About this document
This Style Guide is intended to give you the guidance you need to create effective, accurate product detail pages in the Sports & Outdoors category.
In addition to using this document, we encourage you to take advantage of the wealth of information available in our Help pages by clicking "Help" in the upper-right corner of any page in Seller Central.
Table of Contents
Section I: Overview
Section II: Title Style
Section III: Brand & Manufacturer
Section IV: Key Product Features
Section V: Product Descriptions
Section VI: Images
Section VII: Variation Relationships
Section VIII: Browse & Search
Section IX: Item Package Quantity
Sports & Outdoors
Whether you’re selling Exercise & Fitness equipment, Outdoor Recreational products, Sporting equipment or Fan Gear, accurate data is crucial to discoverability and sales. How you present your products will greatly influence the customer’s purchasing decision when shopping on Amazon.com. Providing clear and concise listings in a consistent format will better inform customers and enhance discoverability of your products. This can result in increased traffic to your product listings.
Please carefully review the following information and make the necessary updates to your product listings.
This section covers the following guidelines for setting up product detail pages:
Item TypeSelecting the correct Item Type Keyword for your product is the first step in creating an accurate, searchable and browseable product on Amazon.UPCUPCs are required to list Sporting Goods products on AmazonTitle StyleGet customer attention with great titles. Clear and concise titles will improve search results and catch the customer's attentionBrand & ManufacturerImprove discoverability and duplicate detection by entering accurate brand and manufacturer information.ImagesShow customers what they’re buying. Professional images on white backgrounds will bring life and added attractiveness to your productKev Product FeaturesHighlight the key features and benefits of your product.Product DescriptionsElaborate on the features and uses of your product.Item Package QuantityIndicates how many items are in the package. Please use if there is more than one identical unit in the package of the product you are sellingVariation RelationshipsMake choices easy: Display multiple size and color options on a single detail page.Browse & SearchImprove discoverability and traffic through search terms and keywords.
Required fields for each new product listing:
Item Type Keyword
Want to make sure your product ends up in the right part of the store? Selecting the right Item Type Keyword ensures that customers can find your product via search and browse.
Use the Item Type Keyword guide to select the category in which your product fits, then select the most appropriate Item Type Keyword from the list. Be as specific as possible - this will ensure the best results for your product.
Item Type Keyword is a required field and incorrect use is monitored by Amazon. Assigning an incorrect Item Type Keyword to your product will likely result in a negative customer experience: no one wants to search for family tents and end up with search results full of soccer balls.
The Item Type Keyword Glossary can be found at the end of this Style Guide.
UPC
Since 2009, UPC’s have been a required field for all Sporting Goods products. UPC’s are provided by manufacturers as single identifiers for products across the marketplace. UPC's create a better store experience for our customers by ensuring that offers for identical products are correctly grouped together. Most sellers know the frustration of having products incorrectly matched due to similar information on the listing when no UPC was provided.
Failure to provide a UPC for a product, when available, could result in removal of your offer on that item.
Title Style
Your product title is the first thing customers see when visiting your detail page. Does your title provide customers with the right information? Will they continue looking at your product offering?
The customer should be able to make a purchase decision based on the information in the product title alone, and only product-related information should be included. Amazon uses the words in product titles to display your product in search results. A concise and relevant title will drive traffic to your product. Always check titles for consistent format and accuracy. Follow the guidelines below to create product titles that make a good first impression.
