Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon?
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Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
When people first started selling online and it became popular, anyone could sell anything. Smart sellers could go to outlet malls, buy brand stuff, and sell them at a discount without an agreement with the manufacturer or proof that the products they were going to sell were real.
But as time went on, the biggest e-commerce sites started to use restricted and gated categories. In 2016, Amazon did the same. Even though there are still some things you can sell on Amazon without approval, the list gets shorter every year to make sure that customers are getting quality products for the price they pay.
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
So, what can you sell without Amazon's permission? In this guide, we'll talk about Amazon's ungated categories, which will help you find a niche or market you can sell in without having to get permission to do so.
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
What Can You Sell Without Amazon's Permission?
Most e-commerce businesses that want to sell on Amazon look for classifications that don't require pre-approval so that they can start selling right away. You don't have to go through the approval process to sell in some of Amazon's ungated categories, which have a lot of money-making items. Most of the top product categories, like books, toys, groceries, and home and kitchen goods, are not gated. This means that any registered Amazon seller can start selling products in these open categories. Thirteen of Amazon's 33 main seller categories are completely open. Ten are not gated, but there may be subcategories or products that need approval.
When you start selling ungated products, you can open your store right away. Also, how well you do as an ungated seller can affect whether or not you can sell in gated categories in the future if you want to. Here are a few of Amazon's open categories:
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Amazon Accessories for a device
Cars and motorcycles.
Books on Beauty (Non Collectibles)
Camera & Photo
Cell phones and their parts
Home & Garden
Major Appliances for Industry and Science
Musical Instruments
Sports Tools & Home Improvement
What is an Amazon Gated Category?
A "gated category" on Amazon is a group of items that you can't sell unless Amazon says you can. For selling certain gated products and categories, that approval may be tied to performance checks, extra fees, and other requirements. The categories are locked to keep buyers and sellers safe, especially from fakes and fake goods. It's important to know that there are some brand names that you can't sell without permission. These are called "brand gates," and it's not always easy to get permission. This is a list of the gated categories for 2022:
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Collectible Coins
Entertainment Collectibles
Fine Art Gift Cards
Rings, CDs, and DVDs
Big-ticket items
Postage Stamps
Collectibles from sports
Media players that stream media
Videos, DVDs, and Blu-rays
These kinds of products can be sold on Amazon, but all sellers must first get Amazon's approval before selling gated products.
Amazon has both gated and open categories.
So, what's the difference between categories that are not gated and those that are? In gated categories, you need Amazon's permission to sell. In ungated categories, on the other hand, you don't need Amazon's permission to sell, so any registered seller can start selling products in a certain category.
Why Can't I Sell in Some Categories on Amazon? Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
As you can see, one thing that many gated categories on Amazon have in common is that you can sell fake or fraudulent products that look like real ones. All collectibles are easy to fake, and copying gift cards, music, DVDs, and videos in ways that break copyright laws is easy to do. Amazon blocks these to keep fake goods from getting to the original sellers and the public. "We want customers to be able to ship with confidence on Amazon," says Amazon. Before putting items up for sale on Amazon, sellers have to get approval for certain products, brands, categories, and sub-categories. Document requests, performance checks, and other qualifications may be part of the approval process.
What is the best category to sell in on Amazon that is not gated?
at her desk, a woman scans Amazon packages that have been approved to sell.
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
You can sell in a number of unrestricted categories to help your Amazon business do well. The following products are not gated, but not all categories are completely open. This list doesn't have all of Amazon's unrestricted categories, and some of them may have rules about what can be sold in them. Check out some of the best unrestricted Amazon sales categories below:
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Amazon Kindle: Kindle lets you sell digital books and books that you can listen to. These books can be written by authors who self-publish or by authors who are traditionally published. You can start publishing and selling your own work with Kindle Direct Publishing in about 24 hours.
Products for babies that aren't clothes, like shampoo and car seats, are in this category.
In Amazon's beauty section, you can find makeup for consumers as well as health and beauty products that a professional might use.
Books: You don't need to get permission to sell new or used books or Kindle books. To sell collectible and rare books, you will need to be approved.
Cell Phones & Accessories: This unlocked category has smartphones, cell phones, phone cases, phone batteries, and headsets.
Consumer electronics: Popular things you can sell in this category include small appliances for the kitchen and for personal care.
Grocery and gourmet foods include things like baby food, ready-to-eat meals, fresh meal kits, and specialty foods like vegan, keto, and calorie-based foods.
Home & Garden: Rugs, clotheslines, and other household items are in the Home category, while garden planters and lights are in the Garden category.
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Industrial & Scientific: Products like printers and lab equipment that are used in the industrial and scientific center are in this category.
Accessories for Kindles and Amazon Fire TVs: Anyone can sell accessories for Amazon products like Kindles and Fire TVs.
Products for the office: Products for the office include office furniture, supplies, and equipment.
Pet Supplies include things like food, treats, and furniture for different kinds of pets.
Some types of things tend to do better than others. Even though it's not a given that you'll make money on Amazon, there are some categories that can help you make the most money, such as:
Toys and Games: While not completely unrestricted, selling popular toys can be a way to make money. Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Electronics: Most of Amazon's best-selling products, like computer mice, keyboards, and cables, are electronic accessories.
Camera & Photo is a subset of electronics that includes cameras, photography equipment, camera accessories, and more.
Video games are one of Amazon's most profitable categories, since the company is very involved in game development and makes a lot of money from game streaming. Amazon
Books: E-books, hard copies, new books, and used books can all be popular. Amazon began as an online store for books, and it has stayed a huge force in publishing ever since.
Clothing, Shoes, and Jewelry: You can usually sell clothes on Amazon as long as they aren't from brands that are gated.
How do you get Amazon to let you sell something?
Most requests for Amazon category approval aren't hard, but they do take time. When you send in a request, you may get approved without having to do anything. This usually happens after a while of selling well.
So, go to your Amazon Seller Central account, check if the item you want to sell has any restrictions, and then follow the steps below to ask for approval:
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
Log in to your account and click on inventory.
Click the button that says "Add a Product."
Find the items or products you want to sell.
If it comes back as limited, click "Listing Restrictions Apply."
Click the "Ask for permission" button.
You might find out right away that your request has been granted. If you don't have enough information, the system will ask you for more. Some of the extra information can be harder to understand. You might have to send in detailed wholesale invoices and information about your business and products.
Amazon looks at your invoices and other information to decide whether or not to let you shop in the restricted category. Before making a final decision, Amazon might want to double-check the following:
Do you need brand permission to sell on Amazon
A rate of less than 1% of bad orders
A plan for pro-sellers
A good credit history and at least three months of sales history
A return address in the country where you are selling OR a promise that the item will be sent for free
Help with customer service in the language of the country
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