If you are an Amazon seller who wishes to sell toys on Amazon then you must be wandering around to look out for a proper answer. Now you have landed on the right blog post as we will delve deeper into how to get approved to sell toys on Amazon.
As you know, the toys and games category is a hot niche to sell on Amazon but it is difficult for many to crack and get approval for it
The approval process for selling toys on Amazon is complicated for all new Amazon sellers and many do not get the correct answer but we will discuss in detail the following,
- How can a manufacturer get the approval to sell toys on Amazon USA
- How can an Importer get the approval to sell toys on Amazon USA
- How can a Reseller get the approval to sell toys on Amazon USA
How to Get Approved to Sell Toys on Amazon
Now we will discuss the process to get the approval for selling toys on Amazon but first, we need to understand why there are restrictions on selling toys and then we will target all seller types (manufacturer, Importer, reseller) on how they can get the approval.
Why Are Toys And Games Restricted on Amazon?
Amazon restricts various categories and established strict guidelines for the sale of goods on the Amazon marketplace. This is due to two main reasons which are mentioned below,
- Amazon prioritizes its consumer’s safety first due to which it has gained popularity by protecting consumers and maintaining a safe marketplace for everyone.
- Amazon has to comply with federal regulations.
Toys and games are popular products on Amazon, but they are also subject to restrictions. Amazon restricts certain toys and games because they pose a potential safety risk to children.
One of the main reasons why toys and games are restricted on Amazon is because of the potential risk of injury. Children can be injured by toys that are poorly designed or made with substandard materials.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) also requires that all toys and games sold in the United States meet certain safety standards. Amazon must ensure that all toys and games sold on its platform comply with these regulations.
How can a Manufacturer/Importer Get Approved to Sell Toys on Amazon?
If you are a manufacturer looking to get approval for selling toys on Amazon then you will need to submit the following information to Amazon,
- Company information such as (Name, Seller Central Account ID, Email Address, and Phone Number)
- List of ASINs that you are applying to sell on Amazon
- Include product images and manuals (if applicable) that contain all pertinent safety information, compliance markings, as well as warnings for small parts and choking hazards in the images.
- You need to obtain a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) for the ASINs you intend to sell.
- Provide test reports from a laboratory accepted by CPSC, which confirms that each product has been tested according to the requirements mentioned below:
| Applied for Products | Regulations need to be complied |
| Toys for children under age 12 | ASTM F963-17 (Toys), CPSIA (Lead, Phthalates), and Small Parts Warning |
Manufacturers and importers are liable to abide by the above rules as every new product ASIN that they are planning to sell on Amazon will need a CPC and a test report from a CPSC-accepted laboratory to ensure that the product is complying the regulations stated in the ASTM F963-17 for toy safety.
Always remember that new products that currently are not available for sale on Amazon are restricted therefore by providing all the above information to Amazon, you will get approval if your documents are correct.
Tips to Make Sure: That the Documents are Correct Before Submitting
Test reports of toys that you are providing to Amazon must contain the following,
- Images of the tested product
- Packaging
- Age Grading (The age group for which the toy is going to be sold)
- Warning labels (such as choking hazards)
- Tracking Labels
Tracking labels images must also contain the following,
- Names of manufacturers or importers
- Location and date of manufacture
- Detailed information on the manufacturing process
- Any other relevant information that provides the source of toys
One more key rule is to make sure that the test report, labels, and packaging must match your detail page information.
Manufacturers can also register as Small Batch Manufacturer to get some benefits and if you are registered with CPSC (consumer product safety commission) then you should also mention the SBM number when applying for approval on Amazon to get a higher chance of getting accepted.
How to Get Children’s Product Certificate (CPC)
You may wonder what is CPC and how can you provide this to Amazon, then let us give you a brief about children’s product certificates and how can you draft this.
Note that Children’s Product Certificate should base on the test reports from the CPSC-accepted laboratory and you can draft the CPC yourself with no cost or you can let a professional draft it for you.
Professionals might charge you $50 to $100 to draft the CPC document.
If you wish to draft it yourself then you need to make sure all information should be mentioned in the document such as,
- Identification of the product covered by this certificate
- Citation to each CPSC product safety regulation to which this product is being certified
- Identification of the importer or domestic manufacturer certifying compliance of the product
- Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results
- Date and place where this product was manufactured
- Date and place where this product was tested for compliance with the regulation(s) cited above
- Identify the third party, CPSC-accepted where this product was tested by an accredited laboratory (accepted by the CPSC) for compliance with the regulation(s) cited above
If you need to understand CPC elements with examples then you can click here
How to Find the CPSC Accepted Laboratory and Get the Product Tested?
It is easy to find the CPSC-accepted laboratory and get your toys and games tested for toy approval. To look for accepted laboratories you need to click here.
Just remember that labs will charge you fees for testing. If you are looking for special rates then you can log in to Amazon seller central account and look for a list of compliance solution providers.
How Can a Reseller Get Approval to Sell Toys on Amazon?
Remember, the toys category is gated for resellers not restricted as they are going to sell already-approved products on Amazon as the ASIN of that product already exists on Amazon.
The reseller needs to follow the below method to get the approval,
- Log in to their Amazon Seller Central Account
- Add a product
- Type the ASIN that they wish to sell
- Apply for approval if needed
- Provide the invoice of the distributor which entails the details of the distributor information and reseller company’s information along with the product UPC and name of the product.
You will get the approval from Amazon however if Amazon request toy safety documentation then provide a CPC document and test report then you can contact the distributor and get the documents for submission.
How to Get Approved to Sell Toys on Amazon (General Requirements)
There are some general requirements that every Amazon sellers need to oblige for getting approval on restricted categories and these are mentioned below,
- Amazon sellers must have fulfilled the first order before September of the year when applying for approval. That product can be for any category.
- Amazon sellers must have fulfilled at least 25 orders from August to October of that specific year.
- The seller must have an ODR of less than 1%.
- The seller’s pre-fulfillment cancel rate should be less than 1.75%
- The seller’s LSR (Late Shipment Rate) must be less than 4%
Higher chances of getting approval are for FBA sellers as LSR and ODR are less likely to get impacted for FBA sellers. If you need to understand how ODR impacts a seller’s performance then you can read this blog post.
Why am I restricted from selling toys on Amazon?
If you have already followed the above guidelines to get the approval but are still restricted then you must have missed or did a mistake in the application process.
You may have tried to apply for approval during the holiday season as Amazon is really strict and their team is busy due to which your application will be processed after the holiday season.
You should always apply for approval before the holiday season to make the desired revenue by selling toys during the holidays.
