Letter of Authorization vs Selling Application for Brand (Restricted Products?)
Hey guys,
Relatively new to selling on Amazon. I just bought a miscellaneous liquidation of goods from a distributor and unfortunately the invoice does not clearly state one of the items. I have quite a lot of this item and noticed that Amazon requires a selling application for it for me to be able to sell it. I was reading online that sometimes it is easier to just request a letter of authorization from the company including things like their official letterhead and the item but I cannot figure out where to submit this. Amazon is asking for a "Selling Application for this Brand".
Can I bypass this by getting the LOA? If so where do I submit it? If this is not correct way can I contact the manufacturer directly to purchase at least 10 units of the item to get a proper invoice to get approval? Any advice is greatly appreciated in advance!
3 replies
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
"I just bought a miscellaneous liquidation of goods from a distributor"
You are on ice so thin one more step and you are in the suspension pond.
See point 5 below and then read the rest of the post.
This is from @Bryce_Amazon and I have added some bold type for emphasis!
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/b85da569-03c1-401d-92e3-09c057cd76de
From @bryce_amazon:
As an Amazon seller, it's crucial to understand the platform's policies and requirements when it comes to sourcing and selling products. Whether you're selling branded products from a third party or your own private label items, there are several guidelines you need to be aware of.
1. Validate Your Suppliers: Ensure that the suppliers you purchase from are legitimate and authorized to sell the branded products you intend to offer. This may involve checking their business licenses, brand authorization letters, business bureau ratings, and other credibility indicators.
2. Build Relationships with Brands: For certain branded products, you may need explicit permission from the brand owner to sell on Amazon. Take the time to establish a relationship with relevant brands and understand their specific requirements.
3. Retain Business Invoices: Amazon may request documentation to prove the authenticity of your products. Maintain invoices from your suppliers that include details like their contact information, an itemized list of products, and the purchase dates.
NOTE – DESPITE AMAZON TECHNICALLY ALLOWING DROPSHIPPING IT IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE ONE MISTAKE BY THE DROPSHIPPER AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR ACCOUNT! BEST ADVICE – DO NOT DROPSHIP.
4. Understand Amazon's Dropshipping Policy: If you plan to use a dropshipping model, make sure you comply with Amazon's dropshipping policy. This includes validating your dropshipping suppliers, formalizing the relationship with a service level agreement, and properly identifying yourself as the seller on all customer-facing materials.
5. Auctions: Auctions or auction style environments are not considered valid sources of supply. Reselling products that are intended for destruction disposal or otherwise designated as unsellable by the manufacturer, supplier, vendor, or retailer is strictly prohibited on Amazon.
Ultimately, it's your responsibility as an Amazon seller to ensure that the products you offer comply with all applicable laws and regulations, are authorized for sale or resale, and do not infringe on intellectual property rights. By following these guidelines, you can help protect your business and maintain a successful presence on the Amazon marketplace.
"Can I bypass this by getting the LOA? "
NO! See point 5 above and DO NOT try to list the liquidation junk here!
For the future, get an LOA FIRST and then buy from authorized wholesalers that your sales rep at the brand tells you are actually authorized by the brand.
Sell the liquidation stuff on eBay so you don't risk your account here.
Seller_7LrAV0m5llaI7
You won't be able to sell stuff purchased from Liquidation on Amazon. it is not a valid supply chain.
You will have to take your goods over to eBay.
Cooper_Amazon
Good Afternoon @Seller_X9AfvyQM3cMKM,
It looks like a few sellers have shared some feedback regarding your question on LOAs and selling applications.
If any of their responses 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 checkmark when searched within the forums.
I also wanted to share some information I have gathered to help you with Amazon's Responsible Sourcing documentation requirements.
Generally what I have seen around the forums and after reading feedback from the review team on these these cases, if sellers do not provide new information on their second selling applications (and so on), the selling applications appear to get automatically denied.
Listed below are the requirements for sourcing documentation request:
Copies of invoices, receipts or other similar documents that demonstrate where your products are produced or manufactured
These documents:
- Should reflect the sales volume of your product across all Amazon marketplaces in the last 365 days
- Should demonstrate your product’s full supply chain
- Should include contact information for the supplier(s) and the original manufacturer. We may contact suppliers or manufacturers to verify the documents
Your documents should be able to trace your products to the original manufacturer even if you did not purchase them directly from the original manufacturer. This may require requesting additional invoices or supply chain documentation from your supplier if you are not sourcing directly from the manufacturer.
You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible to enable adequate review of the documents you provide. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASIN(s) under review.
As discussed before, a letter of authorization can be a valuable to your appeal in these situations if you’re sourcing directly from the brand or their manufacturer.
I also wanted to share our Seller University resource that addresses Invoice requirements for when you apply to sell.
Lastly, if you have a relationship with the brand, you can to be added as an authorized 3rd party reseller through Brand Registry (but the brand has to add you on their end). Once that has occurred you can attempt to list again and if you still have any issues reach out to support letting them know you are now in the brand's Brand Registry approved list.
Please carefully review all the feedback the other sellers and I have shared. Let us know if you have any questions about any of the information provided above or you can reach out to Selling Partner Support at anytime.
Hope you have a good weekend!
Sincerely, Cooper_Amazon
