When reviewing your product list or uploading Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) data in your hellotax account, you may notice some products listed without a cost or inventory. These are often Parent ASINs.

This article explains what Parent ASINs are, why they appear without COGS, and what action (if any) you need to take.

What Is a Parent ASIN?

A Parent ASIN is a non-physical product used by Amazon to group related product variations together on a single product detail page.

Example:

• Parent ASIN: “Nike T-Shirt”

• Child ASINs:

  • “Nike T-Shirt – Red – Size M”

  • “Nike T-Shirt – Blue – Size L”

Customers purchase Child ASINs, not the Parent ASIN itself.

Why Do Parent ASINs Have No COGS?

Parent ASINs are not real, sellable products:

• They cannot be stored

• They cannot be shipped

• They hold no inventory

Because there is no physical stock, there is no Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) associated with a Parent ASIN.

This is normal and expected behaviour.

What Action Do You Need to Take?

✅ No Action Required for Parent ASINs

If you see Parent ASINs without COGS in your product list:

• You do not need to calculate or assign a cost

• You can safely leave the COGS field blank or set it to “0”

✅ Focus on Child ASINs

Ensure that all Child ASINs (the actual sellable variations) have:

• Correct COGS entered

• Accurate product data

As long as Child ASINs are correctly populated, your VAT and reporting calculations will remain accurate.

Summary

• Parent ASINs are organisational listings only

• They do not represent physical products

• They will always show zero or blank COGS

• Only Child ASINs require cost information

If you’re unsure whether an item is a Parent or Child ASIN, or need help with your product uploads, your hellotax Account Manager is happy to assist.