Timeline for Ungating Approval for Amazon
Amazon is one of the biggest online marketplaces globally. And for professional sellers, it allows them to reach hundreds of millions of sellers.
But then you learn that Amazon sometimes throws you a curve ball because you will find out that multiple categories are restricted. And they might be the ones that you wanted to sell in.
Amazon sellers cannot sell products in a gated category without getting it unlocked. Some sellers who know how lucrative some of these popular categories are will do their best to get ungated, but there are queries that all new and seasoned sellers ask when they start the ungating process. For example, “how long will this process take?” and “is it worth it to try so hard to get ungated?”
Therefore, this article will try to answer the common question …
How Long Does it Take To Get Ungated on Amazon?
How Long Does It Take To Get Ungated On Amazon?
The length of time to get ungated on Amazon can be a couple days, a few weeks, several months, or possibly never.
Further, the length of time it takes to get ungated on Amazon depends on several factors such as whether you have the right documents and brand authorization, whether your paperwork is correct, whether your products meet proper regulations, and whether your account is in good standing.
When new sellers submit a request for ungating, they are always worried about how long the process will take. And the question is a bit difficult to answer.
You could ask Seller 1, and they will tell you they got ungated in a couple of hours, but if you ask Seller 2, they will tell you it took a few weeks. Seller 3 never gets approved or gets caught in some never-ending loop.
This is because how long it takes to get ungated depends on a couple of factors, like what category you want to get ungated in, how long you have been selling on Amazon, what your seller metrics look like, and if you meet all the requirements. It also depends on when you apply. This means that a seasoned seller with good metrics will potentially, but not always, get ungated quicker than one who just started.
Finally, there is the issue of mistakes and subtle errors on the paperwork. While they may seem insignificant to the seller, the representative approving the documents has every reason to deny the application.
The truth is that there no set time on getting approved.
The length of time to get ungated on Amazon depends on so many variables that no-one can say how soon your application will be looked at, and whether or not it will be approved.
What Are Gated Categories And What Does It Mean To Be Ungated?
A gated or locked category is one on which Amazon has placed some restrictions. When an Amazon FBA seller completes the process of getting approval from Amazon and is finally able to list a restricted product category, it is said that the seller is ungated.
But why are these products gated? Amazon gates categories for a few reasons.
- It wants buyers to get the best deals.
- Amazon is customer-centric and prioritizes the safety and satisfaction of buyers.
- To prevent the sale of substandard products, Amazon will restrict these categories.
- Another reason Amazon gates certain categories is to stay on the right side of the law. So the platform restricts product categories that might go against the regulations set by Federal, State, or Local Laws.
- Amazon also gates certain products and categories to protect the sellers. If these restrictions weren’t there, Amazon would be filled with substandard products, greatly reducing people’s trust in the platform. Nobody would want to buy from a place where they would likely get bad products. Hence, all sellers would seem to untrustworthy in buyers’ eyes.
Is Trying To Get Ungated on Amazon Worth It?
To answer this question, let’s examine the advantages of listing products in one of Amazon’s restricted categories.
If a product is gated on Amazon, there will be less people selling in that product category as those selling in the categories without restrictions. This is a huge advantage for sellers that seek and receive approval to sell.
If you manage to get ungated, you will have fewer sellers to compete with, which translates to more sales.
Another advantage of getting ungated is that many of these restricted category products are lucrative. They are the products that buyers are actively looking for. If you get ungated to sell them, you will have more buyers looking to buy your product. Again, this means more sales and more profit.
Getting ungated in a restricted category also means you are part of an elite group.
So is it worth it to get ungated? Our answer is an unequivocal yes.
Is It Hard To Get Ungated on Amazon?
We now most likely agree that getting ungated is a worthy process.
However, what you will realize is most sellers consider these gated product categories as no-go areas.
They believe the approval process is too stressful, difficult, and not worth it. They won’t even bother to try.
But this isn’t necessarily the case. Getting ungated to sell different restricted product categories can be done if you have followed the proper process and adhered to the rules.
The approval process does require work and time which is sometimes frustrating since not all the tips and tricks are openly published
They do have a set of instructions on how to get ungated in the different categories, but it is harder to follow for inexperienced individuals.
Also, there is a Request Approval button in your account, but that doesn’t mean you click it and some hours later you are approved. There are documents to submit and review.
Not surprisingly, there are companies that are willing to provide you with Amazon ungating services for a fee if you think the process is too nerve-wracking and time-consuming.
They, often, have the experience of doing many transactions, so they know what problems may exist and they avoid them.
As a new seller trying to get ungated, many mistakes can be made. Your application will either be denied, or it will never get approved.
Tips On Getting Your Application Approved Quickly
1. Meet All Necessary Requirements
Check and recheck your documents. Make sure they follow the rules to the letter. It might even be worth it to let another person review them in order to find errors and fix them before submitting.
2. Submit Legitimate Receipts
Choose proper wholesalers to buy from and get wholesale receipts. Buying from retailers is not an acceptable option.
3. Use an Ungating Service
What you will find with a service is that they are already know the pitfalls of many seller applications. They avoid the “first-time” mistakes because they have been doing this for a long time. They have also been working with different brands, products and categories, so they know how things go.
Final Thoughts on How Long Does it Take to get Ungated on Amazon?
Sadly, there is no exact answer on how long it takes to get ungated on Amazon.
There is no published guidance on this question, other than to say that the rules must be followed.
Agreeably, getting ungated on Amazon might seem frightening, but we can assure you that sellers that make the effort and willing to spend the time do get approved.
Understand the requirements of the category, brand, or product you want to sell in, get a product that fulfills those requirements and apply for ungating.
