only the ones you send to Amazon.
|
| 2
|
Choose how you'll code
The Transparency portal offers three options:
- Apply Amazon-issued codes on standard or custom labels, printed in-house or by a Transparency service provider.
- Design Amazon-issued codes into your packaging.
- Connect Transparency to the serial codes you already use. These must be unique, 7 to 20 characters long, and in a compatible barcode format, and you must be able to share every serial number for that GTIN or SKU with Amazon. See Amazon's serial number barcode requirements.
|
| 3
|
Apply codes
Coding at the point of manufacture or packaging is the most reliable approach, because every unit that leaves without a code will later fail Amazon's check.
|
| 4
|
Activate protection
With Amazon-issued codes, start the operational performance review in the Transparency portal when you begin labeling and shipping. Amazon scans your codes as units arrive, and protection only activates once the product reaches 98% accuracy. Connected existing serial codes go through a different onboarding process instead.
|
| 5
|
Monitor
Transparency portal reports show blocked units, scan mismatches and suspected counterfeits.
|
Before You Activate: A Readiness Checklist
Most Transparency rollouts fail because of operations, not the program itself. Before you start the review, confirm each of these:
| ☐
|
Who applies codes
|
You've named the specific factory, co-packer or warehouse responsible, and they've done a test run. |
| ☐
|
Code quality
|
Test units scan cleanly, every code is unique, and label placement is consistent. |
| ☐
|
Existing inventory
|
You have a plan for uncoded units already in your warehouse, at distributors, or in FBA. |
| ☐
|
FBA workflow
|
Coded units are clearly separated from uncoded stock in inbound shipments. |
| ☐
|
FBM workflow
|
Your team can capture and submit codes when confirming each seller-fulfilled order. |
| ☐
|
Channel partners
|
Distributors and authorized resellers know that units will be coded and what that means for them. |
| ☐
|
Ownership
|
One named person monitors failed checks and portal reports weekly. |
Start with one high-risk ASIN, pass the review, and fix anything the pilot reveals before you expand.
Is Amazon Transparency Worth It?
It depends less on the code price than on four questions:
| QUESTION |
✔ STRONG FIT IF |
✖ RECONSIDER IF |
| Counterfeit risk
|
You've found fakes, or your category is a known target |
You've had no counterfeit problems |
| Unit economics
|
Your price and margin easily absorb the full per-unit cost |
It's a low-price item where a few cents per unit matters |
| Supply-chain control
|
You or your manufacturer can code every unit at the source |
You have multiple factories you can't coordinate |
| Channel exposure
|
Your units sell through many distributors and resellers |
You sell only to Amazon through a closed supply chain |
Remember what Transparency doesn't do: it confirms a unit is genuine, not who is allowed to sell it. An unauthorized reseller with real, coded units will pass the check. If your main problem is genuine inventory leaking to sellers you didn't approve, see our guide to identifying gray market sellers and shutting down the source.
Transparency vs Project Zero vs Brand Registry
|
BRAND REGISTRY |
PROJECT ZERO |
TRANSPARENCY |
| What it does |
Brand ownership, listing control and reporting tools |
Self-service counterfeit removal plus automated protections |
Checks every enrolled unit for a valid code |
| Eligibility |
Registered or pending trademark, depending on country |
Brand Registry plus additional access requirements |
Brand Registry rights owner, trademark, GTIN, serialization |
| Cost |
Free |
Free |
Per code, plus labeling and operations |
| Effort |
Low |
Low to medium |
High: changes at the source |
| Best for |
Every brand selling on Amazon |
Eligible brands facing recurring counterfeit listings |
Selected high-risk SKUs with controlled manufacturing |
Brand Registry
is the foundation for Amazon's brand-protection tools. Brands that qualify for Project Zero can use its self-service counterfeit removal alongside its automated protections, and Transparency adds a separate layer of unit-level authentication for selected products. Which tool to prioritize depends on your main problem: counterfeit listings, counterfeit physical units, or genuine inventory reaching unauthorized resellers. Our Project Zero guide
explains its eligibility standards in detail.
For Resellers: Why a Listing Asks for a Transparency Code
If you resell a brand and Amazon asks for Transparency codes, the brand has enrolled that product. You can't generate codes yourself, because they must come from the brand. Buy from the brand or its authorized distributors, confirm with your supplier that units ship coded, and don't send uncoded units to FBA, because they'll fail the check.
THE CMO TAKE
Transparency works best as part of a brand-protection plan, not as a reaction to one bad week. The brands that get value from it choose the SKUs that matter most, agree on labeling with their manufacturer before the next production run, and plan for the onboarding period instead of expecting protection on day one. The brands that struggle enroll the whole catalog at once, can't code units in every channel, and end up blocking their own inventory.
Start with the two or three ASINs where a counterfeit would cost you the most in revenue and reviews. Prove the process there, then expand.
Want to know if Transparency is right for your catalog?
We review your counterfeit exposure, supply chain and channel mix, then recommend which SKUs to enroll and which protections fit better.
Amazon Transparency Questions Brands Ask
| Q1
|
Does the Transparency code replace the UPC?
No. A GTIN such as a UPC is required to enroll, and the Transparency code is an additional code on each unit.
|
| Q2
|
Can I use my own serial numbers instead of Amazon's codes?
Yes, if they meet Amazon's format requirements and you can share every serial for that GTIN or SKU with Amazon. This option has its own per-unit charge, and it doesn't include customer app scanning.
|
| Q3
|
Where is Amazon Transparency available?
Transparency currently protects enrolled products across ten Amazon stores: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, India and Japan. Eligible brands can enroll from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, India, Japan and China. Australia protects enrolled products, but brands based there can't currently enroll directly. Existing-serial-code integration may not be available in every marketplace, so confirm your options with Amazon before rollout.
|
| Q4
|
How long does it take for Transparency to start working?
With Amazon-issued codes, protection activates after the product passes the operational performance review at 98% scan accuracy. How quickly that happens depends on how fast coded units reach Amazon and how consistent your labeling is. Existing-serial-code integrations follow a separate onboarding process with Amazon.
|
