overview: templates · variation theme (e.g. for color in the home improvement category, you must...

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Amazon Cashflow MachineRich Dad’s

Creating Flat Files to Update Listings and Add Variations

Amazon Seller Support changed its help policy whereby their Support team will not help you add or update listing variations. Adding and updating product variations generally requires the use of flat file feeds. If possible, when listing new products using the product listing tool, create all the potential variations you might add later, to avoid having to use the flat file system.

Overview: templatesThere are various templates and files that you must download and complete as part of this process. The templates are updated regularly, so always use the most current versions available on the Amazon website.

Overview: Inventory File TemplatesAn Inventory File Template is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains multiple data columns for describing your products. Sellers use Inventory File Templates to upload listings to Amazon.com.

Most Inventory File Templates are designed for a specific product category. Additional templates can be used to create or update listings in all categories.

Here is where to find Templates for specific categories.

For detailed instructions on how to create an inventory file using an Inventory File Template, see Build Your Inventory File.

Overview: Product ClassifierThe Amazon classification system uses values supplied by sellers to determine where listings are visible in the browse structure on Amazon.com. The Product Classifier tool helps you to identify the appropriate classification for your listings.

2Creating Flat Files to Update Listings and Add Variations


Overview: Browse Tree GuidesBrowse Tree Guides (BTGs) contain the same information exposed in the Product Classifier tool. Each category has its own Browse Tree Guide.

You must reference the BTG to determine some of the valid values required in the Inventory File Template.

Flat File Process Overview1.Download the category-specific Template. Here is where to find Templates for specific categories.

Here is a table to help determine which type of template you need, depending on the changes you wish to make. Generally, you’ll be using the Category Specific Inventory Files to create new product variations.

2.Download the Browse Tree Guide for the category.

3. Open both Guides/Templates in MS Excel or Google Sheets and save the file for future reference.Note that in the category specific Inventory File there are a number of tabs. Most of them provide instructions on how to complete the “template” tab, which is the one that you’ll eventually upload to Amazon.

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4. Complete the “Template” tab of the Category template for each product that needs to be added or updated. Consult the “Instructions”, “Data Definitions” and “Example” tabs for help in filling out each of the fields. Not all fields are mandatory, and some fields have specific values that need to be entered.

5. Consult the Browse Tree Guide (BTG) to add the product cate-gory keywords and other fields as required by the Category Tem-plate. The “Data Definitions” tab in spreadsheet will advise when you need to consult the BTG.

6. Once you’ve completed the fields, download the file in TSV (tab-separated values) format.

7. Navigate back to Seller Central. Go to Inventory > Add Product Via Upload.



8. Use the “check my file” tool to check for errors in the template before uploading. Select “Inventory Files for Non-Media Categories” in the drop-down menu, then upload your TSV file.Address any errors/warnings found with this feature.

9. When your file is error-free, upload the file on the same page. Again, select “Inventory Files for Non-Media Categories” in the drop-down menu, then upload your TSV file.

10. Once your template uploads without errors, save the template in Asana/Client folder for future use.

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Specific Processes for creating & adding VariationsCreating a product that includes variations

1. Find the category-specific inventory file template for the product category.

2. Refer to the Data Definitions tab in the template to see what variation themes are available. Note: If no variation theme is listed, you cannot create a product with variations in that category.

3. In the inventory template, create parent and child SKUs.

4. On the parent item:1. Enter values for required fields, including SKU.2. Leave Parent SKU blank.3. Enter a value of “parent” in Parentage and enter a valid

value in Variation Theme.4. Leave Relationship Type blank.5. Leave all other non-required fields blank.

5. For each child item:1. Enter values for required fields.2. Fill in the Parent SKU field using the value from the

parent’s SKU (value will be the same for all child items).3. Enter “child” in Parentage, and enter “variation” in

Relationship Type.4. In the Variation Theme field, enter the same value that you

entered for Variation Theme on the parent (value will be the same for all child items).

5. Enter values in attribute column(s) related to the variation theme (for example, if the variation theme is flavor-size, you must enter valid values in the “flavor” and “size” fields for each child item).

