Tips for getting ungated in 2022.
Delivering great customer service is Amazon’s number one priority. That’s why you get Amazon restricted categories which include products that are susceptible to quality, safety or counterfeiting issues.
Ultimately, this is to protect consumers from dodgy products but it can also make life difficult for reputable sellers who are forced to jump through hoops in order to sell their products.
But like any barrier to entry, gated categories also offer opportunities for determined sellers. They are typically less competitive and are often home to more high-ticket items so they offer some rich pickings for sellers who are able to get ungated.
In this article, I look at the process for getting ungated and some of the ways in which sellers can improve their chances of getting approved for Amazon restricted categories.
Gated categories
There are several categories that are gated by Amazon. The list changes on a regular basis but the current list includes:
- Automotive and Powersports
- Collectible Coins
- Entertainment Collectibles
- Fine Art
- Music
- Sexual Wellness
- Sports Collectibles
- Streaming Media Players
- Toys and Games (Holiday Selling Guidelines)
- Video, DVD, and Blu-ray
- Watches
From a quick glance, you can see they are all categories which might be susceptible to counterfeiting or product safety issues. Make sure you check out Amazon for the very latest list.
Restricted products
To complicate things further, Amazon also has certain restricted products.There are gated sub-categories which are inside unrestricted categories. Again, these are typically products that come with a high risk of product quality issues or counterfeiting.
The list includes:
- Alcohol
- Animals & Animal-Related Products
- Art – Fine Art
- Art – Home Decor
- Automotive and Powersports
- Composite Wood Products
- Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care
- Currency, Coins, Cash Equivalents, and Gift Cards
- Dietary Supplements
- Drugs & drug paraphernalia
- Electronics
- Explosives, Weapons, and Related Items
- Export Controls
- Food & Beverage
- Gambling & Lottery
- Hazardous and Dangerous Items
- Human Parts & Burial Artifacts
- Jewelry & Precious Gems
- Laser products
- Lighting
- Lock Picking & Theft Devices
- Medical devices and accessories
- Offensive and Controversial Materials
- Pesticides and Pesticide Devices
- Plant and Seed Products
- Postage Meters & Stamps
- Recalled Products
- Recycling electronics
- Subscriptions and Periodicals
- Surveillance Equipment
- Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products
- Warranties, Service Plans, Contracts, and Guarantees
- Other Restricted Products
- Refrigerants: Ozone-Depleting Substances and Substitutes
Be sure to check out Amazon for the very latest list of restricted products.
How to apply to sell in a gated category or restricted products
To sell products from Amazon restricted categories, you must first request approval through Seller Central. The process for applying is pretty straight forward. Simply:
- Login to Seller Central and click on Inventory;
- Click add a product and then find the product you want to list;
- Look for the link that says “listing limitations apply” and click on it;
- Click on the “Request Approval” link;
- Go through the application form that is provided;
- Upload your documentation and or product images as required;
- Then wait to hear from Amazon about your application.
As you go through the application process, you may be asked to provide certain documentation and pay additional fees. The evidence required varies significantly from category to category.
For some categories such as dietary supplements, you will need to show evidence of FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the US Government) approval for example, while selling in Fine Art requires you to have an established website and off Amazon presence.
The important thing here is to have all the documentation you need ready before you complete the application.
Once you’ve submitted your application, Amazon will review your account and the information you have submitted and either approve your request, ask for further information or reject your request.
You can monitor the status of your application by logging into your account, clicking Add product and then Selling Application Status.
What should you do to improve your chances?
There is no guarantee that your application will be granted but here are a few steps you can take to significantly improve your chances of approval.
Make sure your performance metrics are good
Amazon requires you to have good performance metrics in order to qualify for ungating. This typically means an Order Defect Rate of less than 1%; a Pre-Fulfillment Cancellation rate less than 2.5% and a Late Shipment Rate less than 4%. If you’re selling through Amazon FBA then your fulfilment metrics are likely to be pretty good.
Retain proof of authenticity
Depending on the category, Amazon will ask to see evidence which demonstrates where your stock originates from and that the products are authentic. This could include photos of your products. These should be actual photos and not computer generated or photo shopped. Make sure you have these ready before you start your application.
Make sure you meet Amazon’s requirements to the letter
As with all documentation you provide to Amazon, you need to make sure that your documents meet Amazon’s requirements exactly. The requirements for invoices are very strict. They must:
- Be dated within the last 90 days;
- Be commercial invoices. Don’t use pro forma invoices or receipts;
- Include your name and address (these need to be identical to the details listed in your Amazon Seller account);
- Include the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor;
- Show the purchase of at least 30 units across all invoices;
- Show the purchase of at least five different products of ‘product X’ across all invoices.
You should also scan or take a photo of your invoices and edit the copies by adding the ASIN numbers next to the products listed in the invoice. Then you should take a screenshot of the product information as it appears on Amazon for each ASIN. The screenshot should include the ASIN, UPC, and item model number.
Have high quality listings
When Amazon reviews your application, it will look carefully at your account and your sales history so it makes sense to make sure your product listings are looking tip top.
Amazon wants to ensure that you are a reputable seller and your product listings are compliant and high quality. This means your listings should have descriptive titles, attractive product images, concise bullet points and well written product descriptions. I talk about how to create top class product images in this recent video.
Check the local laws and regulations
Laws and regulations differ depending on the country you are selling in. For example, if you’re selling cosmetics in the US you’ll need to demonstrate proof of a valid U.S. FDA registration whereas if your selling cosmetics in the EU, you’ll need to abide by EU Cosmetic Regulation.
So make sure you know exactly what is required in order for you to be compliant in every country you sell in.
What should you do if your application is rejected?
If your application is denied, Amazon will often provide you with an explanation as to what is missing or which document is incorrect. If they don’t, it’s worth following up with them to ask for more information about your application. Then once you have addressed the issues you can resubmit your application.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Amazon sometimes gates certain categories at certain times of the year (e.g. Toys & Games) and then ungates them again so you may be able to sell in the category in future.
Summary
Getting ungated can be challenging but it is often worth the extra effort. By forcing sellers to go through these extra steps, Amazon weeds out less reputable sellers, thereby reducing competition in categories where there is often a lot of traffic.
A lot of gated categories are also home to expensive products so sellers can make high value sales with less of the competition we see in ungated categories.
If you haven’t applied to sell on Amazon yet, check out my 5 pitfalls to avoid when registering for a seller account.