Start dropshipping on Amazon today! This Amazon dropshipping guide shows you how to set up your account, source from trusty suppliers with Profit Bandit, boost profits with BuyBoxBuddy, and get over some of those hurdles.
As a new e-tailer trying to get your foot in the door, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of selling ungated products on Amazon. Without any restrictions and performance requirements, these are the perfect items to start off with as you learn the ropes. Here’s what you need to know about this very accessible entry point into e-commerce.
Introduction to Ungated Products on Amazon
When you start selling online, any new hurdle can be too much for you. So, understanding what you can and can’t sell on Amazon is a good way to get off to a flying start, as well as future-proof your business. Ungated items don’t require Amazon’s approval, so they’re much more accessible to new sellers. In fact, they’re ideal for newcomers looking to gain a foothold in this competitive marketplace.
What Are Ungated Products?
As explained in this YouTube video, Amazon carries out restrictions and limitations on the sale of some categories, sub-categories, brands, listings, ASINs, services and types of products. Most of its restricted products policies aim to prevent the sale of items that are illegal or dangerous. But some are there to improve the quality of listings and ads, protect its image, and maintain customer trust.
These restrictions differ from one venue to the other. For instance, on Amazon US, there are a few ‘condition restrictions’. So, only ‘New’ items can be sold in specific categories. Then there are ‘gated’ categories or brands. These are only open to Professional sellers. And they usually need to perform well. Some might need to be based in the USA, meet revenue targets or pay an entry fee.
With ungated products, you don’t need to worry about any of that. Just about anyone can sell ungated products on Amazon. They’re not as risky in terms of compliance and investment. You don’t need any know-how or previous experience to sell them. Also, the Amazon ungated product list spans several categories, so you can take your pick.
Benefits of Starting with Ungated Products
Aside from being the only safe option for sellers with no prior experience in e-commerce, selling ungated products can also be a boon to people who’ve sold on Amazon or elsewhere before. These are some of the best products for new Amazon sellers as well as seasoned ones because it enables them to:
- Speed up the initial setup process.
- Quickly test products and strategies with little investment.
- Boost their seller performance metrics with less risk.
- Gain experience in managing online sales and fulfilling orders.
- Build up the credentials, sales volume, and funds needed to ‘ungate’ other categories or brands further down the line.
Amazon Gated Product List
Before we look at what you can sell on Amazon anytime, let’s first take a look at some of the things you can’t sell right off the bat. As you can see below, some restrictions are seasonal, while others only apply to select sub-categories. Some apply to new sellers only, while others are off limits to everyone.
Top Amazon Ungated Products
It would take us ages to compile a list of all the products you can sell on Amazon. But there are some categories of products that stand out due to demand and ease of entry. Below are the top ungated categories on Amazon, some key challenges to consider, and some Amazon selling tips for beginners.
Books
Books are the backbone of Amazon and a good starting point for anyone interested in ungated categories. From the latest best-sellers to antiques, books cater to a wide but savvy audience. If you want to tap into this high-potential market, here are a few tips for selling books on Amazon:
- Focus on niche genres.
- Include detailed condition notes with high-quality images to differentiate your listings.
- Maintain high standards.
- Follow condition guidelines for new, used, and collectible books.
- Use a real-time repricer like BuyBoxBuddy to win and keep the Buy Box.
- Steer clear of prohibited items like uncorrected proof copies of upcoming books, promotional copies, and books with moldy or missing pages.
Clothing and Accessories
On Amazon, the apparel market is huge. With everything from basic T-shirts to designer gowns, this is a very rich and dynamic sector. You shouldn’t have any trouble listing most types of adult apparel, children’s clothing, and most accessories like hats, scarves, and belts. Here are a few tips to for newcomers:
- Partner with reliable suppliers to ensure a steady supply of quality items on decent pricing terms.
- Keep up with seasonal trends and fashion cycles to future-proof your inventory.
- Consider eco-friendly and sustainable clothing options for a more discerning market.
- Offer a mix of year-round and trending items to avoid sales slumps.
Home and Garden Essentials
Most of the products in this department are ungated. Sought after for their aesthetics as well as functionality, home improvement, décor, and gardening items are quite popular. This category makes an excellent choice for new sellers, provided they can do their best to:
- Stock up on basic gardening tools and plant care products year-round.
- Keep up with trends in outdoor lighting and decorations.
- Find eco-friendly solutions for sustainable gardening (e.g., bee-friendly weed control).
- Work on keywords and test them on Rufus.
- Develop seasonal promotions to boost sales.
- Highlight the aesthetic appeal of your products with engaging visuals.
Office Supplies
These are essential items with stable demand. So, they can provide a reliable sales stream, especially if you market your products as must-haves for work-from-home professionals, remote workers, desk sharers, and flexible workspace users. Bulk deals and B2B offers for Business Prime Duo customers can attract large and repeat orders.
Sports and Outdoors
These are products with wide appeal. But look beyond generic yoga mats and camping gear to products that can truly improve people’s lifestyles. Stay on top of major sports events and seasonal activities to maximize sales, but also look for seasonal peaks that are less obvious with a product scouting tool like Profit Bandit.
Amazon Selling Tips for Beginners
Avoid Restricted Items
You’d think there was a way to quickly check on Amazon if a product is restricted from sale. But not really. You’d have to log into Seller Central and try to list it first. How, then, do you avoid sourcing products you can’t sell on Amazon? Profit Bandit can help. It can flag them up before you buy them.
All you need to do is log in using your Professional selling account. Scan the barcode or type in the ASIN to check if a product is restricted for you on specific marketplaces. An alert will pop up on your screen if it is. That way, you don’t get stuck with something you can’t sell, and you save a lot of money, time, and effort down the line.
Don’t Give up on Gated Items
If you choose not to use Profit Bandit and its built-in restricted product alert, all is not lost. There are a few categories that you may be able to unlock instantly. But odds are you need to submit a selling application, as shown below.
This may take some time, but you should be able to start selling as soon as it’s approved. To boost your chances, make sure your Professional selling plan is active, your ODR is less than 1%, you have at least 3 months’ worth of sales, and your account is in good standing.
Keep up With Category Changes
It’s not unusual for Amazon to change its policies overnight. If a product category you are selling in becomes gated, waste no time in learning about the new requirements. Once you’re up to speed, do your best to bring your listings up to par. To avoid any disruptions, keep your documentation handy and follow blogs like ours that let you know as soon as there’s a new policy.
Optimize Product Visibility
You can bring your products to a wider audience and stay visible for longer when you optimize for the A10 algorithm. Bear in mind that AI is gaining a foothold in Amazon SEO, so you need to work extra hard on those keywords, descriptions, and images. If you use AI-generated captions on your product images and videos, be sure to proofread the content.
Keep Optimum Stock Levels
There’s no shortage of inventory management tools to help you avoid stock-outs and overstocking. If you sell on multiple channels, Amazon provides access to a free tool called Veeqo. For your FBA products, you can avail of the FBA Restock tool instead. Then there’s also the Inventory Performance dashboard.
But the easiest way to keep track of low inventory levels is to set up real-time reminders. BuyBoxBuddy keeps track of sales trends and inventory levels. It also sends personalized stockout notifications in Seller Central.
As you can see, some of the best products for new Amazon sellers are the ones that come without selling restrictions. Profit Bandit and BuyBoxBuddy can help you sell ungated products on Amazon. But it also pays to understand restriction policies and keep up with all the latest news on our blog before you start your e-commerce journey.
Melanie takes an active interest in all things Amazon. She keeps an eye on the latest developments and keeps Amazon sellers up to speed.