If you’ve ever had a customer complain about receiving a product that clearly wasn’t yours — wrong packaging, wrong batch, a cheap imitation — despite them buying directly from your listing, you’ve likely run into Amazon’s comingled inventory problem. Amazon’s Transparency programme was built specifically to solve this, and it is one of the most underused brand protection tools available to private label sellers.
At StoreStride, we recommend Transparency to almost every Brand Registered client selling via FBA, particularly those who have dealt with hijackers or counterfeiters before. This guide explains what Transparency actually does, what it costs, how to set it up, and when it is — and isn’t — worth the investment.
What Is the Amazon Transparency Programme?
Transparency is a unit-level serialisation programme. Every individual unit of your product gets a unique, non-repeating alphanumeric code (a Transparency code), printed as a scannable 2D barcode on its packaging. When that unit moves through Amazon’s supply chain — at FBA receiving, during fulfilment, or scanned by a customer with the Transparency app — the code is checked against Amazon’s database to confirm it is a genuine unit that you, the brand owner, put into circulation.
If a unit doesn’t carry a valid code, or the code has already been used, Amazon rejects it. That single mechanism closes off two of the most damaging problems private label sellers face on Amazon: comingled counterfeits and unauthorised resale of units that were never meant to reach Amazon’s marketplace.
Transparency is not the same as the Transparent Brand Registry report. It is a separate, standalone programme that physically stops bad units at the point of entry, rather than relying on Amazon to review a complaint after the damage is done. Think of it as prevention rather than cure — it complements, but doesn’t replace, hijacker removal and Brand Registry’s Report a Violation tool.
Why Comingling Is a Real Problem
When you send inventory to FBA under standard (non-stickered) settings, Amazon stores units from every seller of that ASIN together in the same bin. A customer order gets fulfilled from whichever unit is physically closest to the picking robot — not necessarily the unit you sent in. If a hijacker or counterfeiter has also sent units into FBA under your ASIN, your genuine customers can receive their counterfeit stock, and vice versa.
This creates three compounding risks:
- Negative reviews on your listing for a product you never actually shipped
- Brand reputation damage when customers associate poor quality with your name
- Safety and liability exposure if counterfeit units are unsafe or non-compliant
Transparency removes the ambiguity. Every unit Amazon ships is individually verified as yours, regardless of what else is sitting in the bin.
Who Is Eligible?
To enrol in Transparency, you need:
How to Set Up Transparency: Step-by-Step
Enrol Your Brand
From Brand Registry, go to Transparency → Enrol. Select the brand and confirm the marketplaces where you want codes to apply.
Register Your Products
Add each ASIN/SKU you want protected, matched to its GS1 barcode. You can start with your best-selling or most frequently hijacked SKUs rather than your entire catalogue.
Order Transparency Codes
Amazon generates a batch of unique codes for the quantity you request. These are delivered as a file of individual barcodes, one per physical unit you plan to produce.
Apply Codes During Manufacturing
Send the code file to your manufacturer. Codes are printed directly onto packaging or as a label applied during the production run — this needs to happen before units ship, not after.
Ship as Normal — Amazon Scans at Receiving
Send inventory into FBA as usual. Amazon’s receiving process now scans the Transparency code on arrival. Units without a valid, unused code are flagged and rejected rather than added to sellable inventory.
What Does Transparency Cost?
Amazon charges per unique code generated, with the exact rate depending on your enrolment volume and marketplace. There is no flat monthly subscription — the real cost to plan for is operational, not just the per-code fee:
Code Fees
A small per-unit fee charged when codes are generated, scaling with order volume. Check current rates in Seller Central at enrolment, as these are reviewed periodically.
Label Application Costs
Your manufacturer or 3PL may charge extra for the labour of printing and applying codes to each unit, especially if retrofitting an existing production line.
Packaging Redesign
If your current packaging has no space for a scannable code, you may need a packaging update — a one-off design and print cost.
Lead Time Impact
Factor in extra lead time for your first production run while your manufacturer builds the code-printing step into their process.
Transparency vs Project Zero vs Brand Registry Reporting
These three tools are often confused but solve different problems:
- Transparency — prevents counterfeit or unauthorised units from ever being sold as yours, by verifying every unit at the point of receiving or sale. Proactive and automatic.
- Project Zero — gives you self-service power to remove a counterfeit listing instantly once Amazon trusts your accuracy rate, without waiting for a manual review. Reactive, but fast.
- Report a Violation (Brand Registry) — the standard manual complaint process for reporting infringement, counterfeits, or policy violations. Reactive and reviewed by Amazon staff, which makes it slower.
Best practice: run all three together. Transparency stops bad units entering your own supply chain, Project Zero removes rogue listings fast when they do appear, and Report a Violation is your backstop for anything the first two don’t catch, including trademark and IP infringement that has nothing to do with physical units.
Is Transparency Worth It for Your Brand?
Transparency is not necessary for every seller, and the setup effort is real. It tends to pay off clearly when:
- You have been hit by hijackers or counterfeiters on your best-selling ASINs before
- You sell in a category prone to counterfeiting (electronics, supplements, cosmetics, branded accessories)
- Your products carry safety or compliance risk if counterfeited (anything consumed, worn, or used by children)
- You run high enough volume that the per-unit code cost is marginal relative to revenue protected
- You are expanding internationally and want consistent brand protection across marketplaces
It matters less for low-volume, low-risk, non-branded-looking commodity products where comingling risk and counterfeit incentive are both low. If you’re unsure, start with your two or three highest-revenue ASINs rather than enrolling your entire catalogue on day one.
Not sure if Transparency is right for your catalogue?
StoreStride reviews your account, your hijacker history, and your margins to tell you exactly which ASINs are worth protecting — and handles the Brand Registry and Transparency setup for you. Get in touch today.
Get Free Amazon PPC Audit →Common Questions About Amazon Transparency
Do I need Transparency if I already use Brand Registry?
Brand Registry is a prerequisite for Transparency, not a substitute for it. Brand Registry gives you tools to report violations after they happen; Transparency prevents bad units from entering your supply chain in the first place. Most sellers who deal with repeat hijacking benefit from running both.
Does Transparency slow down my supply chain?
There is a one-off setup cost in lead time while your manufacturer integrates code printing into production, but once established it adds no meaningful delay to ongoing production runs. The scanning step at FBA receiving happens automatically and does not add processing time for genuine units.
Can customers verify my product themselves?
Yes. Customers can scan the Transparency code using the Transparency app (or Amazon’s shopping app, depending on region) to confirm the unit they received is genuine. Some brands highlight this as a trust signal in their listing images and A+ Content.
What happens to units without a code after I enrol?
Existing inventory already in FBA without codes is not retroactively rejected — Transparency applies going forward from your enrolment and code application date. Plan your enrolment to align with a new production run so there is no gap where unprotected and protected stock overlap awkwardly in the same bin.
Does Transparency stop FBM hijackers too?
No. Transparency only verifies units that pass through Amazon’s own fulfilment network (FBA) or are scanned by a customer. FBM hijackers fulfil orders themselves, so their units never touch Amazon’s receiving process. You’ll still need cease & desist notices and Report a Violation for FBM hijackers — see our hijacker removal guide for that process.