Top Tips For Getting Ungated On Amazon
Use a proper wholesaler and not a cash and carry, clearance or liquidation site.
Look at getting ungated as a totally separate process to selling in a gated category. Getting ungated is essentially a tick box exercise so make sure you tick all the boxes.
Dont use your Private Label products for the ungating application use local wholesalers instead. Once ungated you can then sell your Private Label product in the ungated category.
Always ensure your chosen wholesalers product has a matching ASIN on Amazon available to purchase.
Always ensure your chosen ungating ASINs are categorized correctly just for the restricted category you are trying to ungate.
Make sure they dont also appear in a non-gated category or your application is more likely to fail.
Choose products for the ungating process that you can either use at home, easily sell on eBay or quickly sell on Amazon.
You are not trying to make any profit on these items. The items are purely for the ungating process and to unlock Amazon restricted products.
Find a wholesaler with a range of products that will allow you to ungate more than one restricted Amazon category so you can save on delivery charges.
Dont try and do it on the cheap do it properly to give yourself the best chance of success. The benefits of getting Amazon category approval are huge so it is worth doing it right.
Ensure your invoices are dated within 90 days and ideally even more recent.
How To Get Receipt From Amazon
Please ensure that youve sent accurate info. After that, youll need to wait for your orders waybill. It is vital not to leave any writings on your receipts. Consider them as documents, so take good care of them!
When they arrive, make copies. They also shouldnt be marked by pen or pencil.
We advise you to scan your receipt. It is effortless, and the quality of scans is much better than photos. But if you dont have a scanner nearby, you can still use your phones camera. Ensure that you are taking pictures in a bright room and that they have high resolution.
Keep in mind that your waybill may not have your retailer name printed. In such a case, youll need to write it by yourself. Also, add the Universal Product Code, Amazon Standard Identification Number, and product ID for every item listed in the bill.
In some departments, retailers have to send photos instead of receipts. If you sell backpacks, suitcases, umbrellas, clothes, etc., please take pictures to get permission from Amazon approval services.
How To Get Ungated In Dietary Supplements
One of the most requested categories we get asked about ungating is Dietary Supplements. For that reason, we have put together a post specifically to cover !
Dietary supplements are similar to other gated categories on Amazon, except you also need additional documentation in order to get approval. Check out the post for full details.
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Amazon Gated Subcategories And Amazon Gated Products
Other than restricted product categories, Amazon also has restrictions for specific products and sub-categories. These are particular products that have special requirements due to safety, authentication, and collectible status but do not apply to an overall category. These gated sub-categories and products include:
As we mentioned above, these sub-categories and products all have guidelines tailored to ensure safety and authenticity to protect both sellers and buyers from fraudulent or hazardous goods. For more valuable goods such as collectible coins and sports collectibles, sellers will need to provide additional documentation to confirm the credibility and validity of the seller and product. As with restricted categories, if you are purchasing these gated sub-categories and products from a supplier or manufacturer, coordinate and communicate with them to obtain this information.
We have included the links to Amazons approval process and requirements for each respective sub-category and product if you need it for your products! Alternatively, you can check out all the restricted categories here.
What Happens If You Violate Amazon Policies
Overall, Amazon takes all the policy violations very seriously. If you break the rules, you may find yourself in a situation where your whole business is at risk.
In general, the safest way to avoid any negative repercussions is to do your research and comply with all of Amazons rules and regulations. However, if Amazon finds you violating their policies, the possible consequences are:
- Listing cancellation.
- Limits on your listing privileges.
- Suspension on your listing privileges.
- Removing your listing privileges.
However, Amazon does not necessarily limit the disciplinary actions to these. In extreme cases, Amazon may permanently withhold payments or terminate the business relationship. Also, sellers should be careful because selling illegal or unsafe products may lead to legal actions.
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Get Yourself A Website
You will say that coding isnt your forte. You really dont need it though. Use popular CMS like WordPress or Wix to build your website. We have customers building their site within an hour. Its that easy. If youre looking to free up time, there are plenty of other web designers who can help you too.
It doesnt cost much to sell under the restricted category. You can probably host your website for less than $10 a month. You will want it for different reasons. For one, it helps establish your professionalism in the market sphere.