6. Enter values in other optional fields.



6.Upload the completed inventory file:1. Save your inventory template as a Text (tab-delimited)

(*.txt) file.2. On the Inventory tab, click Add Products via Upload.3. Validate the listings in your template using the Check My

File feature and make corrections as necessary.4. From the drop-down menu, select the type of file to upload

(e.g., “Inventory Files for non-Media Categories”).5. Browse to locate the tab-delimited file you want to upload,

then click Upload now.

Adding a new child (variation) to an existing parent you did not create1. Look up the product details page for the existing parent item and find its ASIN.2. In your inventory template, add the new item and fill in fields exactly as if it were a child within a parent/child variation set. Be sure to include a valid value in the Variation Theme field for the type of variation that the new child item belongs to.3. Add a “dummy” parent item and fill in the fields that create the parent/child relationship with the new child item and that mirror the variation theme of the child item.4. In the “dummy” parent item, Enter the parent ASIN in the Product ID field, and in the Product ID Type field enter “ASIN.” This will associate your new child item with the ASIN of the existing parent item.5. Create a “dummy” SKU for the “dummy” parent. This can be any alphanumeric string of 40 characters or less, but must be unique (i.e., must not duplicate any of your other SKUs).6. Enter the “dummy” SKU in the parent’s SKU field and enter this same string in the Parent SKU field for the new child item.7. Validate and upload the completed inventory template.

Reassigning a child item to a new parent1. Delete the child item (removes its relationship to the parent).2. Re-add the child item, replacing the old value in its Parent SKU field with the SKU of the new parent.3. Validate and upload the completed inventory template.

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Viewing all existing variations of a product and finding their ASINs1. Find the product on Amazon.com and copy its ASIN from Product Details.2. Go to the Add a Product tool, paste the ASIN into the “Find it on Amazon” field, and click Search.3. On the Results page, click the Show variations button to see a list of all variations and the ASIN for each variation.

Being able to see all the variations and ASINs for an existing product can reveal selling opportunities, and also allows you to easily list your matching items against these ASINs.

• Create a new ‘parent’ listing in the template by adding a new row above the listings which will be designated as ‘child’ listings. Only enter the following information for the parent:

• SKU (create a new SKU name)• Product Name• Brand• Description• Product image• Parent/Child designation• Variation Type (‘theme’)

Other tips• If a product exists in the seller’s inventory and already has

a SKU assigned, do not attempt to update the SKU. This often causes errors

• Open the Product Summary of products you’re working on in a separate tab or window to your spreadsheet, so you can easily copy and paste over the required information (SKU, UPC, description, etc)

• Adding image URLs. Flat feeds require at least 1 main image to be uploaded, and these must be in the form of a URL. To create an image URL, upload the image to dropbox, then locate the dropbox URL of that image and paste it into the spreadsheet.



Using Lite Templates“Lite Templates” were launched in May 2015. They are easier to use since they only include the fields that are required to list a product on Amazon (not all the other ‘optional’) fields. Lite tem-plates also allow you to create variations. Use the same process above for Lite templates, but locate and download a Lite Tem-plate.

UPCs and Item Package Quantity for Multi-packFor most products listed on Amazon.com, a multi-pack listing is only allowed for a manufacturer-created pack with its own unique UPC. You must enter an Item Package Quantity (IPQ) for these products.

How to Set Up IPQ for a Product using the inventory file template

To correctly add a multi-pack item, you must create it as a variation per the variation theme you’ve selected.

Example: Need to create a 1- and 2-pack version of a Lampshade Clip Adapter.Create it in the flat file as follows:

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1. Enter package quantity - 1 or 2 per pack2. Distinguish the parent/child relationship3. Define the variation theme4. Determine which values are allowed under the specified

Variation Theme (e.g. for Color in the Home Improvement category, you must choose from a defined list of color values and include one in the “Color Map” field)

5. Determine which value the category template will allow to create variations - in this case it is “Color”. Create quantity variations in this field.

Note that the variation theme is color, so the text in the “color” field must vary between the two listings.

Once uploaded correctly, the listing now shows the two varia-tions as follows:



Getting helpWhile Amazon Seller Support will not upload your file for you, they can sometimes fix issues where the product is not display-ing correctly as a result of using flat files.

They can also help you determine any errors in your file which are causing issues on the listing page.

To get help from Seller Support, open a case via Seller Central and outline your issue, providing the batch ID so they can review the flat file and give you more specific help.

overview: templates · variation theme (e.g. for color in the home improvement category, you must...

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