Tips on how to create a great title
DoDo Not- Capitalize the first letter of each word (but see exceptions under Do Not)- Do not include price and quantity - Do not use ALL CAPS- Use numerals (2 instead of two) - If a bundled product, state value in parenthesis as (pack of X)- Do not capitalize: - Conjunctions (and, or, for) - Articles (the, a, an)- Keep it short, but include critical information - 50 characters maximum Note: Please include only standard text. Type 1 High ASCII characters (®, ©, ™, etc.) or other special characters are not supported.- Prepositions with fewer than five letters (in, on, over, with, etc.) - Do not include seller information ’Do not include promotional messages such as "sale" or "free ship" (use the Promotion Manager tool to include messaging)
Do not use your seller name for Brand or Manufacturer information, unless your product is Private Label or you are the Manufacturer ’Do not include symbols in your listings (such as ! * $ ?) - Do not include subjective commentary such as _Hot Item` or _Best Seller`
Elements to Include
1. For products that vary by size
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Size_name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineSize_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productSmallChildabcXYZ productMedium
2. For products that vary by color and size
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Color_name]+[Size_name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineColor_NameSize_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productRedSmallChildabcXYZ productBlueMedium
3. For products that vary by color
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Color_name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineColor_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productRedChildabcXYZ productBlue
4. For products that vary by style
Page 5
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Style_Name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineStyle_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productPCChildabcXYZ productMac
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Pattern_Name]+[Style_Name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LinePattern_NameStyle_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productStripedPCChildabcXYZ productPolka-DotMac
6. For Golfing products that vary by hand orientation, shaft material, and club loft
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Hand_Orientation]+[Shaft_Material_Type] + [Golf_Club_Flex] + [Golf_Club_Loft]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineHand- OrientationShaft_Material_TypeGolf_Club_FlexGolf_Club_LoftParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productLeft -HandedAldilaRegular10.5 degreesChildabcXYZ productRight-HandedRE-AX 55 GraphiteStiff9.0 degrees
7. For products that vary by pattern
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[pattern_name]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LinePattern_NameParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productPolka-DotChildabcXYZ productStriped
8. For products that vary by material type
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[material_type]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineMaterial_TypeParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productWoodChildabcXYZ productMetal
9. For products that vary by item weight
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[item_display_weight]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineItem_Display_WeightItem_Display_Weight UOMParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ product3OuncesChildabcXYZ product6Ounces
10. For products that vary by item length
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[item_display_length]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineItem_display_lengthItem_Display_LengthUOMParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ product9InchesChildabcXYZ product12inches
11. For Golfing products that vary by club flex
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[golf_club_flex]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineGolf_club_flexParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productRegularChildabcXYZ productStiff
12. For Golfing products that vary by hand orientation, shaft material type and club flex
For Parent ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]
For Child ASINs:
[Brand]+[Product Line]+[Hand_orientation]+[Shaft_material_type] + [Golf_club_flex]
Example of variation
Parent/ChildBrandProduct LineHand_orientationShaft_material_typeGolf_club_flexParentAbcXYZ productChildAbcXYZ productLeft-HandedAldilaRegularChildAbcXYZ productRight-HandedRE-AX 55 GraphiteStiff
Note:
the Variation Relationships Help page for more information.
Examples:
Good:
See all product images
Share your own customer images Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer Other products by Schwinn Anknhir & (380 customer reviews) | More about this product
Share your own customer images
List Price: $799.00
Price: $599.00& this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details You Save: $200.00(25%)
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Ships Separately in Original Packaging: If sending as a gift, note that contents cannot be concealed.
1 used from $439.00 No Interest and No Payments If Paid in Full in 6 Months ... When you purchase this item or other qualifying Sports & Outdoors products using the Amazon.com Store Card. Applies only to products sold by Amazon.com. Does not apply to products sold on our site by third-party sellers. 1-Click and phone orders do not apply. Additional restrictions apply.
Barbarian Match Rugby Ball
Other products by Gilbert
No customer reviews yet. Be the first, More about this product
Price: $54.44
To Buy, Add to Shopping Cart
Size: 5
See merchant's sizing charts
In Stock.
See pricing and availability chart for details. Ships from and sold by
Bad:
"YOUR PHOTO Rugby Ball Regulation Size. Great for game balls, gifts, coaches, players, fans, awards, contests, graduations, seniors, leagues,
high school, college, varsity, holidays, parents, trophies, clubs. Print -Too long
pictures, individuals, teams, logos." -Doesn't summarize product Other products by Diams Anhana ⊠ (1 custome out this product Price: $35.00
In stock.
Processing takes an additional 2 to 3 days for orders from this seller.
Ships from and sold by Photo Balls To Go. Gift-wrap available.
See all product images -Only capitalize the first letter of each word
GILBERT ALPHA QUEST SHOULDER PROTECTOR
Price: $40.00
Select Color and Size
Other products by Gilbert
No customer reviews yet. Be the first. ∣ More about this product
Select Color and Size to view availability (or, see the complete pricing and availability chart.)
