Question About Ungatting Doing Retail Arbitrage
Hi, I am currently looking to sale products I find at store like Home Depot and Lowes at a discount on Amazon as their original price. I guess you can say Retail Arbitrage. I am however not quite understanding how I would acquire a invoice for these products I buy from the stores, I know I will get a retail receipt but as stated those aren't accepted, any suggestions on what I can do to get past this and start selling?
9 replies
Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v
You can start selling. No problem.
Then, you will be asked invoices. As you wrote yourself, you will not be able to supply them.
99.9% experienced sellers say stay away from RA.
You do not want a suspended account and funds withheld.
Seller_kNAboD6kRgVt7
Amazon does not make policies for you to "get past." As soon as the first customer complains about their order, you will be done, and as @Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v points out, your funds withheld.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
You "get past" it by skipping any RA at all, and going straight to authorized wholesale distributors, where you buy (wholesale) items for which you have permission FROM THE BRAND to sell on Amazon.
As pointed out, one single complaint questioning your sourcing will be enough to totally ban you from Amazon if you do not have proper documentation.
Seller_qTJiCxRI8PpIZ
Unless you have permission from the brand owner of the products you are trying to sell you will end up suspended and likely not reinstated. Always go to the brand owner for permission before you resell any product. Please be aware Amazon may give you permission to sell these products but as soon as the brand owner finds out (and they will) your products will get gated and you will get suspended.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
"I am however not quite understanding how I would acquire a invoice for these products I buy from the stores,"
The simple answer is YOU DON'T!
In case you did not understand what all the others have told you, you missed the RA boat by about 5 YEARS.
It is OBVIOUS you have spent no time studying Seller U and/or reading the Forum for the hundreds of 'please help with my Section 3 suspension for doing RA.'
There is no 'softer, easier, way' any longer. Forget everything you watched on YouTube and TikTok. It's out of date garbage in most all cases.
Just start writing your appeal for your suspension since you are going to need it. AND Amazon will find your note about wanting to do an end run around their rules!
Seller_wgXcVbvOKS4FV
Hey guys, appreciate the responses. I may have worded it wrong as I am not trying to "get past" in a way of deceiving Amazon but more so if anyone has experienced this and what they have done to get to the point of selling while doing RA. Also what I am hearing is RA is somewhat obsolete and not a good method for gaining success selling on Amazon.
Blake_Amazon
Hi @Seller_wgXcVbvOKS4FV, the other sellers on the thread have provided excellent advice which you've acknowledged, but I wanted to chime in to agree that it would be unwise to try to sell a product without proper documentation. This video goes into invoice requirements and if you plan to sell a branded product, you may also need to provide a Letter of Authorization directly from the brand where they say that you are allowed to sell their product on Amazon.
-Blake
