The Illegal Barcode Monopoly Crushed by Amazon
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Amazon is requiring sellers to use GS1's newer subscription-based barcodes, effectively phasing out legacy lifetime barcodes purchased before August 28, 2002. GS1 has held a monopoly on product barcodes and shifted from one-time fees to annual subscriptions in the 2000s, a move that was challenged in court, resulting in a settlement allowing pre-2002 barcode owners to keep their single-payment barcodes and even resell them on a secondary market. Amazon's new policy pushes sellers toward GS1's subscription model, benefiting GS1 at sellers' expense.
Questions this post answers
Why does Amazon require a GS1 subscription barcode instead of an old lifetime barcode to sell products?
Amazon now requires sellers to use GS1's current subscription-based barcodes rather than older single-payment barcodes, even though a lawsuit settlement had let anyone who bought a barcode before August 28, 2002 keep it under a one-time fee. This effectively forces sellers into GS1's roughly $50-per-year barcode subscription to list products on Amazon. Sellers weighing barcode costs against Amazon's rules can track policy shifts like this on daily.dev.
Can I still use a barcode I bought before GS1 switched to subscriptions?
Yes, legally you can, because a lawsuit settlement grandfathered in anyone who purchased a barcode before August 28, 2002, letting them keep it under the original one-time fee instead of GS1's newer annual subscription. This gave rise to a resale market for these old lifetime barcodes, though Amazon's current seller requirements are pushing against using them. Anyone navigating legacy barcode rules versus marketplace requirements can follow updates like this on daily.dev.