While it is currently possible to list PPE products on Amazon, there is an approval process. This guide will walk you though how to sell PPE products on Amzon. are some tips that we found.
Initial requirements to sell PPE on Amazon
If you want to sell on Amazon, you first need to sign up for an Amazon Seller Central account as soon as possible. This can take a number of days or weeks, depending on if they approve your initial documents or need more info.
After account registration, the next step is to add your products in Seller Central.
To create ASINs in the PPE category, Amazon requires you to complete a New Listing Creation Form specifically for personal safety and household products. Do this ASAP.
Approval for this can take days or weeks, depending on if they need additional info.
Upon approval, add your listings. See this article on how to add listings in Seller Central. If you receive Error 5665, follow the instructions in the article.
You will need to provide this info:
- At least one purchase invoice for your product(s) from a manufacturer or distributor
- Photos of your product(s) or the packaging.
- Requirements: the product must be sitting on a table, show all 6 sides of the product, show the brand name and all text clearly visible, must not be a marketing image.
Once the listings are added, you can begin building them with SEO optimized titles, bullet points, description, and great images.
If you will be selling products that already exist for sale on Amazon the PPE category, you will go to Inventory > Add Product > input the exact UPC code or ASIN of the product you wish to be a seller of. You will still be asked to submit the above documents upon adding the listings
Things to have ready:
Here are the things that you should have prepared.
- A post-purchase invoice that proves your company purchased these items from the manufacturer.
- Real photos of 1 product. They must show all 6-sides of the product and/or packaging, and must clearly display the brand name and logo and/or the product name, with all text clearly visible. The product should be on a table (not a marketing image) and can be taken with your phone. This is needed for for just 1 product – not every product.
- FDA documentation: Manufacturer number, FEI number, Registration number, or Operator Owner number. You can look these things up on the FDA’s Establishment Registration & Device Listing webpage.
- The monthly production capacity of the Manufacturer.
- Location of the inventory. Is it in the U.S. currently, on its way being imported, or still at the overseas supplier?
- Your pricing per pack/size/variation for creating your inbound shipment into FBA.
- Unique UPC codes for each variation – they must be purchased from GS1US.org (you will need this to create the listings in the first place).
Common issues with selling PPE on Amazon
After your listings are created and/or live, their algorithm is always scraping for words, flagging anything that may be restricted. So make sure your product titles, bullet points, descriptions, images, and product labels don’t have any restricted words. Amazon will flag and remove PPE listings for the following reasons:
- Any medical claims
- Any misleading product descriptions
- Using the word COVID, coronavirus, virus, or any pandemic related term
- Any claims or references regarding the FDA, CDC, WHO, or any health organization.
When a product is flagged, submit a case to resolve it. They will ask you to provide 3rd party compliance and testing reports (e.g., medical tests, bacterial filtration tests, particle filtration tests, etc.).
Expect a flag after listings go live (so expect delays)
Because of the nature of PPE products and the keywords in the listings, a flag should be expected. So have this 3rd party documentation ready, and expect this to cause long delays – it can be days, weeks or months to get the product(s) approved for sale again. When dealing with Amazon Seller Support (especially during Q4) they can be quite slow! We recommend following up with them every day via email and getting them on the phone to escalate things when needed.
Be Sure to Avoid Price Gouging
It makes sense that Amazon is trying to prevent price gouging on their site. Be sure to read their Fair Pricing Policy. These things are prohibited:
- Setting a price on a product or service that is significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon
- Selling multiple units of a product for more per unit than that of a single unit of the same product
- Setting a shipping fee on a product that Amazon considers excessive
Summary
In summary, it is definitely possible to sell PPC on Amazon. But don’t expect it to be a quick approval process! Amazon is all about playing it safe, and they are in no rush to let their site be flooded with illegitimate sellers – so it’s understandable that they have strict processes for approvals, especially in the sensitive category of PPE.
– Riley Bennett
Seattle, WA
“We help brands CRUSH it on Amazon.”
PS. Looking to hire an agency to handle this? We can handle it. We are already working with some PPE brands and have been successful with approval and listing.
Sources:
Amazon’s guide on Personal Safety & Household Products: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/help.html?itemID=U5H4KPBMUFE6XHH
