It’s frustrating. How do you get started when you can’t sell because of gating?
I’m trying to pick up some retail arbitrage, but it feels impossible since most things are gated.
Even if I bought 10, it would be a receipt, not an invoice.
Yeah, gating’s a pain, been there.
Here’s what works:
Find a supplier like EE Distribution or Frontier Co-op, order 10 units, get an invoice (not a receipt), and submit that to Amazon. That’s how you get through. Don’t overthink it, just get the invoice and move on.
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Gating can be frustrating, especially for new sellers doing retail arbitrage, but it’s a common hurdle on Amazon to maintain brand and category quality. The best way to get ungated is by purchasing from authorized wholesalers or distributors that provide proper invoices, as retail store receipts usually don’t qualify. You can also look for ungated categories like books, home & kitchen, or some grocery items to start selling while working on approvals for restricted brands. Some sellers use wholesale suppliers like EE Distribution, Frontier Co-op, or GreenDropShip to buy in small quantities and get the necessary invoices for ungating. It takes time, but once you unlock a few brands or categories, it becomes much easier to scale.
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Consider purchasing from authorized distributors who can provide valid invoices, as Amazon typically requires these for ungating approvals.
Alternatively, focus on ungated categories to build a strong sales history, which may improve your chances of ungating in the future.
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For retail arbitrage, stick to ungated products and avoid IP issues. For wholesale, get approval from brands or distributors, submit 10 units, and provide an authorization letter to Amazon.
Which model do you prefer, retail arbitrage or wholesale?