Brand & Manufacturer
Brand information allows the Amazon.com customer to determine the model and brand of the product offered. These fields improve the accuracy of your product listings and help customers discover your products. Typically, Brand is the best identifier for a product, but occasionally Manufacturer is. Brand is a required field. product is Private Label.
BrandManufacturer- A unique and identifiable symbol, association, name or trademark which serves to differentiate competing products or services A name used to distinguish one product from its competitors; can apply to a single product, an entire product line, or even a company A name or symbol used to identify a seller's goods or services, and to differentiate them from those of competitors Example: O’Neill- A business engaged in manufacturing a product - Someone who manufactures something Example: La Jolla Group
Note: It is important to not use your seller name for Brand or Manufacturer information, unless your
Key Product Features
The Key Product Features bullets on the detail page give the customer more details about your product and can influence the customer purchase decision.
appropriateness, ideal conditions for the product, skill level, contents, country of origin, and soon
ContentExample: Feature BulletsFeatures5 point harness, safety featuresMaterials100% organic cottonPlace of OriginMade in USAWarranty Information1-year warranty with proof of purchaseDimensions and Weight30 by 20 inches, 12.5 lbsCare instructionsDry clean onlyOtherAssembly required, appropriate for 6 month and older, Awards won, etc.
Customers use this section of the detail page to get a snapshot of the product. They may finalize a purchase decision based on this information alone, or it may interest them enough to then read the full product description.
Note: Tips to improve readability
Do Not:
Examples:
Good:
Product Features
flight
Product Features
technology
Bad:
Product Features
Product Descriptions
When you describe your product, you might want to include some key features listed in your Feature bullets. However, go beyond a simple to-the-point description. Well-written product descriptions help the customer imagine the experience of owning or handling your product. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes: what would they want to feel, touch, or ask? Incorporating information about the feel, usage and benefits of your product can fire the customer's imagination. This is as close as you can come to creating an in-store experience. Product Descriptions are limited to 2000 characters.
DoDo NotDescribe the major product features and list product information including size, used-for and styleDo not include your seller name, e-mail address, website URL, or any company-specific information- Keep it short, but include critical information. - Include accurate dimensions, care instructions and warranty informationDo not write about anything but the product for sale; this is your opportunity to tell the customer what they are buying- Use correct grammar and complete sentencesDo not include promotional language such as "sale" or "free ship" (use the Manage Promotions tool instead)
Good: Product Description
Product Description
The GMC Topkick 21-Speed Mountain Bike features a full-suspension, strong aluminum frame that utilizes a floating beam suspension design that is mated to a Zoom suspension fork with elastomer/spring technology. The Topkick's drivetrain starts with Microshift push shifters. These shifters control Shimano's tried and true TZ-30GS derailleur. The drivetrain finishes up with a strong aluminum wheelset featuring V-shape rim profile and high-flange alloy hubs. Stopping is handled by Promax disk brakes on the front and rear. These brakes are vastly superior to rim brakes, especially under adverse road conditions. True to it's GMC roots, this bicycle is rugged, good looking, and built for the long haul.
Bad:
Product Description Product Description
THIS IS A GREAT BIKE THAT FOLDS INTO A SUITCASE! GOOD FOR KIDS, YOU, ME, IT'S JUST A GREAT BIKE! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! HTTP://AWESOMEPRODSFORYOUANDME.COM OR CALL US
AT 800-333-35686 PLEASE EAMIL WITH QUSETIONS, YOU CAN REACH US AT
THESEAWESOMEPRODUCTS@HOTMAIL.COM!!!!! YOU WILL LOVE THIS PURCHASE!
Images
Images display on the product search page and the product detail page. A professional image helps customers discover your product and can drive traffic to your product listings. Show customers what they will receive in their shipment (and only what they will receive). Make it easy for them to identify your product with a clear, high-quality image displaying exactly what you're offering.
