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✍️ By Ivana Kosovac, Bobsled Account Specialist
Brand Gating is a program on Amazon that allows brands to set up a barrier around their products (or their entire brand), preventing third-party sellers from selling counterfeit items.
The process varies from account to account, and approval can take anywhere from just a few weeks to 9 months.
Amazon provides brand gating automatically for certain manufacturers/vendors (typically large, established brands). However, it’s not impossible for other brands to become gated on Amazon.
By eliminating unauthorized sellers and counterfeit products, shoppers can feel confident when they purchase your products on Amazon. This is the true value of brand gating!
On the right: Ivana Kosovac, Bobsled Account Specialist
Amazon Brand Gating Steps
Prerequisites:
- Ensure your brand is Brand Registered (BR) and registered under BR 2.0
- Ensure your brand is trademarked under USPTO by checking here or searching for it here
Please note: Without owning a Trademark and being a Brand Registered Seller, your request for Brand Gating will be denied instantly.
Process for requesting Brand Gating: Self-Service
- Compile all the required information (brand name, priority ASINs, Cease & Desist documentation, Seller ID, authorized resellers, product photography, brand website) and submit this in a case you will open by going to Brand Registry Support > Report a marketplace policy violation > Other
- If this Brand Registry case isn’t successful, consider submitting all of the required info through the following pathways instead:
- Seller Central Help > Get Support > Your Account > Other Account Issues
- Amazon Brand Registry contact emails
- Other direct contacts at Amazon
Once the info has been submitted, it will usually take Amazon ~2 weeks to review and complete. To avoid lengthy delays be sure to include all the requested information from the jump.
Amazon Brand Gating: Hiring a Lawyer
If the self-serve process outlined above is unsuccessful, you may consider hiring a specialist lawyer to reach out to Amazon on your behalf.
Hiring an attorney will likely illustrate to Amazon that you are invested in protecting your brand and consumers’ trust on the Amazon channel. However, your lawyer will be hamstrung if they can’t submit all the required information on your behalf, so be sure to keep this top of mind if you pursue this course of action.
Are your Amazon ASINs Brand Gated?
To check whether your ASINs are brand gated, follow the steps below:
- You will need to use a different seller account to test this (warning: do not create a second seller account for your brand - this goes against Amazon’s terms of service)
- Once logged in, find the ASIN you requested to be brand gated
- Click on the “Sell on Amazon” or “Sell yours” button
- Brand-gated products will show a warning: “You need approval to list in this brand” and a button to request the approval. This indicates that the product has been brand-gated.
The Bobsled team would love to support your brand gating efforts!
Book a consultation today.
Steps to request approval for Brand Gated ASINs
If your ASINs or brand is part of the Brand Gating program, third-party sellers (resellers, distributors, authorized sellers etc) have to request an approval in order to create an offer on Amazon. Third-party sellers will have to:
- Pass performance checks
- Pay fees (sometimes these fees can be several thousands of dollars)
- Provide Amazon with invoices from manufacturers
- Provide Amazon with written authorization from the brand to sell their products.
Further Reading
✔ How to Handle Unauthorized Sellers as an Amazon Vendor
✔ How Amazon’s New Transparency Program Will Affect You
✔ How to Protect Your Brand on Amazon From Unauthorized Sellers
NEED HELP Today?
The Bobsled team would love to support your brand gating efforts!
Book a consultation today.
Tagged: Amazon Account Management, Brand Protection & Customer Service
