Amazon Ungating

One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as an Amazon seller is finding profitable products—only to realize that you’re not approved to sell them. This process, known as “gating,” is Amazon’s way of ensuring quality and protecting its marketplace. If you’re getting into online arbitrage or retail arbitrage, learning how to get ungated (approved) for certain brands and categories is a key step to scaling your business.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how to navigate the process and get ungated to sell restricted products on Amazon!

Why Does Amazon Gate Certain Products?

Amazon sets restrictions (or “gates”) on specific categories and brands to protect the quality of its marketplace. Gating helps keep counterfeit and low-quality items out, ensuring customers receive legitimate, brand-name products. However, as a seller demonstrates legitimacy and good metrics over time, Amazon may begin to “ungate” them, allowing access to previously restricted products.

Common Types of Gating:

1. Category Gating: Amazon may restrict entire categories, such as Topicals, Grocery, or Toys. Sellers need separate approvals for each category they want to access.
2. Brand Gating: Some specific brands, like Lego and Disney, require individual approvals to sell their products.

Why Getting Ungated Matters for Your Business

Ungating can open the door to high-demand categories. For instance, Grocery and Topical items are great for replenishable products, as people frequently re-purchase them throughout the year. Toys, on the other hand, become extremely lucrative in Q4 (holiday season), when demand skyrockets.

Being able to sell restricted items can be a big advantage, especially in these high-demand categories and times of year.

How to Check if You’re Gated or Ungated

You can quickly check your gating status using the Amazon Seller app. When you scan a product that you’re restricted from selling, you’ll see a message that says “Requires Approval.” Here’s what to do next:

1. Look for the “Request Approval” button on the bottom right of the product screen.
2. Tap it, and Amazon will guide you through the steps you need to take to apply for ungating.

How to Get Approved for Gated Categories and Brands

There are a few different paths to ungating on Amazon, depending on Amazon’s requirements and your history as a seller:

  1. Automatic Approval

If you’ve been selling on Amazon for a while and have a good account standing, you may be approved right away. Amazon might display a message like, “Based on your seller history, you have been approved to sell this brand or category.” Congratulations—you’re now ungated for that item!

  2. Approval by Invoice

If automatic approval doesn’t apply, Amazon may request an invoice from a legitimate distributor or manufacturer for the product. Here’s what you need to know:

• Distributor Invoice: The invoice should show your business name and address (matching your Amazon Seller account), as well as the distributor’s information.
• Minimum Purchase: You’ll need to purchase at least 10 units of the item you’re requesting approval for (note that for multipacks, you’ll need enough units to cover 10 packs).
• No Retail Receipts: Amazon won’t accept retail receipts (e.g., Walmart receipts). The invoice must come from a recognized distributor.

Pro Tip: Never attempt to submit altered invoices, as doing so can get your account banned.

  3. Desktop-Only Approval Process

In some cases, Amazon will require you to complete the application on a desktop device. If this happens, simply:

1. Copy the ASIN (Amazon’s unique identifier for each product).
2. Open Amazon Seller Central in your web browser and go to the “Add a Product” page.
3. Paste the ASIN, select “Request Approval,” and follow the steps, including a video tutorial and review questions.

Special Requirements for Category Ungating (e.g., Topicals, Grocery)

When ungating a category like Grocery or Topicals, Amazon may request additional product photos. They usually ask for multiple angles to verify the product’s legitimacy.

Finding Distributors for Ungating

Once you’re familiar with selling unrestricted products and have a few sales under your belt, you can start looking for distributors to help you get ungated in more categories. Remember, rushing into ungating too soon can lead to unnecessary costs and complexity—build a bit of experience first.

When you’re ready, you can search for reliable distributors who can provide professional invoices that meet Amazon’s requirements.

Avoid Third-Party Ungating Services

While some services claim to get you ungated for a fee, they come with significant risks. Many of these services use unauthorized or fraudulent methods that could get your account banned. Stick with Amazon’s instructions, and focus on legitimate ways to ungate your account for the best results.

Key Takeaways

Getting ungated is an essential skill for Amazon sellers who want to expand their product range. Here’s a quick review:

1. Start Selling Unrestricted Products: Many gates open automatically as you build a good selling history.
2. Follow Amazon’s Approval Process: Use Amazon Seller Central and the mobile app to check for gating and submit approval requests.
3. Find a Reliable Distributor: When you’re ready, obtain invoices from a trusted distributor to submit for ungating.

If you need further guidance, check out the detailed guides I’ve put together based on my own experience. I also offer 1-on-1 coaching for sellers looking to take their business to the next level.

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