‘Toys and Games’ is among the best-selling categories on Amazon, especially during the holiday season.
But If you’re looking to start selling toys on Amazon, you’ll need to get approval from Amazon first.
Although the approval process may seem daunting, it is still possible to get approved by Amazon as a toy seller.
In this article, I will discuss how to get approval to sell toys on Amazon, as well as the requirements that you must meet.
I will also provide some tips for increasing your chances of being approved.
So if you’re ready to start selling toys on Amazon, keep reading!
How To Get Approval To Sell Toys On Amazon
Getting approval to sell toys on Amazon during the holiday season is not difficult.
The process is similar to applying to sell in any other restricted category.
It’s not that Amazon is being more stringent with its approval process, but they are just being extra cautious because of the increased amount of sellers during this time.
Here are holiday selling requirements for toys on Amazon:
- Your first order fulfilled as an Amazon seller must have occurred prior to September of that year. It’s not necessary that it belonged to the “Toys and Games” category.
- Between August and October of that year, at least 25 seller-fulfilled orders must have been processed and shipped.
- You must have a pre-fulfillment cancel rate of no more than 1.75 percent from September to October of the same year.
- You must have a late shipment rate of no more than 4% for the same months of September and October.
- As of that October, your order defect rate must be less than 1%.
These general rules apply to merchant fulfilling sellers, but Amazon may also consider other factors when approving your application.
For example, Amazon may request toy safety documentation.
The specifics of these requirements might also change by year.
Here are some tips to help you get approved to sell children’s toys on Amazon:
- Start by listing products in other categories. Your first sale shouldn’t be in the “Toys and Games” category. Building up a good sales history in other categories increases your chances of getting approved to sell toys.
- Fulfill your orders on time. This one is self-explanatory, but it’s important to note. Set realistic expectations for yourself and your team to avoid any issues with late shipments.
- Maintain a low pre-fulfillment cancel rate. You can do this by ensuring that your listings are accurate and complete. If a customer has to cancel an order because the product wasn’t what they expected, that will count against you. You can reduce order cancellations and your pre-fulfillment cancel rate by only displaying inventory that can be shipped.
- If you cannot fulfill orders, update your account status on Seller Central as soon as possible. This is, for example, when you go on vacation and won’t be able to ship orders. You can avoid a high late shipment rate by updating your status with the expected ship date.
- Keep track of your customer metrics and make corrections as needed. These requirements are based on customer feedback, so monitoring your metrics closely is important. If you see that you’re getting close to any of the thresholds, take steps to improve your performance.
- Check your orders frequently. This will help you catch any errors early on and avoid any issues with late shipments. As an Amazon seller, you can check your orders from your account’s ‘Manage Orders’ section.
- Make certain your seller policies are current. There are certain requirements for Amazon seller policies, so be sure to check that your policies are up to date.
- Establish SLA commitments for providing prompt shipping confirmation if you work with external dropshippers. This is to ensure that orders are shipped within the timeframes that you have committed to.
Applying for approval to sell merchant fulfill toys on Amazon during the holiday season is not difficult if you follow these tips.
Plan ahead and be sure to list your products in other categories so that you can build up a good sales history.
What To Do If You Can’t Get Approval
If you don’t receive approval to sell toys on Amazon during the holiday season, you can do a few things.
The most obvious solution is to wait until after the holidays when restrictions are lifted and try again.
Another option is to try to sell other types of products.
This could be anything from clothes to electronics. Keep in mind that you’ll need to build up a good sales history in other categories before you try to sell toys again.
When listing these products, make sure you list them in the right categories to avoid any issues.
Finally, you could try to sell toys in a different marketplace.
There are many other options for third-party marketplace out there, so don’t give up if you can’t get approved on Amazon.
You might have more luck elsewhere if you don’t meet Amazon’s holiday selling requirements for the “Toys and Games” category.
Why Are Toys And Games Restricted on Amazon?
Selling toys on Amazon is easy for most of the year.
But when it comes to the last quarter of the year, Amazon puts even more restrictions in place for sellers who want to sell toys during that time.
The reason for this is that there are a lot of safety concerns when it comes to selling these types of products.
Amazon wants to ensure that all sellers comply with all laws and regulations and that they provide safe products to customers.
Sellers swarm Amazon during the holiday season to profit from the lucrative toy market.
Even though you might be making every effort to maintain the highest level of business, not everyone is.
This surge of sellers can lead to an increase in counterfeit products and items that do not meet specified certification standards.
Source: stokesentinel
To protect their customers, Amazon puts restrictions in place for toy and game sellers during the holiday season.
These restrictions are lifted after the holidays, so if you want to sell these types of products on Amazon, you’ll need to plan ahead.
It’s important to note that these restrictions are not permanent, you can still list your products during the holidays.
But you will just need to apply for approval and go through a few extra steps to do so.
Check to see if you’re already authorized to sell toys on Amazon before you attempt to obtain approval.
Go to Seller Central to see if you can sell toys on Amazon. Once you’ve logged in, select “Inventory.” After selecting “Add a Product,” select “Selling Application Status.” You can see here which categories you are permitted to sell in.
Restrictions on toy sales only apply to orders FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) in the last quarter of the year, which is the holiday season.
If you’re using FBA (Fulfilled By Amazon), the limitations don’t apply to you.
