What can I sell on Amazon without approval?
It’s a question that any Amazon seller, especially new sellers, have asked themselves before they start to sell on Amazon. It’s a legitimate question to ask because you want to maximize every listing to gain profit for your business. The products you choose for your business is critical to your success, which is why you must pick Amazon’s best selling products and ungated categories.
If you are new to Amazon selling, you might not be aware that there are listing limitations on the ecommerce platform. It is a way for Amazon to regulate the products sold on the website and to ensure no illegal items are listed on their marketplace. Certain categories on Amazon have stricter approval measures than others, which is why you need to be aware of these categories before you start to sell on Amazon.
This guide is what you need to learn more about restricted categories on Amazon so you can maximize each listing and your profit potential.
What Are Restricted Categories on Amazon (aka Gated Categories)?
One of the things that new sellers must know about when choosing products to sell on Amazon is the different Amazon categories. There are two types of product categories: gated and ungated categories.
Gated categories are those products that require approval from Amazon before you can sell products under that category. The products require approval because they are considered high-risk items that require extra measures to ensure the safety of the consumers. For example, products that require approval before you can sell on Amazon are grocery and gourmet foods, along with products in the beauty category.
Amazon is one of the top ecommerce platforms and they want to maintain that reputation by imposing an approval process on many products sold through this platform. Part of the reputation that has helped Amazon become one of the go-to websites for ecommerce is its commitment toward optimum customer satisfaction and experience. Creating restricted categories is one of the ways in which they can maintain the high quality standard on the website.
Aside from maintaining quality of products within the website, Amazon is also imposing the gated categories on some products to prevent an Amazon business from listing fake or fraudulent products. The products that belong to the particular category within the restricted list are the ones prone to having products that are fake or a fraud. The request approval button is provided for Amazon sellers to ensure that the products are validated first before they can be listed on the website.
If you want to sell on Amazon without approval, you need to choose products that are outside of the restricted categories. To give you an idea, the following are the restricted categories on Amazon, so you can determine what to sell on Amazon. You can also see the full list of the Amazon’s restricted categories here:
• Blu ray, DVD, Videos
• Music
• Amazon subscription boxes
• Sports collectibles
• Watches
• Jewelry
• Streaming media players
• Collectible coins
• Postage stamps
• Fine art
• Services
Products restricted, such as those under the Amazon gated categories above, do not mean that you cannot sell them on Amazon. However, these products require approval from Amazon before you can list them on your business.
Your Ungated Category Guide
If you want to get up and running with your business as an Amazon seller right away, you can do so if you choose to sell products that don’t require approval from Amazon. Amazon sellers have a few options available from the ungated Amazon categories.
An important thing to keep in mind when you are listing products from the ungated category, you must still abide by the existing rules and regulations on the website that apply to all Amazon sellers. You don’t need approval to sell these products so you must pay due diligence to ensure that these products are safe to list in your Amazon store.
The beauty category is one example. There are some products under this category that require approval from Amazon, such as the serums, creams, and oils. You have a few options within the ungated categories so you can skip the step of getting Amazon’s approval to sell before you can get your business off the ground.
Here is a list of the products you can sell on Amazon that won’t require approval:
• Kindle accessories
• Beauty and personal care products
• Grocery and gourmet foods
• Home improvement
• Cell phones and accessories
• Automotive and powersports accessories or parts
• Camera and photo supplies
• Industrial products
• Books
• Musical instruments
• Major appliances
• Kitchen tools and appliances
• Smart home accessories
• Electronics
• Arts and crafts
• Outdoor recreation
• Sports equipment and accessories
• Amazon fire TV accessories
• Pet supplies
You can choose from any of the above items under the ungated category to sell on your Amazon store. Depending on the niche of your store, you can choose only a few items that would fit into your niche or a combination of these ungated categories. Since they don’t require approval, it’s easy to get your store up and running because you can list the products immediately.
It is important to read the rules and regulations about listing limitations on Amazon, though. While the ungated categories do not require approval, some of the sub category niches might have products that require approval. Therefore, you must be extra careful that you do not violate any of the existing policies for listing products that are restricted.
There are 33 main product categories on Amazon and only 13 of them are ungated. Meanwhile, 10 of these product categories that are ungated might have sub categories that require approval based on the specific product.
Most Profitable Ungated Categories for a New Seller
If you are a new seller, it makes sense to sell products that belong to the ungated category. Since it won’t require approval, you can sell on Amazon without waiting for the approval process, which can take some time.
