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Amazon Restricted Products - All Things You Need To Know!

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By Sam Nguyen

CEO Avada Commerce

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Customers believe that on Amazon, they will still shop with trust. On Amazon, items available for sale must comply with all laws and regulations and with the policies of Amazon. It is explicitly forbidden to sell illicit, dangerous, or other prohibited goods listed on these sites, including products that are only available by prescription.

In case you are a seller and you may have a restricted product Amazon in your store, you should go through this article with us to understand some knowledge about this specific product type. Of course, while it might take some hard time, it is possible to sell in one of the gated categories of Amazon. In fact, 7 percent are successfully selling in gated categories, according to respondents from a recent Jungle Scout survey of more than 1,000 Amazon sellers.

Small divisions do, however, have rules and regulations.

So let’s go through what we need to learn about Amazon’s category and product constraints, and how to get ungated.

What are Amazon restricted products?

Amazon restrcited product — What are Amazon restricted products?

Restricted products Amazon are products that must meet stringent criteria to be sold on the website of the business. They may provide pre-approval products or items for which you must include extra details, such as a safety data sheet or a credential. Items with limitations fell into many broad groups.

The list of restricted goods can vary, depending on where you sell from and on which markets you sell. For starters, if distributed in the United States, Amazon has this list of restricted goods, with a sub-list of categories and products requiring permission to sell.

However, if you sell in the UK, you’ll find that the list of limitations on types, goods, and content is much shorter. Often make sure to review the country/marketplace’s list of what’s prohibited.

While guaranteed items are limited, others aren’t. So what makes an object belong to one rather than the other group? There are a number of explanations that an object is a restricted product Amazon, such as those that might be deemed hazardous concerning intellectual property rights or chemicals.

Until listing a product, if you are selling something, you can carefully check the Restricted Items Support pages listed below if you supply merchandise on Amazon. The examples offered in these support pages are not all-inclusive and are presented for guidance purposes only. If you have concerns about the laws and legislation governing your goods, you should speak with your legal attorney. All goods and listings must still comply with the relevant rules, except though a product is classified as a “Case of Approved Listings.” In addition, any links given are for reference purposes only and Amazon does not guarantee the authenticity of the information found in those links.

The justification for the strict regulation for the product is that Amazon wishes to stop the complications that inevitably come from the sale of illicit, unsafe, dangerous, or otherwise prohibited goods. It can be a big legal and liability problem, and it’s better to stop wading in them entirely, they’ve agreed. Amazon wants its customers to “shop with trust,” so that once they have built up history and prestige, they either fully ban those goods or limit the number of potential vendors.

If you supply a product in breach of the legislation or any of the rules of Amazon, including those specified on the pages of Restricted Items, Amazon may take disciplinary action as necessary, including, but not limited to, instantly halting or terminating the selling of rights, destroying inventory without refund in our fulfillment centers, returning inventory, terminating the business partnership. Legal proceedings, including civil and criminal fines, can also occur from the selling of unlawful or dangerous goods.

But don’t worry, if it is the first time you skip the law and sell restricted products Amazon, Amazon will give you a note of the appropriate steps to be taken. When you have been able to market the commodity in the past, but can no longer do so, it can be irritating, but the smartest course of action is not to protest and do what they suggest.

Read more:

How to sell in an Amazon restricted category?

It is best to get “ungated” to sell in an Amazon limited category, which effectively involves having special approval to sell in a category that does not encourage vendors to automatically sign up and begin selling in. In terms of being ungated, what each group requires varies, so this is the basic sequence of measures you can adopt. No two groups limited by Amazon have the same means of being ungated, and some are much easier to sell than others.

Some of the restricted products Amazon are totally not for sale and no matter the efforts are taken, you will be in trouble if you put them in your store. However, we listed below some information based on the categories you might need if you want to sell them.

Automotive and Powersports

Items that can be used in cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles are used in Automotive and Powersports. Items consist of spare parts, performance parts, wheels and tires, machinery and supplies, accessories for the interior/exterior, oils, and more.