Also, your customers and buyers can Google your business up. Businesses with more brand credibility are more likely to sell.
What Are Gated Categories
When you create a seller account on Amazon, you are asked to select a category.
These categories range from Automotive parts to Watches. Earlier all these categories were open to sellers.
That is not the case anymore. New sellers can only sell products belonging to specific categories. The categories that are shut off to new sellers are called Gated Categories. These categories are not permanently restricted.
There are multiple ways to get through them. Amazon might ask you to submit specific documents or pay a fee. Once you follow the process set by Amazon, you will receive approval for the category.
If you are a new seller, it is better to go for an ungated category. It is better to get a good sales record in an open category. Once you have a proven sales history, you can apply to get into restricted categories. Experienced sellers often get auto-approval for gated categories.
Amazon created gated categories to protect its consumers. It is also helpful in building brand reliability. The e-commerce brand wants to make sure that the sellers are legit.
Some people sell counterfeit products online, and these unethical practices ruin the companys reputation.
Lets take an example. When you buy a product on eBay, you always have a little doubt in your mind. That is why people never bought expensive items online. That has changed drastically. And that is all thanks to Amazon.
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Why Sellers Sell Items In Gated Categories
Especially if you are a new seller, you might be wondering why should I go through the trouble of selling items that are restricted. Admittedly, it is true that listing items that are not obligated for Amazons approval requires less effort and are suitable targets for beginners.
In general, fewer sellers are willing to go to that extra mile and handle all the hassle that relates to gated categories. However, due to this exact reason, there is an opportunity to increase your profits.
Selling on Amazon has become increasingly popular, and many want to jump on the bandwagon to profit from the most current trends. Therefore, certain markets are saturated and competition among existing listings is fierce. Moreover, finding new profitable items to sell on Amazon has become harder and harder.
Therefore, approaching possibilities that others consider too troublesome is your chance to Amazon success. Due to far less competition and possible higher profit margins, suddenly, the idea of selling restricted items sounds intriguing. All you have to do is to learn to play by Amazons rules.
How To Get Approved For Amazon Gated Categories
At this point, you are asking how to get approval for selling restricted categories? Luckily, getting the Amazon gated categories unrestricted is rather easy.
However, not all products or seller accounts are eligible to sell. The following steps instruct you on how to check if yours are eligible.
Here is the process to apply for approval:
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Amazon Ungating Services For Category Restrictions
Learn more about these Amazon ungating services to start selling your products in gated or restricted categories on Amazon!
Some of these services have a 100% money back guarantee, so you wont lose anything if they are unable to get you ungated! Get help ungating or unblocking restricted categories on Amazon from services that specialize in this subject.
Well list any pertinent information below to save you time from having to visit each website. This may include categories the websites may specialize in and additional services they provide. Dont forget to check out additional helplful articles on Amazon services at the end of this article!
Prices are constantly changing, so the prices listed in this article are at time of writing. Please check the website for most recent prices.
SellerZen is not affiliated with any of these services, nor does SellerZen endorse any of these services. Weve created this list only for informational purposes, so do your own due diligence before you sign up with any services listed in this article.
- Boost Review and Keyword Ranking
- Monitor ASIN and Prevent Suspension
- Legal Multiple Amazon Accounts
- Remove Negative Feedback
- Amazon ungating services in 24 different categories starting from $599 with some of the more popular ones below:
- Topicals
- Amazon ungating services in 11 categories, with some of the more popular ones below
- Health Medical Devices, Sports Nutrition, Dietary Supplements
- Beauty Topicals
Get Ungated On Amazon Restricted Category Approval
The restricted category is a niche section of Amazon. You will find this place to have fewer competitors.
That being said, you may find it to be time consuming. You need to look to get approval to sell under these gated categories. Doing so can increase your benefits by a significant amount.
- This is because you will be reaching out to customers many other sellers do not.
- You may also be able to sell products that have a higher profit margin.
Sure, these products come with many restrictions. But its a two-edged sword. You want to sharpen the edge you need more.
Think about this there is virtually no competition for you. Sure, as little as a hundred people may be searching online for the product. But if youre among the few sellers offering it, the chances of making a sale are far higher.
