What is an ISBN and an ASIN?
In the world of eCommerce, it is hard to keep track of all the different product identifiers. What do ISBN and ASIN stand for? What is the purpose of product identifiers and when do I use them? Considering these questions is vital for online merchants which is why we have put together a brief guide for you.
ISBN, also known as International Standard Book Number, is a product identifier specifically attributed to books and other published media. The ID code consists of 10 digits if the book was assigned before January 1st 2007, while books published thereafter consist of 13 digits.
ASIN or Amazon Standard Identification Number is a 10-digit number that represents an item in Amazon’s product catalogue. ASINs are assigned at the moment of a product listing, and sellers can either create a new ASIN for items that are not in Amazon’s product catalogue or attribute them to existing ASINs for items that have already been listed.
ISBN and ASIN are sometimes used interchangeably for book listings on Amazon. However, this is not the case for all listings and there are substantial differences between the product identifiers. ISBN is an internationally recognized product identifier that is used across bookstores, marketplaces and other sales points, while ASIN is particular to Amazon marketplaces. Beyond that, ASIN is unique for one marketplace only. Therefore, an ASIN might be different for the same product on Amazon US and Amazon Australia. On the other hand side, ISBN is the same for published media across the globe.
The role of ISBN and ASIN for a seller
One of the advantages of ISBN and ASIN is that products are identifiable through an ID. Especially in inventory management this is important because it allows merchants to verify incoming orders, track items through the supply chain and more.
Amazon catalogs products once they are listed on a marketplace which allows for an overview of all available products within one marketplace. For sellers and their customers, ASINs allow products to be found quickly in searches. While keywords can be used as well, this is a more effective approach.
ISBN plays a vital role in listing products across marketplaces. In fact, selling books on Amazon, eBay and Walmart requires such an product identifier. Providing an ISBN as well as additional product IDs like ASIN will allow customers to search for your listings more effectively and improve product placement in search results. Hence, it’s beneficial for sellers to include as many product identifiers as possible.
ISBN to ASIN converter
There can be times where you have an ISBN for your item but you have to identify incoming Amazon orders with an ASIN. In these scenarios, it is useful to quickly look up the ASIN matching a given ISBN. With the Algopix converter tool, this is made possible fast and easy. All you need to do is plug in your ISBN and the matching ASIN will be delivered within seconds.
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