There’s a really good reason why brand gating exists on Amazon. Let’s say you’re an Amazon customer who is crazy about Nike products, so you find a third-party seller on Amazon selling dirt-cheap Nike gear. It’s almost too good to be true! Then, when you receive your items, you immediately notice it’s not Nike quality. Logos are peeling or don’t look quite right. Clothing doesn’t hold up well in the washing machine. You’re disappointed, angry, and want your money back. And while you’re pointing fingers, one is aimed at Amazon.
This is a common occurrence that Amazon is working hard to mitigate. It’s to protect customers from receiving counterfeit knock-offs or unauthorized branded products. Because ultimately, that reflects poorly on Amazon, even if Amazon isn’t the one selling it. Because so many counterfeit products had infiltrated the system. It’s likely other brands would have followed suit if Amazon hadn’t taken steps toward brand gating.
There’s a little more work involved if you want to gain access to gated brands. But it’s not wholly impossible, either. If you’re willing to go through a few vetting, screening, and verification processes, then you could become a third-party seller for some of Amazon customers’ favorite brands.
Which Brands are Gated on Amazon?
Before you start breaking down on gated brands on Amazon, it’s good to know which ones will require some extra legwork.
As you would probably guess, Amazon has gated some of the world’s most popular, desirable, and profitable brands. They’re usually brands that sell a specific product or category, such as clothing or video games, and are highly successful and well-known. These are common targets for counterfeit products, which is why Amazon is taking no chances with these companies.
If you’re selling these brands as a third-party seller, be prepared to go through some extra steps to list your goods:
- Nike
- Under Armour
- Adidas
- Lego
- Yeti
- Michael Kors
- Crayola
- Barbie
- MAC
- Samsung
- DKNY
- Disney
- Nintendo
- Revlon
- Reebok
- Calvin Klein
- Marvel
- Clinique
- Vans
- Lancome
There are literally hundreds more to add to this list. Think about a specific item category, such as baby products. Now, think about some of the biggest names that come to mind: Babyliss, Burt’s Bees, Babybjorn, etc. These brand names are most likely to be part of Amazon’s gated brand list.
Something else to consider is whether an entire category is gated on Amazon. We covered this in a previous post, but with some categories, you need to express permission from Amazon to sell in those categories, regardless of brand. If your brands and products fall into one of those gated categories, you’ll need to do even more work to get approval.
The Fastest Way to Get Amazon Brand Approval
Remember, hard doesn’t mean impossible. After all, there are plenty of third-party sellers who are actually selling gated brands on Amazon. What we don’t usually see are all the strings they had to pull to do so.
The quickest way to get your brand ungated is to let the Ungating Wizard help you with the approval process. Our service is designed to do all the heavy lifting to remove gating restrictions on any category or brand (or both, in some cases). Start making progress for just $3.
The Other Way to Get Ungated
There’s another way to get Amazon brand approval, and it requires a lot more steps and details. It’s a good idea to know what’s involved, even if you do decide to use our Amazon ungating service.
1. Find Out if You Need Brand Approval
Remember, not all brands need explicit approval from Amazon for you to sell. This is also true with certain categories on Amazon. It’s best practice to see if your brand is on Amazon’s gated list before you go through all these extra steps. However, you may not know whether you need approval until you try to list your branded products.
You have a couple of options here:
First, you can use the Amazon Seller app to scan product barcodes and see if those items require approval.
If you already have a product to sell, you can try to list that product on Amazon using your seller account. When you go to list a branded product, Amazon makes it clear at that point whether it’s gated or not.
If you get red flags and need approval to list the product, Amazon will also display a Request Approval button that you can click to learn more about the approval process.
2. Prepare to Apply for Brand Approval
The main thing Amazon wants to know when granting approval to resell certain brands is whether you are authorized to do so. They want to verify that your products come directly from the brand and that no restrictions will prevent you from representing that brand as a third-party seller. You’re likely going to need some documentation to support your brand claims.
This may include one or both of the following:
- Invoices from products you’ve purchased
- Authorization from the brand or manufacturer
To get express brand approval, you may have to pay a reseller fee to sell those products. Not all brands require this, but don’t be surprised if some of the bigger brands do.
In some cases, you can click the Request Approval button on Amazon and the platform will automatically qualify you. This decision is usually based on seller metrics, so if you’re a new seller, this will likely not be an option for you. However, if you have a long-standing history as a reputable seller, then you may find it easier to gain approval to sell gated brands.
3. Enroll in Amazon’s Brand Registry
Brand Registry is a helpful tool for brand owners and resellers alike. When you enroll in Brand Registry, you’re saying that you’re an authorized reseller of a brand, which can support your case to become ungated.
Plus, you can use the tool to find product listings that you didn’t authorize, thus keeping your own reputation intact.
4. Wait for the Response
If you’re not automatically approved and you’ve had to submit more information, the next thing to do is wait for the verdict. This process can take a little time, so don’t worry if you go a few days without hearing something.
Denied? Reapply!
Amazon will let you know either way if you’ve been approved. If Amazon happens to deny your application, then you have the option to reapply.
The best practice here is to understand why your request was denied. Did you not have the proper documentation? Are you a new seller, and therefore seem too risky? Are your seller metrics too low and make you appear risky?
Either way, you usually have some level of control over your approval. You may find it wise to wait until your seller metrics improve or you gain a solid history as an Amazon seller. Or, you may have to reach out to your brand partners to get supporting documentation.
Either way, all hope is not lost!
Tips for Brand Owners Who Want Brand Gating
So far, we’ve talked about how third-party sellers can overcome brand gates. But what if you’re a brand that wants to limit how your product is sold?
The first step is enrolling in Amazon’s Brand Registry. To do this, you will need a registered brand trademark in each country of enrollment. Once enrolled, Amazon can work toward identifying potential brand infringements and unauthorized sales.
Also, many brands pursuing brand gating choose to work with a lawyer to provide brand documentation. Simply enrolling in the brand registry program isn’t always enough to protect your brand.
Bottom Line: Overcoming Amazon Brand Ungating is Valuable
Let’s be honest: reselling some of the world’s favorite brands on Amazon is tough! But there’s big money in it if you can overcome the challenges. Not all people make it that far, which is good news for the ones that do because it means less competition.
What’s more, well-known brands need no introduction, so you may end up with quality products that basically sell themselves! Follow our steps above to expand your business for more profits.