But with limited options, how do you know which categories are going to be most profitable? Any new seller wants to know Amazon’s best selling products and best ungated Amazon categories to maximize profits!
According to the Jungle Scout 2021 State of the Amazon Seller Report, the most profitable product category is home and garden. About 40% of the total sales on Amazon belong to this category, which makes it an attractive option for your Amazon business.
Another popular ungated category on Amazon is the sports and outdoors category. About 21% of Amazon sales belong in this category. The sports category is ungated so you can start listing products from this category; however, some items under outdoors are going to require approval. Be diligent in choosing the right products to sell on Amazon so you can list them without any glitches.
The toys and games category follows the list with 19% of the Amazon sales. This, too, might have a sub category that will go through the approval process before they are listed. Make sure you research what these products and sub categories are so you can start making money on your Amazon store.
The beauty and personal care category follows the list of the top-selling categories on Amazon in 2021. It is followed closely by health and baby care products, which could have sub category niches that must go through the Amazon approval process. If you are looking for more profitable products to list on your store, you can choose from the home improvement and pet supplies categories. These items are best-selling all year round so you have a good chance of making lots of sales – and profits – from your Amazon business.
Even if your options are limited, you have quite a few options if you take the time to explore the above-mentioned popular ungated categories.
How to Get Approval to Sell on Amazon
If you insist on listing items that are among the restricted categories on Amazon, it is important that you know how the approval process works. Approval requests on Amazon for restricted products are not complicated. Therefore, you shouldn’t be afraid to send in your request if you want to sell products within Amazon’s restricted categories – you just have to be patient to follow the process.
Step 1: Go to the Amazon Seller Central account.
If you have any item that you want to sell but belongs to the restricted product categories, click the “Add a Product” button. Once you add the item and it is marked as restricted, choose the “Listing Limitations Apply” option. After that, you must click on the Request Approval button.
Step 2: Wait for Approval
The next step is to wait for the notification that your restricted product has been approved for listing. If not, you will be asked by the system to provide supporting details for the specific product to facilitate the approval process.
This is when things can get a bit complicated. It might be a puzzle to determine how and what type of supporting details and documents you must provide. Most sellers will provide a wholesale invoice for the product from their supplier. Others also provide information about their business and its products.
There are also unique requirements for approval for various restricted categories. Therefore, the screening process for one restricted category won’t apply to products in other gated categories. This process makes it tricky, which is why sellers are advised to choose items that belong to the open categories, or those that won’t go through the approval process.
Final Thoughts – What Can I Sell on Amazon Without Approval?
Understanding the concept of ungated versus gated categories can be critical to the success of your Amazon business. Take time to learn about the different product categories and the restrictions that apply to each. If you are a new seller, it can be overwhelming trying to determine what products to sell on Amazon without approval. But over time, you will become more familiar with the distinctions and the Amazon categories that it will be easy for you to discern on your own.
Whether you choose to list products from a gated or ungated category is up to you. However, you can refer to the list provided here as a guide to help you make the decision that would align with your business goals.
FAQs for Amazon Sellers on Amazon’s Gated Categories
What Amazon products do not require approval?
Any product that belong to the ungated categories are suitable for listing on your Amazon store because they won’t require approval prior to listing. If you are not sure, you can always ask the customer support team on Amazon for guidance or check out the website for the full list of restricted products and categories.
What are you not allowed to sell on Amazon?
The general rule for an Amazon seller is that you cannot sell items that are fake, fraudulent, or have an expiration date. At the very least, you have to make sure that the products won’t expire soon so that they are safe to consume once it arrives in the buyer’s hands. Therefore, Amazon employs the approval process so they can screen these products before they are listed on the website.
Is it hard to get approved to sell on Amazon?
No. If you follow the correct steps on how to get approval on Amazon, you should get your products approved within a matter of a few days.
What if my application to sell restricted categories is rejected by Amazon?
If your product within a restricted category is not approved by Amazon, you must wait for 30 days before you can request for approval again. If you do re-apply for approval, it is important to assess what concerns Amazon had that caused them to reject it in the first place. Taking this step will ensure that you can improve your chances of a successful application this time around.
Are there other gated products that require approval?
Yes, it applies to private label selling or when you are listing specific brands in your store. Amazon will usually prompt you if a certain brand or product requires approval, so make sure to go through that process.
