Amazon Gated Categories: How to Get Ungated in 2024

Are you looking for an opportunity to step into the world’s most popular marketplace? Judging by the fact that you’ve ended up on this page, we assume you know the growth opportunities that gated products on Amazon can offer.

In this article, learn about Amazon’s gated categories & products, get an up-to-date Amazon gated categories list and find out how you can become a seller of such products yourself.

What are Gated Products on Amazon?

Amazon Gated Categories & Products are specific products that require sellers to obtain approval before listing them.

So, what does gated mean on Amazon? It means that certain product categories are restricted to maintain market integrity and ensure consumer safety.

These categories are a unique aspect of selling on Amazon, designed to protect consumers by ensuring that only high-quality, safe products are available in certain sensitive or specialized categories. These categories can include items like luxury brands, electronics, or health products where consumer trust is crucial. For sellers, getting approval to sell in these categories can unlock significant growth opportunities, as it allows them to tap into exclusive markets with potentially less competition.

List of Ungated Products on Amazon

First, let’s explore the list of ungated products before learning what is gated on Amazon, and what is not.

There are more than 20 categories where you can list products without special approval, some of which only allow new items. But remember, even in these open categories, specific products or brands might still need approval. Here’s a list of the ungated categories Amazon recently shared.

Category	Example Products	Conditions Allowed
Amazon Device Accessories	Amazon devices accessories	New, Used
Amazon Kindle	Kindle devices accessories	Used
Beauty	Fragrance, skincare, makeup, hair care, bath & shower (topicals require approval). See also Health & Personal Care.	New
Books	Books, calendars, card decks, sheet music, magazines, journals, other publications	New, Used
Business Products (B2B)	Business-relevant products across multiple categories. Special pricing features to target business customers.	New, Used
Beauty Tools & Accessories	Brushes, bags, cases, skin care tools, hair styling tools	New
Camera & Photo	Cameras, camcorders, telescopes	New, Used
Cell Phones	Cell phones and accessories must be listed using the manufacturer’s Universal Product Code (UPC).	New, Used, Unlocked
Clothing & Accessories	Outerwear, athletic wear, innerwear, belts, wallets	New
Electronics Accessories	Audio, video, camera, photo, cell phone, car electronics, computer, and office accessories	New, Used
Fashion Jewelry	Jewelry that does not contain precious or semi-precious gemstones; pearls; metals	New
Grocery & Gourmet Food	See grocery & gourmet category details on Seller Central	New
Home & Garden	Kitchen, dining, pet supplies, furniture, decor, bedding, bath, craft, hobby, home appliances, storage, patio, lawn, garden, pool supplies, landscaping, snow removal, generators	New, Used, Collectible
Luggage & Travel Accessories	Luggage, bags, backpacks, briefcases, umbrellas, travel accessories	New
Musical Instruments	Guitars, orchestra, recording equipment	New, Used, Collectible
Office Products	Supplies, furniture, printers, calculators	New, Used, Collectible
Outdoors	Outdoor gear, outdoor sports apparel, cycling, and action sports	New, Used
Shoes Handbags & Sunglasses	Shoes, boots, sandals, slippers, handbags, sunglasses, eyewear frames	New
Software & Computer Games	Business, media education, utility, security, children’s software and PC games	New, Used
Sports	Exercise & fitness, hunting accessories, team sports, licensed/fan shop, athletic apparel, boating & fishing, and game room	New, Used, Collectible
Tools & Home Improvement	Hand & power tools, plumbing, electrical, building materials, appliance parts	New, Used
Toys & Games	Action figures, dolls, board games, arts, crafts, learning toys (holiday selling requirements apply)	New, Collectible
Video Games & Video Game Consoles	Game consoles, console games, accessories	New, Used, Collectible

* List of Ungated Products on Amazon 2024

To sell in these categories, sellers must complete an approval process that can involve various steps such as paying fees, undergoing performance checks, and meeting other criteria set by Amazon. The requirements can differ depending on the product type, making it essential for sellers to thoroughly understand the necessary steps for successful approval.

Also, be cautious because even within these so-called open categories, certain brands or specific products might still be gated.

What motivates Sellers to List Products in Amazon's Gated Categories?

Not many sellers are willing to go through a complicated process of selling gated items on Amazon, and instead prefer to go with the flow by trying to make a profit out of less specific categories where competition is fierce.