What Are Amazon Restricted Categories?
If you want to sell on Amazon, there are specific categories that you need to be approved for first.
These are called restricted categories, and to get approval to sell in these categories, you’ll need to provide Amazon with additional information about your business and product offerings.
This consists of items like alcohol and gambling equipment that are subject to legal restrictions in some regions.
It also applies to things like food items and automotive parts that must meet federal safety standards.
Amazon always makes sure that it complies with all rules and laws.
This means that sellers must ensure that nothing they list could put them in legal trouble.
Whether on purpose or not, listing a restricted product without the necessary authorizations could affect your ability to keep selling on the platform.
Amazon will take necessary remedial action if you supply a product that is against the law or any of Amazon’s policies, including those that are detailed on the Restricted Products pages.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- instantly terminating or suspending your selling privileges
- destroying inventory in Amazon fulfillment centers without reimbursing you
- returning inventory
- terminating the business relationship
- permanently withholding payments
The main restricted product categories on Amazon include:
- Alcohol
- Animals & animal-related products
- Art – fine art
- Art – home decor
- Automotive and powersports
- Composite wood products
- Cosmetics & skin/hair care
- CPAP cleaning and disinfecting devices
- Currency, coins, cash equivalents, and gift cards
- Dietary supplements
- Drugs & drug paraphernalia
- Electronics
- Explosives, weapons, and related items
- Export controls
- Food & beverage
- Gambling & lottery
- Hazardous and prohibited items
- Human parts & burial artifacts
- Jewelry & precious gems
- Laser products
- Lighting
- Lock picking & theft devices
- Medical devices and accessories
- Offensive & controversial materials
- Pesticides and pesticide devices
- Plant and seed products
- Postage meters and stamps
- Recalled products
- Recycling electronics
- Refrigerants
- Strike anywhere matches
- Subscriptions and periodicals
- Surveillance equipment
- Tobacco & tobacco-related products
- Warranties, service plans, contracts, and guarantees
- Upholstered furniture, bedding, & other quilted products
Amazon has strict guidelines for each restricted category, so it’s important that you familiarize yourself with these before applying for approval.
How to Avoid Selling Restricted Products On Amazon Accidentally
You can do a few things to avoid selling restricted products on Amazon.
These include:
Learn about the rules and laws that apply to your product categories
This is the first and most important step. You need to know what products are restricted and why. This way, you can be sure that the product you’re trying to sell is not on the list. If it is, then you know you need to get approval before listing it. For instance, if you want to sell toys, learn about how to sell merchant fulfill toys on Amazon.
Get help from an Amazon expert
If you’re unsure about the rules and regulations, you can always get help from an expert. They will be able to guide you through the process and make sure that you are compliant. This way, you can avoid any issues with selling restricted products on Amazon.
Keep up to date on Amazon’s policies
Amazon’s policies are always changing, so it’s important to keep up to date on the latest changes. You can do this by subscribing to Amazon’s Seller Central blog. This way, you’ll always be aware of any changes that could affect your business as an FBA seller. By staying up to date, you can avoid any problems with selling restricted products on Amazon.
If you realize you have any restricted listings, remove them
If you realize that you have any listings that are restricted, you need to remove them as soon as possible. This way, you can avoid any penalties. You should also take this opportunity to review your other listings to make sure they are compliant.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Question
Can I sell toy products without permission?
Yes, you can but this changes in the last quarter of the year during the holiday season. You will need to apply for approval and meet Amazon’s requirements before listing any products in the “Toys and Games” category.
The requirements for getting approved can change by year, so it’s always best to check with Amazon first. If you try to list toys without approval, your seller central account will be at risk of being suspended or even banned.
Do I need to have a lot of sales before I can get approved to sell toys?
No, you don’t need a lot of sales. However, you will need to have a good sales history in other categories. This is because Amazon wants to see that you’re a reliable seller who can meet customer expectations. Amazon looks at your overall performance as a seller when they decide whether or not to approve you for selling toys.
If you don’t have any sales yet, you could try to sell other types of products first. This will help you build up a good sales history that you can use to apply for approval to sell toys.
How long does it take to get approved?
It usually takes a few days to get approved. However, it can take longer during the holiday season. This is because there are more applications and Amazon is stricter with their requirements.
If you don’t receive approval right away, don’t worry. You can try to request approval again later or try to sell other types of products.
Are toys on Amazon safe?
Yes, toys on Amazon are safe. Amazon has strict requirements for Amazon sellers who want to sell toys in the toy category. They need to be approved by Amazon and have a good sales history. This ensures that only reliable Amazon sellers are selling toys on the site.
If you’re worried about buying a toy from Amazon, you can always check the reviews before you purchase. This will give you a good idea of what other customers thought about the toy.
Bottom Line
Selling toys on Amazon can be a great way to make some extra money during the holidays.
However, you need to be approved by Amazon before listing any products in the “Toys and Games” category.
This is because Amazon has strict requirements for sellers who want to offer toys for sale.
You can apply for approval by following the steps in this article.
Remember to list your products in other categories to build up a good sales record.
If you’re not approved right away, don’t worry.
You can try again later or try to sell other types of products.
Enjoyed this article? Make sure to check our full guide on how to get approval to sell restricted products on amazon.
