To be successful on Amazon, you need to choose the right product. Finding the right product is half the battle.
After days of researching viable products, if the product has high demand, low competition and high profits, but it belongs to Amazon’s restricted category. In this case, the seller may think
it is better not to sell such products to avoid trouble, but this may be an opportunity, because other sellers may also give up this category considering the extra work or risk involved in Amazon’s restricted category approval, then such products are a sales opportunity. New sellers need to be cautious, and restricted products may be a good opportunity for experienced Amazon practitioners.
If a seller is ready to sell a lucrative product, but it belongs to Amazon’s restricted products, it may be costly without taking the appropriate steps first. Here is information about Amazon restricted products and teach sellers how to sell some of them.
What are Amazon restricted products?
Amazon restricted products are products that Amazon does not allow sellers to list at all or requires sellers to apply for approval to sell. This includes products that face legal restrictions in certain geographic areas, such as alcohol and gambling supplies. It also applies to products that have certain safety requirements, such as auto parts and food.
Amazon wants to ensure that laws and regulations are not violated. For sellers, this means that they must be careful not to let the content of the page cause trouble for the platform or themselves. If a seller intentionally or unintentionally posts a restricted product without the correct license, it may affect the ability to continue selling on the platform.
At first glance, the list of Amazon restricted product categories is long. Sellers can find a list with links to more detailed information about each category on Amazon’s restricted products page. Here are the main categories you need to know. See Amazon’s official website for details.
Animals and animal-related products
Automotive products
Synthetic wood products
Cosmetics and skin care/hair care products
CPAP Cleaning and disinfecting equipment
Currency, coins, cash equivalents and gift cards
Dietary supplements
Medications and drug paraphernalia
TVs/stereos
Explosives, weapons and related items
Export controls
Food and beverages
Hazardous and prohibited items
Jewelry and gemstones
Laser products
Lighting
Lock picking and burglary equipment
Medical devices and accessories
Offensive and controversial goods
Pesticides and pesticide devices
Plant and seed products
Recalled products
Recycled TV/stereo products
Surveillance equipment
Tobacco and tobacco products
Warranties, service plans, contracts and guarantees
Upholstered furniture, bedding and other quilted products
In some of these categories, the restrictions are simple. For things like warranties or subscriptions, just make sure you go through Amazon’s approval process first.
For some other categories, things are a lot more complicated. For makeup and skincare, for example, there’s a list of banned ingredients as well as regulations around packaging and labeling that sellers must follow. In addition to the list above, Amazon has the more vague “Other Restricted Products” category, which includes a variety of product types, from real estate to Confederate flag memorabilia.