Due to Amazon, the conditions you need to pay attention to are:

You have to be part of the competent distribution strategy.
On either an individual website or an image sharing service, you must have compliant product images that can be reviewed.
Universal Product Codes (UPCs) are needed to list all major brands.
The retailer or the remanufacturer must warrant all approved refurbished Automobile & Powersports products.
If you plan on offering fitment-specific goods (products that only fit those vehicles), you must have checked the Automotive & Powersports Component Finder and Fitment Data page in its entirety.

Some sellers claim that you will need a website. This isn’t a big deal with most private label vendors. Resellers tend, however, to run into difficulties.

Collectible Coins

Working with money may be extremely hazardous, collectible coins presently are in the list of restricted products Amazon. To put in on sale, you must guarantee some of the mentioned information unless you will violate the rule:

If 100% of the products of the vendor are from a lawfully recognized government mint and comply with the additional product specifications, or 100% of the products of the vendor are rated by the approved graders and comply with the additional product requirements, the vendor must remain a member of one of the following organizations:
- PNG – Professional Numismatist Guild
- ICTA – Industry Council for Tangible Assets
- PCGS – Professional Coin Grading Service
- NGC/PMG – Numismatic Grading Corporation/Paper Money Guarantee
NGC or PCGS must grade 70 percent or more of the seller’s inventory or be from a lawfully authorized government mint.
If the vendor qualifies as a supplier in precious metals, precious stones, or gems under 31 C.F.R. Part 1027, in accordance with Federal Law 31 C.F.R. § 1027.210, the seller has introduced an anti-money laundering scheme and will supply Amazon with copies of the seller’s anti-money laundering policy upon Amazon ‘s request.
Only NGC or PCGS are suitable for professionally graded/authenticated coins.
PCGS or NGC must rate all coins listed at or above $1,500, or they will not be accepted in the shop.
Ungraded coins must be identified by the vendor as Classified unless they are in the original public packaging and can be listed accordingly.
Sales of ‘unsearched’ packets, rolls, tubes, barrels, or some other mysterious bulk coins are not authorized. The information page would specifically describe the particular coins they are buying for the consumer.
Sellers can also have a link to their corporate website where the items they choose to deal with can be accessed.

There doesn’t seem to be many sellers seeking to get into this group, other sellers claim. Amazon’s knowledge of the laws of the group, however, is very detailed.

Sellers list such goods under ‘Clothing, Accessories, and Jewelry’ or ‘Toys and Games’ for things such as new Bitcoins and fake currency to make them no longer the restricted products Amazon.

Entertainment Collectibles

Entertainment collectibles, like most collectibles, are film or television-based items that are numbered, limited edition, or hold some other qualities that will enhance the appeal of the commodity to collectors.

Sellers are expected to be on the Competent Seller schedule.
Sellers must retain performance metrics for sellers (aka Consumer Metrics) at or below the appropriate thresholds for Amazon:
- The defect rate (ODR) of the order must be less than 1%.
- The cancellation rate for pre-fulfillment must be less than 2.5 percent.
- The rate of late shipping must be less than 4%.
For products sold in the Entertainment Collectibles genre, vendors must meet with all listing criteria.
Using the Amazon platform only, clients must be able to complete all facets of purchasing and buying a product.

Some vendors claim that one of the easiest-to-get-into restricted products Amazon is film collectibles. And in terms of the Entertainment Collectibles application process, vendors are expected to send an email to [email protected]; they can not submit online.

Fine Art

Fine art is one-of-a-kind and not mass-produced pieces. Any of the pieces retail for as many as 10,000 dollars or more.

Says Amazon:

Sellers must be in [the fine art retail business] for at least three years.
Via a proprietary or third-party domain, they must have a “strong online presence.”
Sellers must have “applied a curatorial factor through annual show schedules, written essays, or exhibition catalogs to your gallery collection.”

Other vendors argue that on Amazon, artists portraying themselves will not sell. The fine art section of Amazon is only for the big-time stuff and for gallery owners/art agents.

And they say it’s better to sell on Etsy or eBay as far as original art is concerned. For mass-produced art, for those listings, Home & Kitchen has sub-categories and it might be a better solution for you to sell that restricted product Amazon.

