Understanding Amazon LPN (License Plate Number)
Amazon LPN, or License Plate Number, serves as a crucial tool within Amazon’s fulfillment centers, providing a unique identifier for specific units or items. This digital label plays a vital role in efficient tracking and management of return orders within Amazon’s extensive network.
Why are LPNs Used?
In the vast and diverse marketplace of Amazon, it’s common for multiple sellers to offer the same item, utilizing Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) warehouses. In such scenarios, it’s essential to accurately identify which seller’s inventory has been sold. This is typically achieved through a Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit (FNSKU), which Amazon uses to connect specific inventory to the corresponding seller. The LPN Number comes into play when a buyer initiates a return. Amazon can utilize the LPN to determine which seller is responsible for the return and subsequent charges.
To deter the resale of returned items as “New” on Amazon’s platform, Amazon often requests buyers to place the LPN label over the Universal Product Code (UPC). This practice has led to the evolution of a secondary market for returns liquidation.
Challenges and Solutions for Sellers
However, this practice presents a challenge for sellers, as covering the UPC code with an LPN label can hinder their ability to scan the UPC. Especially when Amazon sells truckloads of returns, many products have an LPN sticker covering the UPC Code. Previously, sellers had to manually create listings for these items, involving tasks like crafting a title, description, categorization, and even taking pictures. This manual process could take up to 15 minutes for a single item, posing a significant time investment.
Streamlining the Listing Process
Fortunately, sellers have found a solution to streamline this process and save valuable time utilizing Auction.io’s listing tool. They can now scan the barcode of the LPN number, FNSKU, FCSKU, or ASIN to swiftly input inventory details into their listing software. This advancement significantly reduces the time it takes to create a listing for each item. What once consumed up to 15 minutes per item can now be accomplished in less than 20 seconds.
In conclusion, Amazon LPN is a vital tool that streamlines operations within Amazon’s fulfillment centers, enhancing efficiency in tracking, managing returns, and accurately attributing inventory to respective sellers. This innovation has not only benefited Amazon but has also empowered sellers to expedite their listing process, contributing to a smoother and more productive selling experience.