Required- Product images must have a white background with a clear image of just the product - Product images should be at least 300-dpi 1,000-dpi images are preferred - Product images should be in color, not black & white - Show the entire product. The product should occupy at least 80 percent of the image area. - Include only what the customer will receive; accessories that are not part of the context of the context. product should not be shownProhibitedBorders, watermarks, text, or other decorations - Sketches / drawings of the product - real images only - Colored backgrounds or lifestyle pictures - Other products, items or accessories that are not part of the product listing - Image place holders (i.e. -temporary imagesII or -no image available - Images containing graphs of product ratings - Pictures with multiple colors of your product; only the product color you are offering should be displayed in the image - Promotional text such as "sale" or "free ship" (use the Manage Promotions too
Note: Zoom Functionality
When you submit an image of at least 1,000 dpi, customers can zoom in on your product image on the detail page. This provides a detailed look at your product and may reduce returns and negative feedback.
Examples of good images
Note: Be sure to provide the correct image for each child product when using variation relationships (discussed below). If the product varies by color, provide the image of the product (in the designated color) for each child product as the Main Image.
Additional Requirements for Sports Apparel Images:
Variation Relationships
Variations allow customers to choose the desired color,size, or hand orientation of the product from a single detail page, which you create using parent-child product relationships. Variations provide a cleaner customer buying experience. When setting up a product with variations, please consult the list of recommended variation themes by product type.
Note:
If your products currently match with Amazon offers on the detail page, please do not use Variation Relationships because your products will automatically match to an identical product offer.
The parent products are the initial display on the detail page. The child products are the products that are related to each parent and display when the variation is selected by the buyer. The relationship of parent to child is the variation theme. In the example below, the product varies by both color and size, so the variation theme is ColorSize.
There are three Components to a Parent/Child relationship:
In this example, the Child products must have both the Color and Size attributes filled out correctly. These are the required “Variation Attributes” in this example.
When to use Variation Relationships
Variations should be used in Sporting Goods to minimize the number of similar items listed individually. Sellers can improve the customer experience by using variations.
To help you determine which variation theme to use, we have included a Variation Relationship guide that lists acceptable variation themes by Item Type. Please consult this guide to ensure you are using an acceptable variation theme for your products.
When creating variations, you must provide information in these required fields:
Note:
If you enter the Relationship Type and fail to enter the color or size, you might receive an error when uploading your data or your product might not display properly on the website. Make sure you have entered all required variation fields for your products. If you fail to enter any of the required fields, your products could be suppressed from display on the Amazon.com. If you have questions, please contact Technical Support.
Required- Fully describe each child product, so all will be included in browse and search results - Add the size and color to the child product title - Use SKUs to build relationships using fields for SKU and ParentSKL - List the Child offers under the Parent SKU in the flat-file or XMLProhibited- Do not include price and quantity values for parent product - The parent title should not include size or color - Only use the variation theme recommended for the type of item you ar listing - Do not link any products that are not a variation of size, flavor or color to the parent product
How to set up Variations for a product
To properly set up your variation theme and product relationships, please see —Creating Variations with a
Flat FileII in Seller Central: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/200215860
Example detail page for Team Sports, Size & Color Variation:
Example detail page for Cycling & Wheel Sports, Color Variation:
Planet Bike Men's A.R.S. Anatomic Relief Bicycle Saddle Other products by Planet Bike ANNANA M (29 customer reviews) | More about this product List Price: $29.99 Price: $24.99 &eligible for free shipping with Amazon Prime You Save: $5.00(17%) To Buy, Add to Shopping Cart Color: Silver/Black
Browse & Search
Customers come to Amazon.com to shop for products. They can find your products two ways: either using the Browse option, or using Search Terms. Most often customers use a combination of browse and search. Make sure customers can find your products either way. Drive traffic by providing Search Terms and Item Type Keywords.
Classification- Browse
Thousands of merchants sell millions of products on Amazon.com. To help customers find products easily, Amazon developed a detailed product hierarchy or browse-tree structure. Customers refine by category and subcategory links until they reach the most specific product type.
Amazon uses your Item Type Keywords to classify your products under the correct browse nodes. In order for your products to continue to appear when customers refine their category options, they must be classified correctly to the deepest level. This means your dynamic climbing ropes should be classified as dynamic-climbing-rope and not just climbing ropes or climbing products.