Jewelry

Fine jewelry is authenticated jewelry items that agree with the Jewelry Quality Assurance Requirements of Amazon. Like fine art, fine pieces of jewelry sold at even higher prices. Some note you may need from Amazon for this restricted product Amazon:

The goods must be marketed in the details, photos, and requirements displayed on the comprehensive page as described and characterized.
All items must fulfill the Jewelry Quality Assurance Requirements of Amazon.
According to Amazon’s Categorization of Fine vs. Fashion Jewelry rules, pieces must be set up properly.
All goods must (i.e. no knock-offs) be original.
In the jewelry group, listing pieces valued above $300,000 is not permissible.
You must have a professional strategy for the seller.
Current Amazon.com vendors must be retailers who contribute to the Fine Jewelry list.
You must have at least 12 months of direct Amazon sales experience, with Amazon’s annual income of at least $50,000.
Sellers applying for the Fine Jewelry list must have an operating company with at least one brick-and-mortar store and at least $50,000 in annual sales.
To be able to apply for sale in the jewelry category, sellers must follow these performance criteria:
- Order-Defect Rate of 1% or lower
- Cancellation levels at or below 2.5 percent
- Late Shipping Rate of 4% or less

Other sellers claim that ‘Fine Jewelry’ is the most stringent of all types limited by Amazon. Like ‘Fine Art,’ this is a term for professionals only. If you already own your own jewelry store and have the logistics in order, as the barriers to entry are high, skip this group.

In comparison, the category ‘Fine Jewelry’ comes with an admission fee of $5,000 (due after quality testing). And for consistency assurance purposes, you need to request a spreadsheet of products with at least 10 products.

Not only that, once every 6-12 months, Amazon can test your goods.

The design group is the perfect place to go if you’re interested in selling ‘non-fine’ jewelry.

Sports Collectibles

Sports collectibles are signature items, limited editions, and other aspects that increase the product’s appeal to collectors. They are mentioned as the restricted product Amazon, but you still have a chance to launch the business of them on Amazon.

Says Amazon:

Maintain a lower than 0.75 percent order defect rate.
Keep on the Technical Sales Schedule.
Authenticate or rate any of the goods mentioned by one or more of the following entities:
Ace-Authentic
Beckett Services for Grading
Authentic Fanatics
To Frameworth
Grey Flannel on Grey Flannel
Mint from the Highlands
Memorabilia for Icon Sports
Authentication of James Spence (JSA)
(MLB Authenticated) Major League Baseball
Team MeiGray
Mounted Remembrances
Players Inc. of the NFL.
Authentic Panini
Professional Authenticator (PSA) for Sports
PSA/DNA Services for Authentication
Steiner’s Games
Collectibles by Topps
Authentic Tristar
Authenticated Upper Deck (UDA)
Club Grading Beckett Collectors (BCCG)
Becket Services for Grading (BGS)
Professional Authenticator (PSA) for Sports
Guarantee Sportscard (SGC)

Other sellers state that UPCs for sports collectibles are not allowed by Amazon. Regardless, football collectibles are best sold on websites such as eBay or niche hobby pages (like most collectibles).

Toys & Games (during the holidays)

During the holidays, Amazon restricts sales of toys and games to professional vendors. While the division of toys and games contains toys for children aged 14 and under, the category also encompasses strategy board games, collectibles, drones, and other adult-interesting items.

In the months leading up to the start of the holiday season (typically, September 1 through October 31), you must have processed and delivered a certain amount of orders. The requests may not have to be unique to the shop for toys.
In the month leading up to the holiday season (typically October), pre-fulfillment cancelation rates must be no higher than 1.75 percent.
Late shipment rates in the month leading up to the holiday season (typically October) must not be higher than 4 percent.
As of the first day of the holiday season (typically November 1), order defect rates must be no more than 1 percent short term.

Other sellers claim that when Amazon sends out their holiday specifications, many sellers (especially the younger ones) panic, mainly because their goods do not follow the changed criteria or they might be the restricted products Amazon.

Make sure you know and stick to the holiday criteria if you intend to sell in ‘Toys and Games’. And make sure that before November strikes, you have all your ducks in a row by bookmarking our Seller Calendar to have some crucial dates on hand.

