Your brand is the foundation of your business, but without protection, unauthorized sellers can flood Amazon with cheap imitations of your products. Beyond undercutting your prices and pushing your listing out of the Buy Box—slashing your margins—these knock-offs can also permanently damage your reputation.
Customers who receive a poor-quality counterfeit may never return to your brand. Worse, they’ll share their negative experiences, pushing future buyers away. By enforcing brand gating, you ensure that shoppers get the genuine product they expect. This builds trust, maintains your brand’s reputation, and strengthens customer loyalty.
But what happens when you disable it? Here’s why turning off brand gating can wreak havoc on your Amazon business and how you can safeguard your brand.
What Is Brand Gating and How Does It Work?
Amazon’s brand gating program prevents unauthorized third-party sellers from listing your products. When your ASINs are gated, resellers must meet strict criteria before they can sell your brand’s items, including:
- Submitting a manufacturer invoice from the past 90 days
- Providing written authorization from your brand
- Paying a $1,500 non-refundable fee
This added layer of security discourages unauthorized resellers and protects your brand from counterfeits.
The Risks of Disabling Brand Gating
Without brand gating, your listings become vulnerable to unauthorized sellers who can damage your sales, reputation, and customer experience. Here’s how:
1. Losing the Buy Box
- Amazon’s pricing algorithm prioritizes the lowest offer.
- Unauthorized sellers undercut your price to take control of the Buy Box.
- Customers unknowingly purchase from resellers, reducing your direct sales.
2. Price Wars That Slash Your Margins
- Third-party sellers often race to the bottom on pricing.
- With prices dropping, your profit margins take a major hit.
- Amazon may suppress your listing if pricing inconsistencies arise.
3. Counterfeit Products Can Ruin Your Brand’s Image
- Customers who unknowingly receive a fake will blame your brand.
- Poor-quality imitations lead to bad reviews and loss of trust.
- Negative word-of-mouth spreads quickly, damaging future sales.
4. Increased Returns and Customer Complaints
- Counterfeit or lower-quality items lead to a spike in return rates.
- More complaints trigger Amazon warnings and potential listing suspensions.
Who Qualifies for Amazon Brand Gating?
To be eligible for brand gating, your brand must be enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, which requires:
- A registered and active trademark (text or image-based)
- Approval from a recognized government trademark office in a supported country (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Japan, and more).
Once your brand is verified under Amazon Brand Registry, you can apply for brand gating to gain better control over your listings.
How to Set Up Brand Gating on Amazon
If your brand meets the requirements, here’s how to get started:
1. Compile a List of ASINs to Protect
- Start with your most popular products and those frequently targeted by counterfeiters.
- Make sure your listings comply with Amazon’s policies and restricted categories.
2. Demonstrate Your Anti-Counterfeit Efforts
Amazon favors brands that actively work to prevent unauthorized sellers. Strengthen your application by providing:
- Product images that clearly display your trademark.
- Proof of enforcement actions, such as cease-and-desist letters.
- Participation in Amazon’s Transparency Program.
3. Submit Your Application
- Send your ASIN list and supporting documentation to Amazon.
- Monitor your application status and respond promptly to additional requests. Amazon typically takes around 3 to 5 weeks to review your application.
How to Check if Your ASINs Are Brand Gated
After your application is approved, verify that your ASINs are protected:
- Log in from a different seller account (do not create a second account under your brand).
- Navigate to 'Add a Product' in Amazon Seller Central.
- Search for your ASIN and attempt to list the item.
- Check for a restriction message – If gated, Amazon will display a notification requiring seller approval.
If you don’t see this message, follow up with Amazon to confirm your brand gating status.
The Bottom Line: Keep Brand Gating ON
Disabling brand gating exposes your business to unauthorized sellers, pricing wars, and counterfeit products—hurting both your sales and brand reputation. By keeping brand gating in place, you:
- Protect your brand from unauthorized resellers.
- Maintain control over pricing and product quality.
- Ensure a trustworthy experience for your customers.
Amazon brand gating isn’t just a security measure—it’s a strategic advantage. If you want expert guidance on safeguarding your Amazon business, reach out today and let’s make sure your brand stays protected!