See the latest Item Type Glossary in the Help section of Seller Central. The Item Type Glossary is a sports specific document that provides valid values for setting up your products. These values take advantage of the browse structure for categories on Amazon.com.
The attributes below are used for browse classification.
AttributeDefinitionExamples**ItemTypeKeywordEnables customers to find your products as they browse to the most specific Item Types. This is the most important value and determines browse category structure.Select an Item Type value from the Item Type Glossary, such as official-lacrosse-balls, lacrosse-stick-bags, or training-lacrosse-goalsOther Required AttributesDepending upon the Item Type, additional attributes may be required to create the best search and browse experience for customers. These attributes are listed in the Item Type Glossary.Hand-orientation for baseball gloves or Flex for a golf club.Team Name, League Name, Player NameUse these attributes to identify your product for inclusion in the Fan Shop. Be as specific as possible.Fill in the LeagueName attribute (e.g., NBA), the TeamName attribute (e.g., Phoenix Suns) and the PlayerName attribute (e.g., Steve Nash).TargetAudienceSpecifies the target audience of the item. This is used in browse refinements on the search pages.Select a target audience value from the valid values document, such as unisex, men, women, youth girl or youth boy.
** ItemType is required and is the most important attribute for getting customers to your product and in the most granular browse node.
Note:
___The Item Type must have the same exact spelling and formatting as listed in the Glossary. - Make sure all of your products have keywords for the most specific subcategory possible. (C) 2018 Amazon Services LLC Page 20
Search
Amazon automatically indexes the search terms that are derived from the standard-product-id (e.g. UPC/EAN), product-title, brand, manufacturer, and manufacturer-part-number, so you don't have to. This allows you to add even more keywords to your products. There are five separate entries for the keyword field and each can contain up to 50 characters-comma separated.
Search terms help customers find your products. Your product titles and company name are already searchable, so think about other words that describe your product. Think like Amazon customers when choosing your terms; use words they might enter into the search bar, including synonyms. Make sure they can find your products!
Guidelines for listing your Search Terms
Examples
Text-file feed
AJAKALAMANSearchTerms1SearchTerms2SearchTerms3SearchTerms4SearchTerms5
If you are using an inventory text file, the template fields for search terms appear as search-terms1, search-terms2, and so on. For more details about how to create effective search terms, see Using Search & Browse.
Add a Product in Seller Central
Search Terms: (Provide specific search terms to help customers find your product.)fill this space with your search termsyou should fill up all 5 lines with wordsyou don’t need to repeat your title wordscustomers search these words to find your productsword space word space word spaceExample: Dark Chocolate, Apples, Cookies
UPC and IPQ for multi-packs
For most products listed on Amazon, 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.
Examples
There are different UPCs for a single unit and a pack with multiples of that unit. If you create a multi-pack that is not sold by the manufacturer, verify if an ASIN for the multi-pack already exists. If it does exist, match to it accordingly. If the ASIN for the multi-pack doesn't already exist, you must create a new ASIN using its own unique UPC. The examples below illustrate the importance of UPC and IPQ for multi-packs. Non-manufacturer-created multi-pack ASINs cannot be listed as variations of a manufacturer-created multi-pack ASIN. You must either match to an identical multi-pack product detail page or create a new ASIN with a unique UPC.
Title (manufacturer-created pack)UPCIPQPriceSame product detail pageProduct X (Pack of 2)0001234567892$38Product X0001234567881$19Title (non-manufacturer-created pack)New product detail pageProduct X (Pack of 6)0001234567906$114
Title (manufacturer-created pack)UPCIPQPriceSame product detail pageBrand Y Beverage, 12 Pack00012345678912$35Brand Y Beverage, 1 bottle0001234567881$4Title (non-manufacturer-created pack)New product detail pageBrand Y Beverage, 48 Pack00012345679048$13
Title (manufacturer-created pack)UPCIPQPriceSame product detail pageBrand Y Dinner Plates, Set of Four0001234567894$20Brand Y Dinner Plate0001234567881$6Title (non-manufacturer-created pack)New product detail pageBrand Y Dinner Plate, Set of 1600012345679016$68