By default, the system turns on the Ignore sync setting whenever you list or link an FBA listing in Linnworks. As all stock levels for FBA listings should be managed by Amazon, this is done to stop Linnworks from providing any stock level adjustments to this listing.
Ghost listings or Phantom listings are FBA listings which typically have been provided a stock level outside of FBA's control.
Linnworks by providing stock-level updates to FBA can create an additional phantom/ghost listing if the Ignore Sync tick is unchecked.
Mostly this happens by:
The Ignore Sync is manually unticked by a user.
The Ignore Sync is automatically unticked when you are using Stock Item Linking import without specifying a value in the Ignore Sync column.
To prevent the issue:
Do not to untick Ignore sync for FBA listings.
When using Stock Item Linking import, be sure to add the value TRUE to the Ignore Sync column for any FBA SKUs you are linking.
If you are not sure which SKUs are FBA, use the Channel Linking report in Dashboards > Query Data to receive a CSV report where all FBA listings are marked with Source Amazon FBA.
What is an Amazon Ghost listing
A ghost listing is a product sold on Amazon that can produce two or more identical FBM listings on the offer page. One of those FBM offers will be fully controlled via the Inventory screen on Amazon Seller Central and will deduct stock levels properly.
The other one will just stay there with unchanged stock levels - allowing buyers to keep buying this product despite the SKU being out of stock in Seller Central.