Sellers Get Ungated on Amazon for Increased Sales
Amazon sellers know that some product categories, sub-categories, and brands are marked as Restricted.
This is commonly displayed as Access Restricted – You Must Apply for Approval.
If you are a seller, then you must be familiar with this, if not, you are about to. Gated products on Amazon are essentially those that have access restricted.
To many, restricting categories on Amazon is a huge inconvenience that they could do without. The fact is, without these checks on quality and safety standards, you would probably see lawsuits flying all over.
Amazon aims to protect customers and sellers by ensuring that some commodities pass security checks such that they are safe for consumption, adhere to laid-out requirements, and are scam-proof.
However, it may turn out to be your savior when you fall prey to scammers in the marketplace. There are several advantages to getting ungated on Amazon.
Ultimately, they have something to do with increasing sales. However, to get ungated, you need to apply for approval. The trick is, different categories and products have different procedures to get ungated.
This post covers 4 easy methods to get ungated on Amazon.
Why Gate Products on Amazon?
Amazon imposes strict rules and policies that sellers need to adhere to before they are allowed to sell anything.
Some of these rules aim at protecting customers, others are meant to keep away counterfeit products from its site, while others serve to check the quality and standard of merchandise traded on Amazon.
For instance, the sale of branded goods on Amazon requires one to first seek permission from the brand owner to deal in their commodities. Therefore, to be able to sell, say, a Nike boot, you need the green light from the Nike company.
Essentially, to protect customers and consumers of products listed on Amazon from counterfeit, potentially harmful or poisonous, or fraudulent deals, some products remain restricted until sellers prove themselves.
They must follow set rules, guidelines, and standard measures.
How To Get Ungated on Amazon
We’ll cover 4 easy methods to get ungated on Amazon. Some will require lots of patience and performance, while some will need you to dig into your pocket for cash. Let’s review them below:
Method 1: Auto-Ungating
Seasoned and reputable sellers on Amazon get auto-ungated all the time.
Beginners will, therefore, need plenty of time to prove themselves since there wouldn’t be a huge variety of categories you can list on Amazon.
Usually, whenever you bump into a restricted product, you will be prompted to request approval. Proceed to click on the button.
If you are a reputable seller and no further documentation is required, you might just receive a Congratulations!
Followed by a text informing you that you were approved based on your performance history on Amazon. This is all it entails with auto-ungating.
A good performance on Amazon is measured using various metrics such as Inventory Performance Index, less than 2% negative buyer reviews, late shipments, and returns.
If the page is not eligible for auto ungating, then you will be opened to a window where you need to apply, sometimes with attachments to be considered for approval.
Method 2: Making Purchases
Here, you will need a reputable manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler.
One of the requirements Amazon demands to get ungated is an invoice – preferably, one which is later than 180 days.
Therefore, while ordering for inventory (at least 10 units per item), ensure you use a distributor or wholesaler since they give a comprehensive invoice that captures more details about the product.
Buying from say, a big box store could be more convenient, but such invoices are not be so helpful during the approval process.These types of stores are retailers and now wholesalers
Additionally, the said invoice must be in the original condition (unedited) as was issued, and buyer details to match those you provided in your Amazon Seller account.
As mentioned, you also need to ensure you order the correct quantity. It is recommended that you have at least 10 units of the same product in the inventory.
After confirming this information is accurate, take photographs of these items, covering all angles then upload and send them alongside your application to be considered.
Method 3: Opening an Amazon Business Account
This method is almost similar to making purchases. The difference is that you are creating a new business account that is independent of your Amazon seller account.
Once you open a business account, proceed to find a product belonging to a category you intend to get ungated, order at least 10 of these, document your invoice, take pictures, then upload them to Amazon.
Of course, every product category has a specific procedure that may differ from another.
Therefore, go through the steps as required then stay by your phone to respond to any more communication from Amazon.
Method 4: Hiring A Third-Party Ungating Service
This is where we come in… Click the Orange button or the Chat Now. We can help you.
Sometimes, it is much easier and faster for you to start selling if we complete the paperwork and necessities for you.
We have the years of experience and know what is needed and where to source it.
Extra Tips for Getting Your Application Approved:
- Ensure that all the details on the invoice and your seller account tally. Also, the invoice should be finalized and show that the products were delivered and paid for. Lastly, the invoice should be saved in PDF format.
- You can use the Optional Comments section to include relevant information such as your distributor’s contact information. This boosts your credibility with the approval team.
- Sometimes you will receive rejected applications. The best way to go about it is to continue resubmitting. Some people say that after various attempts, they got approved. This means a change of agents or avoiding bots enhances your chances to get approved. The secret is to not stop sending.
- You can use one invoice to get ungated from more than one category or sub-category. This requires you to have purchased different products from the same wholesaler in bulk.
Frequently Asked Questions about Getting Ungated on Amazon
How Long Will It Take for My Application to Be Approved?
The approval process may take hours, days, or even weeks depending on various factors such as the time you request approval, the documents required, and the category in which you need approval. If you submit a request during busy times, it may take longer to be approved.
Can I Sell Anything Within the Category After Getting Ungated?
Getting ungated on Amazon does not mean you can sell anything within the category. That is because Amazon imposes restrictions on three levels; brand, category, and product gating. Once you ungate a category, you will still need to ungate subcategories or brands to be allowed to sell anything.
Final Notes on Getting Ungated on Amazon
To get ungated on Amazon can be very easy if you have all the documents required and follow the set-out procedure.
It gets tougher in several categories such as jewelry or increasingly easier in others such as fashion.
Either way, the methods highlighted above are standard practices, and you can follow them alongside Amazon’s stipulated guidelines.