But in reality, what seems daunting for the majority might be the other’s key to success. Of course, nobody likes adhering to strict rules, but is it really that bad? While you do need to approach such products with care, it often seems like a much better option than trying to break from a crowd of like-minded sellers.

With less competition and higher profit potential, selling restricted items on Amazon suddenly becomes quite appealing. Of course, some may find the process of ungating on Amazon daunting, but for those willing to try anyway, the rewards are immense.

What Product Categories are gated on Amazon?

Many sellers ask, what is gated on Amazon, or which categories are considered restricted? Here’s the list of Amazon Gated Categories in the USA in 2024:

Category	Example Products	Conditions Allowed
Alcohol	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Animal-Related Products	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Automotive & Powersports	See restriction details on Seller Central	New, Used, Collectible
Baby Products	Topicals, food, feeding products, diapers, strollers, car seats, toys	New
Beauty Products	Cosmetics, fragrance, skincare, makeup, hair care, tools & shower products	New
Certified Refurbished	Laptops & computers, smartphones, tablets, kitchen appliances, office equipment	See Certified Refurb
Collectible Coins	Graded/slabbed coins, sets issued by governments, US Mint and proof and mint sets, commemorative coins	Collectible
Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Dietary Supplements	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Electronics	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Entertainment Collectibles	Celebrity signed photos, original movie posters, limited edition figures and busts, animation cels	Collectible
Explosives Weapons & Related Items	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Fine Art	See restriction details on Seller Central	Collectible
Gambling & Lottery	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Grocery & Gourmet Food	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Handmade	Handmade and hand-altered products	See separate Handmade
Hazardous & Dangerous Items	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Health & Personal Care	Food aid, nutrition, feminine hygiene, dietary supplements	New
Historical & Advertising Collectibles	Vintage collectibles related to historical events, places, or items and promotional materials related to consumer brands	Collectible
Human Parts & Burial Artifacts	See restrictions details on Seller Central	New
Industrial & Scientific	Lab equipment & supplies, industrial materials power transmission, electronic components, sanitation, janitorial	New
Jewelry & Precious Gems	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Laser Products	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Lighting	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Lock Picking & Theft Devices	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Medical Devices & Accessories	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Medication	Drugs approved by the FDA for over-the-counter sale. See drugs & drug paraphernalia.	New
Music	CDs, cassettes, vinyl, and other sound recordings	New, Used, Collectible
Offensive & Controversial Materials	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Organic Products	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Pesticides	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Pet Food	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Plants Plant Products & Seeds	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Postage Meters & Stamps	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Sex & Sensuality		New
Sports Collectibles	Trading cards, game-used and autographed memorabilia	Collectible
Subscriptions & Periodicals		New
Surveillance Equipment	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Topicals	See restriction details on Seller Central	New
Video DVD & Blu-ray	See restriction details on Seller Central	New, Used, Collectible
Watches	All watches	New
Warranties, Service Contracts, Guarantees & Non-Amazon Services	See restriction details on Seller Central	New

* Amazon Gated Categories List 2024

How To Get Approved For Amazon Gated Categories?

Before we dive into the specifics, it’s important to know which factors can contribute to you getting ungated quicker, if ungated at all. Here’s a list of Amazon’s minimum requirements you need to follow if you want to list gated items on Amazon:

1. A Professional Amazon Seller Account

To unlock restricted categories and brands on Amazon, sellers must subscribe to the Professional seller plan, priced at $39.99 per month.

This plan not only allows sellers to ungate specific categories, but it also offers a range of additional benefits, such as: reduced selling fees, advanced reporting tools, eligibility for top placement on product pages, access to Amazon’s API, etc.

Speaking of how to become a professional seller, you’re going to need the following:

1. A bank account and routing number;

2. An internationally chargeable credit card;

3. A government-issued ID;

4. Relevant tax information;

5. A contact phone number;

2. Positive Seller Performance Metrics

It is important to frequently assess your account health through Seller Central with regard to such indicators as Order Defect Rate (ODR), Late Shipment Rate (LSR), and Pre-Fulfillment Cancel Rate (PFCR), as these three indicators play a critical role in determining eligibility for category approvals.

〉 Late Shipment Rate (LSR): The aim for this to shouldbe under 4%.

〉 Pre-Fulfillment Cancel Rate (PFCR): Ensure it is less than 2.5%.

