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10 Little Tricks To Sell In High Volume With Amazon Restricted Categories

Author: Product Spypro
by Product Spypro
Posted: Jul 26, 2018

Have you ever found yourself asking the question – what products can I sell on Amazon? Or, perhaps you are already selling and are puzzled with the amazon restricted categories you can sell on Amazon. We know the feeling, this is the most baffling situation one can come up with especially for those who are starting out on Amazon. Maybe this sounds familiar to you.

You have sourced a remarkable product on Amazon using amazon product research tools and your own experience, knowing that it would be making tons of money for you, but here comes a situation – you can’t sell the product because it comes under the Amazon FBA restricted categories. Yes, it’s true! Of course, there are sellers on Amazon selling restricted categories and they are selling it big. You might be wondering how on Earth they get to sell Industrial/Scientific products and stuff like that I can’t even sell a simple shoe!

We have all been there and this is why we are going to help you understand how Amazon FBA restricted categories work. There are sellers selling thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, protein powders, and watches monthly. There is a catch, but you first need to understand what Amazon’s restricted categories are.

The Categories that are Restricted on Amazon

Selling on Amazon – the world’s biggest marketplace, can be lucrative, fun, and rewarding, given that you abide by the rules. If you are already a seller on Amazon then you know that by necessity, there are several rules and guidelines for the sellers that they must be aware of including the products of Amazon FBA restricted categories.

As with most companies, reputation is everything for Amazon and therefore it imposes restrictions on the sale of certain kinds of products for protecting its customers and the brand that Amazon is. Let’s get to what are actually restricted categories on Amazon.

  • Wine and Spirits
  • Watches
  • Blu-ray, DVD, and Video
  • Toys & Games
  • Textbook Rentals
  • Sports Collectibles
  • Sexual Wellness
  • Major Appliances
  • Kindle Accessories
  • Grocery and Gourmet Foods
  • Gift Cards
  • Valuable Jewelry
  • Fine Art
  • Entertainment Collectibles
  • Collectible Coins
  • Collectible Books
  • Luggage, Shoes, Accessories, and Clothing
  • Automotive and Powersports

The Categories that is not Restricted on Amazon

You will not require getting Amazon restricted categories approval for getting ‘ungated’ if you sell the following products. there are tons of categories that are automatically open to everyone, including those who are starting on Amazon! They include:

  • Video Games
  • Tools & Home Improvement
  • Software
  • Pet Supplies
  • Personal Computers
  • Outdoors
  • Office Products
  • Musical Instruments
  • Home & Garden
  • Health & Personal Care
  • Consumer Electronics
  • Camera & Photo
  • Beauty
  • Baby

Please Note that the Sellers on Amazon selling restricted categories will get their account suspended if the marketplace finds out they are selling Amazon FBA restricted categories.

Moreover, during the holiday season, certain products of the unrestricted categories may also not be able to sell. And there are sub-categories that may still require Amazon restricted categories approval and an application fee.

Why Do Amazon FBA Restricted Categories Exist?

Customers trust that they can always buy with assurance on Amazon. The products offered on Amazon must comply with the rules and regulations along with the marketplace’s policies. The sale of unsafe, illegal, and other restricted products listed, including the products only available by prescription, is strictly barred.

Amazon chiefly focuses on customer service and for them, a customer is not only always right, but it is pretty much the only thing that matters. Sellers on Amazon selling restricted categories have to gain approval from Amazon in order to continue with their sales and make profits.

Things That We Actually Sell In The Open Categories

You’ve heard the advice a million times but for those of you curious – what we sell in these ungated categories, here are our favorites: Home & Garden, Health & Personal Care, Beauty, and Baby. We try to stay clear of the restricted ones listed but you have to understand that just because the category is ‘ungated’ doesn’t mean you have to sell in it!

There are many categories that are wide open and personally, we don’t feel like it is crucial to get approved in the restricted categories right away.

Why Would I Want to Sell in Restricted Categories?

The main reason why Amazon FBA restricted categories policy exists in the first place that there are hundreds of sellers looking to sell fraudulent or illegal items with a certain amount of vagueness. They find online selling the most ideal way to make business. However, there are sellers who have genuine products which they want to sell in the marketplace for several reasons.

  • Sellers on Amazon selling restricted categories often sell products of high value that are lucrative for the sellers. You listing valuable jewelry on Amazon stands a chance to make a good profit even with a single sale
  • And high volume restricted category products like health supplements and other medications tend to perform well despite stiff competition

So How Do I get Amazon Restricted Categories Approval?

It takes a little work and a bit of patience for being ungated or accepted for sale within Amazon FBA restricted categories. But as with most things, preparation is the key.

On Amazon, it is in the best interest of the seller if his/her customer could freely shop with confidence. Hence, for maintaining the high-quality bar, for certain categories and products, Amazon might charge additional fees, conduct performance checks, and several other qualification procedures. As mentioned earlier, you will need approval for Amazon selling restricted categories before adding or listing products to their online store.