Video, DVDs, & Blu-ray

The video umbrella covers all forms of video media (particularly DVDs and Blu-rays). You should follow some conditions given by Amazon to sell these restricted products Amazon:

You must agree to move to a Professional Sale Package within 30 days after your application is accepted if you do not have a Professional Seller Account.
1 percent or less Order-Defect Rate (ODR)
Cancellation levels at or below 2.5 percent
Late Shipping Rate of 4% or less
The following information is also required by Amazon:
- Your main inventory source(s)
- An estimation of the number of units you are preparing to sell
- A minimum of 3 invoices or sales orders that are indicative of the categories of items you expect to deliver from your largest inventory source(s)

Other vendors claim that on the DVD / Blu-ray imitation market, Amazon has cracked down strongly and that sellers must now supply invoices indicating that they sell only new DVDs.

It is hard to sell used DVDs on Amazon for that reason.

Watches

High-quality jewelry items and brands such as Rolex and Tag Heuer include watches. We mentioned the case for restricted products Amazon are jewelry above, but since the specific function of them and there are some notes you may need to take a look at:

Sellers must have the capacity to monitor water resistance and timekeeping precision for approved pre-owned watches.
Sellers must have a professional selling account in good standing for certified pre-owned watches.
As determined by Amazon, certified pre-owned watches must comply with all specifications defined by a third-party watch certification organization.
Minimum Seller Efficiency metrics to be reached by sellers:
- Pre-fulfill cancel threshold at or below 2.5 percent
- 1 percent or less of ODR
- 4% or less of a late ship
Sellers of good faith must have a professional sale account.
It is important to list watches and watch accessories using the UPC code of the manufacturer.

What happens if you violate Amazon’s restrictions?

The breach of their rules is taken very seriously by Amazon. Consider the potential repercussions whether you’re deciding whether or not to bend or violate their rules by selling restricted products Amazon.

In certain cases, Amazon would have little sympathy if you don’t seek pre-approval and your listing is flagged. Sale into the FBA software ensures that the inventory can be saved by the warehouses. Amazon could kill any flagged goods remain after breaching its rules on restricted products.

Amazon will have little sympathy if you don’t seek pre-approval and your listing is flagged.

Amazon can keep on to the money even though you’re shipping the goods yourself, so don’t expect a payout. It is mentioned that a seller learned of many incidents where suppliers wait to collect their money for literal months, even going so far as to employ attorneys. But the procedure is very complex because if anything occurs, there is no certainty that you will be paid.

Read more:

Summary

In short, limited Amazon products are products that must follow stringent requirements to be available on the company’s website. They can have goods or objects on which you must provide additional information, such as a protection data sheet or a certificate, for pre-approval. Items with restrictions have collapsed into several large categories. And you should fully understand and know whether your products are on the list of restricted products Amazon or not.

However, you may ask: “ What if you want to market in categories of restrictions?”. There are different things you have to consider base on the type of products that you sell. Mainly you must make sure you have or do the following things:

Get a Professional Distributor account: In most categories, you would need a professional seller account instead of a private one to become ungated. Any exceptions remain and you need to do more research
Establish a Wholesaler account: Build a Wholesaler AccountMake sure that your address fits the one on your standard account when you create your wholesale account. One thing to remember is that if your name for LLC and your name for Amazon vary, add both.
Starting a History of Short Order: Around 10 items from three different groups you choose to have ungated in would need to be bought, e.g. 10 collectible books, 10 food items, and 10 watches. You may retain or sell these things on your own listings for yourself, but don’t expect to turn a profit. Your goal here is to get through the system of ungating.
Collection and scanning of invoices: Create copies of them as you get the invoices and set the originals away for safekeeping. On the copies, you can render marks or modifications, but not the originals.

If you try to take further steps and skip all the rules, you may consider the consequences:

It might cancel your listings.
They can impose limitations on your privileges for listing.
It will be possible to revoke the listing rights.
They can completely delete your listing rights.
And it can be hard to get reinstated after Amazon took punitive action against you.

Complying with all of the laws and regulations of Amazon is the best course of action.