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What Are Amazon Restricted Categories
Amazon restricted categories are exactly that. Entire categories that have Amazon gatekeepers.
Often referred to as gated categories restricted categories are decided upon by Amazon for reasons that differ between each category, and as you might guess, only Amazon itself is privy to those determining factors.
The good news is that Amazon no longer restricts entire categories which was its previous practice, and instead applies restrictions only in some sub-categories and sub-niches. This is why, if you look at the list of restrictions, youll see what appears to be a relatively small list of restricted categories, yet a long list of restricted products.
Its important not to confuse the restricted categories with restricted products. You might potentially wish to source a product which appears to fall into a restricted category, but if the product itself is not actually restricted, you may be able to list your product in an alternative category with a little imagination and creativity!
If you think about it, often products can fit within more than one category. For example, a hula hoop could drop into toys and games which is a seasonally restricted category, but it could also be sold via the sports and outdoors category, which is not restricted! So, thats the first consideration you should make as you may not need to get approval for a category when an alternative will work just as well for your product.
What Are The Requirements For Invoices
The basic requirements for invoices include:
- Invoices must be at hand in the last 180 days.
- All docs have to be valid, not expired.
- Invoices have to be original without external manipulations to alter their data.
- They must contain 10+ purchased units at the related category, ASIN, or brand.
- Name and address must be included .
- Contact information like phone number, addresses, emails, and websites has to be provided.
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Ungated Categories On Amazon
Fortunately, many categories are automatically open for all Amazon sellers, including new ones. These are an excellent start for most sellers and often a way to get experience.
The list of ungated categories on Amazon in 2021:
- Baby *
- Tools & Home Improvement
- Toys*
- Video Games*Despite these categories being far more accessible, some restrictions may still apply regarding subcategories. Additionally, during the busy holiday season, restrictions apply to anything in the Toys and Games category.
Get Ungated With The Selling Family
If you can’t get approved with Automatic Approvals and Amazon asks you for invoices, you might not know where to go. After all, Amazon isn’t looking for receipts from places like Target, they want invoices from reputable suppliers.
If you would like our help getting ungated in the Grocery and Gourmet Foods, Toys, Topicals, Baby Topicals, Baby Diapering, Oral Hygiene, or Feminine Hygiene subcategories, we can help!
After working with multiple suppliers, we now teach a simple, step-by-step training that will walk you through the process of getting ungated in many popular subcategories.
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What Are The Open Categories
More than 20 categories are listed as open categories. They dont need any specific permissions to be sold. Some categories only allow listing for new products. Some of them can be listed for used or refurbished ones.
Notice that maybe a category is open but some brands or products within the category can be gated again.
Here list of the ungated categories that Amazon has officially released.
| Product category |
Amazon Ungating For Restricted Categories
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for ungating a restricted product category. Instead, Amazon has shared general information about the criteria sellers need to fulfill to obtain approval.
Note that approval may come with extra selling fees depending on the category, rigorous seller performance checks, and/or required documentation from recognized organizations.
While there are a plethora of blogs online by Amazon sellers with all sorts of ungating anecdotes, there are certain things many sellers agree on when it comes to ungating.
The following is a list of some gated product categories for Amazon.com:
- Postage Stamps
- Requirements for selling Automotive and Powersport products
- Services
- Sports Collectibles
Just like prohibited products, Amazon gated categories also differ for different Amazon marketplaces. Letâs go over the ungating process for some of these gated categories.
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Amazon Category Ungating Step
Create An Online Store
Its not a requirement for you as an Amazon seller to have your own eCommerce store, it is required for some restricted categories. And even if it isnt required for the category you want to get ungated from, it can still help improve your chances because it shows that you are a legitimate seller.
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Submitting Supplier Invoices To Amazon
When you apply for the selected category, you will need to have the official invoice that comes inside the box not just a printed copy of what gets emailed to you after the purchase.
You can use your phone to take a picture of the invoice, then submit that image to Amazon.
In some circumstances, you can get your sales rep to give you a PDF of the invoice before your order arrives. The company we recommend in the Toy Ungating Workshop usually does this for us which greatly speeds up the approval process.