Perhaps you did thorough research to find the perfect product to sell on the Amazon marketplace – it is in-demand and lacks significant competition. Not to mention…its sales potential knows no bounds!
However, additional research revealed that it falls into Amazon’s restricted product categories. Regrettably, you might not be able to sell the product at this point, especially if you are a newer seller. That being said, you’ll need to jump through a few hurdles before becoming ungated in certain product categories.
In fact, studies unveil that 7% out of 1,000 Amazon sellers are selling in gated categories (or sub-categories).
So, if you’ve stumbled upon this unpleasant discovery recently, there’s still light at the end of the tunnel, and this ungating guide will show you how.
What Does Getting Ungated on Amazon Mean?
Several product categories are restricted to tens of millions of sellers, especially new Amazon sellers. Amazon sellers need to become ungated to sell products in these categories.
For instance, collectible books are a prohibited Amazon category and require you to gain approval. Even if you successfully scan these products, you’ll fail to add them to seller central.
Getting ungated, however, is a solution.
A few sellers assume they must adhere to complex policies and procedures to get ungated. However, there’s no secret sauce to getting ungated. Instead, a few simple steps allow you to sell in restricted product categories.
Which Categories Require Amazon Sellers to Be Ungated?
Amazon places the products that have high potential to be counterfeit in the prohibited or restricted category. Furthermore, items that can be regulated heavily, including jewelry, collectibles, and wine, also fall under this category.
Nonetheless, note that Amazon constantly revises the list of these restricted products.
Because the marketplace wants customers to experience the best possible service on the platform, it takes actionable steps to combat scammers and counterfeiters. As such, several product categories are gated.
Some popular product categories that demand sellers to be ungated for selling include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Watches
- Fine Arts
- Entertainment collectibles
- Collectible coins
- Music & DVD
- Made in Italy
- Join Amazon Handmade
- Amazon Subscription Boxes
- Streaming Media Players
- Services
- Jewelry
- DVD, Video, Blue-ray
- Automotive and Powersports
Any Amazon seller can write compelling product descriptions, but not all sell what they promise. Amazon, the largest e-commerce giant, ensures sellers live up to their promises and meet customer expectations.
How Do You Get Ungated on Amazon?
Note that a few product categories require unique steps to get ungated. However, getting familiar with the general guidelines comes in handy regardless of the product you want to sell.
Here are some steps to get started.
Sign Up
You must sign up for a Professional Selling Plan on Amazon if you want to sell restricted category products. This will cost you around $39.99 monthly. Note that you’ll also need to pay for warehouse storage and fulfillment fees among other product costs.
Once you sign up with the Professional Selling Plan, move on to the next steps.
Identify Products You Want to Sell
Begin by logging in to your Amazon Seller Central Account and choose “Add Product” below the “Menu.” Here, you need to search for the product you want to sell. It could be fine arts, jewelry, collectible coins, services, etc.
Navigate the Application Form
Once you choose the products you want to sell, click “Listing Limitations May Apply.”
You’ll see a link next to the product name. Select “Request Approval,” and the page will take you to the application form.
You must fill out this application form to get approved for selling a specific item.
Complete and Submit the Application Form
Lastly, follow the on-screen instructions to fill out the form. Note that the application may vary slightly depending on the item type. Therefore, make sure you cautiously fill out the form before submitting it.
The marketplace might request that you submit invoices or images to verify the authenticity of the product(s).
Once you complete the form, select “Submit for Approval.” Now, you need to wait for Amazon’s response to your application.
Expect to receive these two responses:
- Successful. If you receive a congratulations message, lucky for you. You can now list your products on Amazon and sell them at your convenience. These products will likely have lower competition since there is a higher barrier to entry.
- Unsuccessful. In the event Amazon rejects your application, you’ll receive a response telling you that your application wasn’t approved. The best part is that Amazon informs you why it rejected the application, to begin with. Maybe your products didn’t match the invoices, or perhaps there was an issue with the images.
Amazon’s Restricted Product Claims Policy
Amazon goes the extra mile to keep the buyers happy. The last thing it would want is an accusation from a buyer that a product didn’t live up to the claims made in the listings. For this reason alone, Amazon’s product policy complies with the Federal Trade Commission regulations (FTC).
As a seller, you should take time out of your day to read the FTC guidelines regarding internet marketing. It’s your responsibility to ensure your product descriptions and statements are not deceiving or fallacious.
The Federal Trade Common aims to protect customers from unfair and misleading marketing practices and advertising that raise health concerns and cause economic harm.
Amazon also restricts products that claim they can treat, eliminate, or cure animal and human diseases without Food and Drug Administration Approval.
Further, you must read the Green Guidelines by FTC when making marketing environmental claims. For instance, if you say your product is designed using renewable energy, you must familiarize yourself with the FTC guides to ensure you’re selling right.
Because Violating Amazon guidelines can lead to severe consequences, it is better to understand the regulations beforehand. It’s always best to be proactive.
Otherwise, your listing may get canceled, and the platform may limit your Amazon selling privileges. Even worse, Amazon might remove your listing entirely, keeping you from selling that SKU.
Closing Notes
There’s nothing more enticing for brands and entrepreneurs than selling on Amazon. They conduct research to find in-demand, less competitive products that can generate healthy earnings.
But unfortunately, that doesn’t guarantee success on Amazon. You must ensure your product doesn’t fall under the ungated category; otherwise, you’ll fail to list or sell it.
In the event you stumble upon this discovery, a few simple steps can help you get approved and start selling your desired product.