〉 Order Defect Rate (ODR): Having this under 1% will provide a clear improvement

3. Provide Evidence of Product Authenticity

Amazon places a high priority on the authenticity and safety of products sold on its platform. Without meeting these criteria, your application is unlikely to be approved. To demonstrate product authenticity, you must provide concrete evidence that your supplier is either a certified dealer or the actual manufacturer.

How Do I Know if I’m Gated on Amazon?

There are four different ways to be gated in on Amazon:

1. Category;

2. Subcategory;

3. Brand;

4. Specific ASIN;

The requirements for ungating are going to differ depending on if it’s a category ungate or if it’s a brand ungate. But how to know if you’re gated on Amazon from a specific category, brand, etc.?

First of all, you’ll have to find a listing of a product you want to sell in the future. Next, you need to copy the product’s ASIN, which can be found either in the URL or in the product details section.

Once you have the ASIN, all you have to do is go back to your Seller Central Account -> Add products and enter that ASIN into the search bar.

If it says “Apply to sell” – that means you’re gated.

To know exactly what you’re gated in, you’ll have to click on that button and it will take you to a page that’s going to contain that information.

How To Get Ungated on Amazon?

There are two options of ungating currently available on Amazon:

1. Auto-Ungate

2. Self-Ungate

There’s technically a third option which is to refer to third-party agencies who offer their services for ungating, but we can’t recommend this method for two reasons:

1. It’s costly;

2. In 95% of the cases you can get ungated manually if you follow the requirements;

How to Auto Ungate on Amazon

There are two ways for this, the first being a “one-click approval” which only requires you to click on “Apply to ungate”, and it’s done: you are now approved to sell that brand on Amazon.

The second way, an “auto-ungate questionnaire“, requires you to watch a short video and answer the questions thst follow. The questions are always the same.

Auto-Ungating is very appealing to users because you don’t have to do much, you either click on a button and get approved, or answer a few questions and get approved too. The main problem with it though, is that nobody knows for sure how auto ungating works.

Typically, you’re going to be auto-ungated in smaller to midsize brands, or even bigger brands sometimes, but usually it’s not going to be everything across the board. It also remains unknown which factors Amazon takes into account when approving someone for auto-ungate, but our guess are the following factors:

1. Time on the platform;

2. Seller metrics;

But even having high positions as a seller or performing well over time doesn’t give any guarantee that you’re 100% going to be ungated in a certain category, which is why it’s important to know what is it you can do on your side to get approved in Amazon Gated Categories & Products.

How to Ungate Yourself on the First Attempt

If you’re aiming to sell in a restricted category on Amazon, you’ll need to get their approval first. Here’s how you can apply:

1. Go to your Seller Central page, click on ‘Catalog,’ and then choose ‘Add Products.’

2. Look up the item using its ASIN, barcode, part number, or name.

3. In the search results, click on ‘Show Limitations.’

4. If the option is available, click on ‘Apply to sell‘ to start your application.

During the application process, you can be asked to upload documents like invoices, product photos, or compliance certificates. Sometimes, applications are approved automatically, and no documents are needed. If you don’t see the ‘Apply to sell’ button, it probably means Amazon isn’t accepting new sellers in that category right now.

If you’re asked to provide additional documents to get approved, you’re going to have two options to get this done:

1. Submit a letter from your manufacturer;

2. Submit an invoice from a distributor (99% of the time you will be using this option);

Now let’s go over the minimum requirements that Amazon is going to ask that your invoice has.

Amazon Gated Products: Invoice Requirements

Must be dated withing 180 days of application;
Includes your name and address, matching the information in your selling account;
Includes the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor;
Show the combined purchase of at least 10 Units;
Omit pricing information (optional);

As a side note, Amazon may contact your supplier to make sure all the information is correct.

* Tip: When purchasing the minimum required quantity of 10 items, choose the cheapest option available. This minimizes your initial investment while you work on getting approved to sell in the chosen category. Remember: there’s no need to buy something in bulk when you’re not even officially approved, so sticking to no more than 10 items is a viable option too.

