Overview

Amazon is undertaking a major reclassification of all Handmade products, moving them from broad "GUILD" product types to more specific standard product types. This multi-year initiative aims to improve product discoverability, enhance detail pages, and align Handmade listings with Amazon's standard catalog structure. Sellers with Handmade products need to take action after the reclassification to ensure their listings remain searchable and buyable.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Timeline - The reclassification began as early as January 4, 2025 and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025, with email confirmation sent to affected sellers.
• Product types are changing - Generic GUILD product types (like GUILD_SHOES or GUILD_JEWELRY) are being replaced with specific standard types such as SANDAL, NECKLACE, or PILLOW.
• Seller action required - After reclassification, sellers must validate new product types, assign Handmade classification attributes, and complete all required attributes for their listings.
• Buyability risk - Products may become unbuyable if required attributes for the new product type are not completed promptly after reclassification.
• Attribute freeze recommended - Amazon advises sellers not to update catalog attributes such as category, product type, item type keyword, program participation, Handmade classification, or department during the reclassification window.

How the Reclassification Works

Amazon is automatically updating three key attributes for all Handmade sellers: product type, item type keyword, and Handmade classification attribute. For certain categories like apparel and footwear, the department attribute will also be updated. Products are being moved from generic GUILD categories into hundreds of more granular standard product types. For instance, Handmade sandals move from GUILD_SHOES to SANDAL, Handmade necklaces move from GUILD_JEWELRY to NECKLACE, and Handmade pillows shift from GUILD_HOME to PILLOW. As part of this process, all Handmade classification attributes will default to "unclassified," requiring sellers to manually select the most appropriate designation such as hand designed or upcycled.