Are you looking to sell aromatherapy products on Amazon but are unsure how to get started or what inventory to list?
Well, Amazon’s marketplace is vast and you can sell plenty of aromatherapy products.
However, it is best to first and foremost understand what categories you are allowed to list in, as well as explore marketplace regulations to avoid violating Amazon’s policies.
Broadly speaking, you can list and sell Aromatherapy products on Amazon, but not until all the required documentation has been provided and approved.
Bear in mind Amazon regulates aromatherapy products as dangerous goods.
Wondering how to sell Aromatherapy products on Amazon?
We have compiled all the relevant information to help you navigate the vast marketplace.
So read on to ensure you get started on the right foot.
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy refers to the use of aromatic essential oils for beauty, personal care, and mental well-being, among other benefits.
These oils contain highly concentrated plant-based aromas extracted from herbs, flowers, roots, and tree extracts, and they include lavender, peppermint, etc.
Due to their high concentration, more users are testing these essential oils by diluting them into lotions, salves, and sunscreens.
Preliminary studies by various well-known ans well-respected institutes have pointed to certain health benefits of aromatherapy, including anxiety and pain relief, sleep aid, skincare, hair care, and nausea relief, among others.
Products Included in Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy, as a form of treatment, works through the absorption of essential oils through the skin as well as the sense of smell.
This section compiles the most common types of aromatherapy products available:
- Soaps and Cleansers
- Personal Fragrances
- Diffuser Blends
- Massage Oils
- Bath Salts and Additives
- Skin Moisturizers
- Facial Masks and Steamers
- Exfoliants
- Deodorants and Mouth Washes
- Balms, Creams, and Body Lotions
Why Amazon Regulates Aromatherapy Products as Dangerous Goods
Selling Aromatherapy products on Amazon essentially means you are listing and selling essential oils.
The listing can be done in two categories, namely; essential oils in the beauty and personal care category, or the aromatic essential oils in the food and beverages category.
But for any new seller, the first barrier to overcome is Amazon’s Dangerous Goods regulation, which impacts the sale of essential oils via the company’s e-commerce platform.
Amazon’s Seller Central Page refers to Dangerous Goods (also called Hazmat) as any product that poses a risk with regards to its handling, transportation, or storage because it contains corrosive, flammable, pressurized, or other harmful chemicals. On the same page, Amazon highlights aromatic essential oils in the food & beverages and the essential oils in the beauty and personal care categories as examples of dangerous goods under their Hazmat regulations.
Understandably so because most essential oils are flammable and need extra care while handling.
As a new entrant to the Amazon marketplace, being well versed with information on dangerous goods can help you to easily identify them beforehand and provide Amazon with relevant documentation, lest you violate the company’s policies.
Do I Need to Ungate Brands to Sell Aromatherapy Products on Amazon?
Yes, sellers must get ungated by Amazon before you can list and sell aromatherapy products, more so essential oils. Amazon’s criteria for ungating merchants into the aromatherapy categories require fulfillment of the platform’s Terms and Conditions, and successful submission of the necessary documentation, including a Safety Data Sheet.
Amazon has and always seeks to protect consumers by building an e-commerce marketplace secure and void of fraudulent merchants or counterfeit goods. That’s why the concept of ungating exists in the first place.
And to limit the possibilities of counterfeiters entering the platform, the e-commerce giant vets new sellers for certain restricted (gated) products.
Unlike previous years when most categories were open to new merchants, Amazon has gated categories in which new entrants can’t sell.
This concept has not only worked to protect consumers but has also enhanced brand credibility and reliability.
What Happens If You Sell Restricted Products in Violation of Amazon Policies?
Amazon imposes restrictions in two main ways, namely; brand gates and category gates.
However, restrictions do exist in some sub-categories, including beauty, health, food & beverages, and personal care.
When running a merchant account on Amazon, you may run into challenges and liabilities that may even imply violating Amazon’s policies.
And whether that happens accidentally or intentionally, Amazon can take necessary action, including depriving your merchant account of selling privileges.
Amazon’s restricted products policy requires that all items listed should comply with all the laws and relevant regulations as stipulated in Amazon’s policies.
The sale of unsafe, illegal, or restricted products directly contravenes the platform’s policies.
In the event of a sale of restricted products that violates Amazon’s policies, the platform may take appropriate action against the seller.
This cause of action may include but is not limited to:
- Immediate suspension or termination of selling privileges of the merchant
- Immediate termination of the business relationship
- Withholding and the subsequent destruction of inventory without reimbursement
- Returning inventory
That said, a violation of Amazon’s policies doesn’t spell an end to your merchant account.
If your seller account has been suspended, for instance, you can devise a persuasive plan that will see the platform reinstate your selling privileges.
Is An Aromatherapy Business on Amazon Worth It?
While there are considerable entry barriers to listing and selling aromatherapy products like essential oils on Amazon, doing your due diligence in market research can help you:
- Become ungated in the beauty and personal care categories.
- Provide all the necessary ungating documentation for your product.
- Understand Amazon’s FBA policies, and all terms and conditions.
The key to successfully running an aromatherapy merchant account is to acquaint yourself with the e-commerce platform and bypass saturated markets for more profitable and versatile gated ones.
Conclusion
Aromatherapy involves aromatic essential oils that folks use for beauty, personal care, and mental well-being.
Regarding the subject matter, you can easily list and sell aromatherapy products as long as you provide the necessary documentation.
Your eligibility to sell these products will ultimately depend on how well acquainted you are with Amazon’s policies on the regulation of dangerous goods.