Additional Documents Required for Getting Ungated

For certain categories or brands, you might need to provide additional documentation, such as:

1. A business license or relevant professional certification, if applicable.

2. Information regarding business taxes.

3. Certifications or documents verifying product safety or compliance.

4. Authorization letters from brands for specific brand-related permissions.

5. Detailed product images and comprehensive descriptions.

6. UPC codes or GTIN identifiers for your products.

Invoice Tips

1. Must be a finalized invoice – meaning that there has to be proof of payment.

2. Must be in a non-editable format – whether you get the invoice as a physical paper or an email you want to make sure that it’s in .pdf format. Over the years of other sellers’ experience, it has been noted that Amazon prefers pdf files over any other. While it’s not a requirement, we highly suggest you do so in order to improve your chances of getting approved.

3. Don’t mix and match your 10 units – it’s a much better idea to buy 10 units of a single item that you want to ungate.

4. “Ship to” and “Bill to” should match – ideally, these two should be the same and match your Amazon account. If it’s not possible, at least “Bill to” must match the information in your Amazon account.

The Cost of Ungating on Amazon

The cost of ungating on Amazon can vary greatly. For most standard categories, it is generally free, except for the cost of acquiring the products needed for your application. However, some high-value categories, such as Fine Jewelry, Watches, Collectible Coins, and Fine Art, may require a non-refundable application fee of up to $5,000.

Also, some categories may require certification and license, which will incur additional expenses.

Additionally, sellers can also use professional ungating services which usually cost somewhere between $500-1000, but you should definitely avoid ungating agencies where fake invoices are used as this will lead to suspension of the account.

How to Get Ungated Faster?

To get ungated on Amazon quicker, it will help to build some selling history by working with a wide variety of products. This will give your account credibility and prove that you’re serious about selling on the platform.

Based on the experience of many other sellers, accounts with a proven selling history have a significantly better chance of getting approved quickly. Newer accounts, however, may be delayed even with legitimate invoices.

Sellers also note that the approval process can sometimes depend on the reviewer’s thoroughness and attention to detail. Therefore, even with proper documentation, the success of approval may depend on the Amazon expert handling your application.

Initially, we recommend you put focus on volume by selling in unrestricted categories like kitchenware, housewares, toys, and sporting goods. This approach facilitates not only fast sales but also the gradual unlocking of new categories, such as apparel or cosmetics.

Over time, with more sales volume and positive seller ratings, it may become possible to get approval for larger brands that previously were only available if one obtained manufacturer authorization.

Tips for Successful Approval in Gated Categories

Getting approved to sell in Amazon’s restricted categories can be tricky, but here are some simple tips to help you succeed:

1. Partner with authorized manufacturers to showcase your legitimacy and trustworthiness.

2. Keep all your documents, like invoices and product information, well-organized and easily accessible. This will help you respond quickly to any requests from Amazon.

3. Keep your seller performance metrics high and positive to show that you’re a reliable seller.

4. Join online forums or groups where other Amazon sellers share their experiences. You can learn a lot from those who have already gone through the process.

5. If you’re selling branded products, think about joining Amazon’s Brand Registry. It adds extra credibility to your listings.

6. Seek legal advice if you’re uncertain about the eligibility of a product by contacting Amazon’s Seller Support.

7. Monitor Amazon’s policy updates by, yet again, referring to Amazon’s Seller Central where all the latest news and guidelines are published.

Final Thoughts

Getting approval to sell in Amazon’s restricted categories can be tough and take a lot of time, but it’s well worth the headache in the long run, not to mention you can contact agencies with a proven success record in similar category approvals.

If you have any questions concerning the topic, make sure to Contact Us and our experts at Weby Corp will gladly help!

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FAQ

What is an Amazon gated category?

Amazon Gated Categories consist of certain products that sellers must get approval for before they can list them.

What Are the Benefits of Amazon Brand Gating ?

Gated brands are safeguarded against counterfeiters and gain enhanced visibility and improved brand control. Moreover, sellers of gated products benefit from better search result placement and receive additional protection in the event of a dispute.

Is It Possible to Use Retail Invoices for Ungating?

Utilizing retail invoices, such as those from Amazon, to gain ungated access is typically discouraged and often rejected. This is because retail invoices do not confirm that the brand owner authorizes you to sell their products.

How Long Does It Take to Get Ungated on Amazon?

For standard categories, getting approval can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. However, more restricted categories might take up to several months.

Automatic approval is also possible, but you shouldn't count on that too much if you're a new seller, as it highly depends on your performance metrics and the time you've spent on the platform.