For requesting the Amazon Restricted Categories Approval, you can follow the steps mentioned below:

  1. In the Seller Central, open the inventory link and click ‘Add a Product’
  2. Browse through the list of items and select the product that you wish to sell
  3. Now go to the search results and select the Listing Limitations then apply the inventory link across from the product
  4. Once you have applied the link, click the ‘Request Approval’ button to start the application process
  5. Amazon will receive your request for selling a product of a particular category
  6. You can check the status of your application by returning to the ‘Add a Product’ tab and clicking the ‘Selling Application Status’ link placed on top of the page

Once your Amazon restricted categories approval request is submitted, Amazon will send it for a quick verification process. In some of the cases, the applications get auto-approved given that it has met the required criteria provided by Amazon. However, in some cases, if the application is rejected, you can contact the Seller Support team and determine what you may have missed and then reapply.

On the other hand, for some reasons, if you are not able to find the category you are looking for then there is no need to worry. You can simply call the Amazon Seller Support to assist you.

Tricks to Help Sellers Increase Sales in High Volume with Amazon FBA Restricted Categories

We are not through yet! Now that you know that how difficult it is to get the approval and sell products of restricted categories on Amazon, you will want Amazon selling restricted categories of product that you have got the approval for. You have to understand that you are in a never-ending battle, which means; to succeed in Amazon, you must be competitive in everything you do whether it is the product you choose or the way you market and sell it.

Want to increase sales in high volume with Amazon FBA restricted categories and become a real force in your niche or market? Study what successful and high-volume sellers are doing and apply it to your business practices.

Amazon selling restricted categories products is a big thing and if you have got the Amazon restricted categories approval then you must make the most out of it. Here is a close look at what high-volume sellers of the restricted categories are doing both on and off Amazon – and how you can make it work for your Amazon FBA business.

#1 Carry Out Competitor Analysis:

In Amazon, the first step towards increasing sales in a restricted category of products is to understand your competition. Sellers on Amazon selling restricted categories perform a competitor analysis before they list their products on Amazon. The best way using which you can perform a competitor analysis is by checking out your competitor’s pages and amazon sales tracker tools.

#2 Make your Price and Product More Competitive:

There is no doubt that Amazon is a highly competitive marketplace. There are other sellers like you selling the same product of the restricted category. So how you are planning to thrive in a competitive market? You need to ensure that your item is of the highest quality and sold at the most competitive rates possible. Amazon selling restricted categories of products is priced competitively without affecting its profitability. In fact, as a seller, you can use these intense price competitions for determining which products are worth promoting. Again, you can make use of price and sales tracker tools to do a price comparison.

#3 Automate your Listings by Investing in Professional Merchant Subscription:

If you are just starting out with Amazon FBA restricted categories or you have only a few items to sell, you may only require an individual plan. But if your FBA business is composed of a large number of different products, it is always intelligent to invest in professional subscriptions. There are many benefits of pro merchant subscription place like you can upload listing in bulk without needing to maintain your products individually.

#4 Using Fulfillment by Amazon:

The best way to sell products of Amazon FBA restricted categories is avail the services of Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). It makes selling a lot easier. If you haven’t yet availed this service then you are doing a big mistake. With FBA on your side, all you have to do is send your inventory to the fulfillment centers and when someone initiates an order, Amazon will fulfill the order and ships it directly to your buyer.

#5 Win the Buy Box:

Another way to sell in high volume with Amazon restricted categories is to win the coveted Buy Box. Buy Box significantly increases the chance that the customers will purchase your product over others. Well, this isn’t something that you pay for availing the services. Amazon selects the eligible sellers for the Buy Box. The selection criteria are based on price, shipping options, and availability.

#6 Perform Good On Page Optimization:

When ranking listings, Amazon will consider keywords in the product title. For starters, will get 500 characters for product title but we advise you to use as many keywords as possible to ensure that your product is visible. On the other hand, you have to ensure that the product title and description are also clear and follow good on page seo secrets.

#7 Get Feedback and Reviews:

This is by far the most important practice that you could follow. Reviews and feedbacks play a significant role when Amazon selling restricted categories of products. You can avail the help of amazon review and sales tracker tools for monitoring and generating feedbacks from your customers. It also helps in increasing the volume of submitted feedback while reducing the negative reviews.

#8 Amazon Sponsored Ads:

Amazon ads have become one of the easiest ways to market products and increase sales. You can use Amazon Sponsored Ads for generating reports that will allow you to determine what your targeted audience searched for and how many users purchased your products.

#9 Offer Discounts:

This is the most effective and the easiest ways to attract customers and generate more sales. Make your customer an offer that he/she can’t refuse, there is no science here.

#10 Use Product Promotions:

Product promotions and Lightning deals can also get you more reviews, sales, and traffic.

Conclusion

Now you know what you CAN and CAN’T sell on Amazon. Amazon selling restricted categories of products is only authorized after the seller has granted permission from the marketplace. But there are a whole lot of certain product categories that don’t require approval to be sold.

Product Spy Pro offers amazon FBA product research tools to get amazon product selling ideas and amazon sales tracking tools and what to sell on amazon to make money

About the Author

If you want to take advantage of the Amazon product sales, here is amazon market research tool and Fba product research ideas to decide what to sell on Amazon.

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Author: Product Spypro

Product Spypro

Member since: Jan 08, 2018
Published articles: 10

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