Amazon Ungated Categories 2024 Guide

If you search “Ungated Categories on Amazon,” you will find many results that explain gated categories and how to make your seller account ungated! It’s hard to find a detailed and comprehensive guide for newbies.

Although if you expect more profit, you must sell restricted categories with low competition and higher profit margins, selling open categories and products is a good start for new sellers.

In this article, we will explain what an open category on Amazon FBA Business is; then break down the differences between gated and open categories; finally, we list more than 20 ungated categories you can sell without permission.

What Is An Ungated Category?

If you have ever tried selling products on Amazon, you may have realized you cannot sell certain categories or products. These restricted – or gated- categories are a challenge for new sellers.

So usually, the new sellers start their business with ungated categories that don’t need approval from Amazon.

Amazon has restricted certain categories to protect its customers from counterfeit products and keep its brand reliable. So if you want to sell gated categories, you must prove you are trustworthy.

Why Are Some Categories Restricted on Amazon?

Amazon restricts (or gates) categories simply because there are reasons to be cautious about them. Some products are illegal to sell in some regions or require the seller to be approved before listing them. Why? One common factor is the product can potentially harm the buyer experience. Almost all products can be faked, but some can be duplicated in a way that violates copyrights. These include postage stamps, fine art, precious jewelry, etc.

Amazon puts the customer first and cares a lot about how they experience each purchase. That is why the platform has set strict rules for products that can decrease customer satisfaction (by being fake, arriving broken, not working, etc.). This way, it can go over the history and sales record of the seller and let them sell the product only if they are fit to do this. So ungating Amazon products and categories means proving to the platform that you can sell a product genuinely.

What Is the Difference Between Gated And Ungated Categories?

As mentioned above, there are a few reasons why Amazon has kept some categories open and restricted others. The performance metrics of your account need to be good if you want to sell such gated products.

To start your selling journey, you need ungated categories and products. Although the competition is higher than in gated categories, ungated products, and categories are good enough for a beginner.

After you improve your performance metrics, you can ungate your account using an Amazon Ungating Service.

What Are the Open Categories?

More than 20 categories are listed as open categories, meaning they don’t need specific permissions to sell. Don’t forget that Some categories only allow listing for new products, while some can be listed as used or refurbished.

Notice that although some categories are open, brands or products can be gated. Also, ungated categories on Amazon change over time because Amazon updates its policies annually (sometimes even several times a month). As an Amazon seller, you must stay updated and learn about new rules and policies regularly.

Here is a list of the ungated Amazon categories that have been released.

What Are the Top Ungated Categories on Amazon?

New sellers take their time before learning about ungating processes thoroughly. If you are a newbie, the good news is you can sell some ungated items before starting to ungate. Here are the top Amazon ungated categories:

• Books can be sold without approval unless they are collectibles or rare. Since many people buy their books online, it can be an excellent money-making decision.
• Baby products: Baby accessories, shampoos, and care products are ungated, and you can sell them right from the start.
• Amazon Kindle: you can sell your work (self-published) on Kindle. Selling audio or digital books on Kindle doesn’t require approval.
• Beauty Products: skincare and beauty products are very popular, and something new becomes trendy occasionally. You can sell these items without ungating (Read how to get ungated in topicals).
• Cellphones and accessories: smartphones and cell phones, and of course their accessories, are completely ungated on Amazon.
• Home and garden products: Amazon does not restrict home goods and garden products. You can sell items like garden lights, rugs, fabrics, etc.
• Pet supplies: Amazon is an excellent place for people who have pets and are looking for a place to buy their food, treats, toys, etc. The pet supply category can be a good choice for new sellers.

How to Get Ungated in Amazon Categories?

The application to become ungated on Amazon is very straightforward. First of all, sign up for an Amazon Professional Seller account. The monthly subscription fee is $39.99. Then you need to follow the below steps:

1) Go to “Seller Central,” then choose “Inventory.” Then, choose to Add a Product.

2) Look for the gated product in the category, subcategory, or brand you wish to sell. It is possible to find the product by ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number), name, and brand.

3) Across from the product in the search results, click on “Apply to sell.”

4) Now, you can ask for approval by clicking “Request Approval.” You have to consider Amazon doesn’t accept any requests for specific subcategories.

The difficulty of becoming ungated varies for different products. Mostly, Amazon asks for the following documents:

• Letter from the manufacturer/brand owner (if you’re buying wholesale)
• Itemized invoice (with contact information for your supplier)
• Monetary fee
• Other documentation or extra information

Final Thoughts

All the products and categories are not available for selling for all the sellers. It has several reasons, but the important point is that as a beginner, you need open products to sell.

There are more than 20 categories that you can use. But to be a professional and scale your business, you need to use more gated categories gradually. If you wanna know more about Amazon FBA & online arbitrage deals, follow our weblog’s articles.

Amazon Open Categories FAQ