Requesting approval to sell a brand (individual seller)
Hi Everyone!
I recently signed up as an "individual seller" on Amazon and have only been approved to sell a handful of items. My main question is this: When submitting an application to sell a particular brand on Amazon, the document requirements include an invoice from the distributor that includes my name, address, etc. However, I am a reseller and therefore, purchase items at large retail stores, such as Walmart, to resell on Amazon. These retail receipts will never include my personal information, except for payment info, so what am I supposed to do here? I provide pictures of the receipt and of the item just like they ask, to prove authenticity, but I keep getting denied within minutes.
I am starting to think that being an individual seller isn't possible, although I know people who have been individual sellers and also purchase items from retailers like Kohl's and Walmart and have made a ton of money over the past years - just selling items that are predominately already listed on Amazon. How are they being approved when they only have receipts as well?
Do I need to create wholesale accounts with the actual manufacturer to be approved to sell anything of significant value and popularity?
I appreciate any advice here. Thank you - Jess
Requesting approval to sell a brand (individual seller)
Hi Everyone!
I recently signed up as an "individual seller" on Amazon and have only been approved to sell a handful of items. My main question is this: When submitting an application to sell a particular brand on Amazon, the document requirements include an invoice from the distributor that includes my name, address, etc. However, I am a reseller and therefore, purchase items at large retail stores, such as Walmart, to resell on Amazon. These retail receipts will never include my personal information, except for payment info, so what am I supposed to do here? I provide pictures of the receipt and of the item just like they ask, to prove authenticity, but I keep getting denied within minutes.
I am starting to think that being an individual seller isn't possible, although I know people who have been individual sellers and also purchase items from retailers like Kohl's and Walmart and have made a ton of money over the past years - just selling items that are predominately already listed on Amazon. How are they being approved when they only have receipts as well?
Do I need to create wholesale accounts with the actual manufacturer to be approved to sell anything of significant value and popularity?
I appreciate any advice here. Thank you - Jess
0 replies
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Then Amazon is not the place for you to sell. Such RA is appropriate on eBay and many other sites, but on Amazon, even as a Individual seller, you are expected to be running a business, including having verifiable supply chains.
They ask for INVOICES, not receipts. A receipt is not adequate proof of authenticity or authorization to sell on Amazon. Note that there are MANY brands (best example is Nike) that do NOT want you selling their items on Amazon, regardless of your sourcing.
That is pretty much the best way. While you may at times get lucky and be able to sell something you purchased retail, once you receive any sort of authenticity complaint, you will not be able to prove a verifiable supply chain, and your account will be suspended. Some people have managed to make this model work for years; others get in trouble within a few months or even weeks.
Take your time; make sure you have gone through Seller U, spend at least a week (more is better) reading these forums; pay special attention to any threads mentioning "Deactivated", "Section 3", or "Counterfeit". Then if and when you decide that Amazon is a place you want to sell, come back with more questions before you jump in; Amazon is NOT a "learn as you go" platform, and has little or no margin of forgiveness if you do something wrong. Or you may decide that you prefer simply selling on eBay and other sites.
Good luck!
Seller_lL56sfALOfvzT
Yes, need to create wholesale accounts with the actual manufacturer or authorized distributor to be approved to sell anything of significant value and popularity. ASD is coming up this summer in Vegas and features 1000s of such possibilities. Trade Shows are a must.
Seller_kxSncN4HGYed0
Oh wow, thank you all so much. This information is very helpful. It's just interesting being that I only started looking into Retail Arbitrage on Amazon because of videos and information I've seen or read of others who are individual sellers and do exactly that .. find deals at large retailers of products already listed on Amazon and have made over 500k in sales in one year. How are they able to do this as individual sellers who go out to stores for hours and purchase products listed on Amazon that they found at a good price in order to make a profit?
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Ahh yes; the one piece of advice I forgot to give:
Forget anything you learned on YouTube, TikTok, or other social media. Much of it was never right; most of what was good information is now outdated.
Keep in mind your goal is to make PROFIT, not just sales. If your margin is tiny, even 500K in sales may not make enough profit to cover your time. Unlike 5-10 years ago, people have figured out that Amazon is not always the best price, and will not usually pay more than the price they can find elsewhere. So unless you pick up something on a really great deal, not much margin. And you have to ask, if the Big Box store can't sell it, how much chance do you have?
Manny_Amazon
Hi @Seller_kxSncN4HGYed0,
Thanks for posting regarding this subject. The advice @Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrwgave you is great, and I would concur with everything they have said.
If their response helped you, feel free to mark it as “Most Helpful reply” using the 3 dots in the corner of their post. Just in case others have the same issue, the Most Helpful Reply feature brings the selected response right to the top of your thread. Sellers will be able to see the answer right away as your discussion will have a green check-mark when searched within the forums.
Regards,
- Manny
