18 Apr Prohibited Goods on Amazon: What Are They and Why Are They Banned?

Despite the fact that Amazon has a very extensive catalog, the reality is that you can’t sell all kinds of products. Always thinking about consumer safety and your relationship with them, Amazon has a list of reasons why some products cannot be marketed.

In the following lines, we explain some of the reasons why certain products cannot be sold and what types of items are most commonly identified as prohibited goods. We will also offer you alternatives in case you want to sell products that can be part of this list.

Why are some products banned on Amazon?

Consumer safety, legality, and even ethics are the reasons why some goods are banned on this platform. Join us to discover them one by one:

• Customer safety: Offering an ideal shopping experience is one of the sales giant’s main concerns. To achieve this, it is vitally important that the items purchased by the consumer do not pose a danger to their life, nor to the person who delivers the products. That is why poisonous, toxic, flammable or corrosive items are categorically prohibited by Amazon.
• Illegal products: If you have to hide to buy a product, rest assured that you won’t find it in Amazon’s catalog for sale. Counterfeits, illegal drugs, explosives, firearms and any other item with dubious usefulness and provenance are considered prohibited goods and are not part of the marketplace’s inventory.
• Ethical reasons: Closely related to the previous point, especially as far as intellectual property rights are concerned. If Amazon does not verify that the trademarks are properly registered and the patents and copyrights are respected, it will not consent to the sale of any product. There are also some articles that could be considered inappropriate or offensive; such as, for example, films with erotic content, sex toys with graphic and sensitive images and articles that allude to xenophobia, racism, etc.

What are the prohibited goods on Amazon?

Some of the merchandise that is not sold on Amazon are as follows:

• Illegal products: Counterfeits, drugs, firearms, explosives… If they are things that you can’t easily find in a physical store, you won’t find them on Amazon either. Despite the fact that it is an e-commerce, the laws also apply to the marketplace, so selling products of this nature can lead to serious legal problems for both the buyer and the seller. Items containing ivory and skins of protected species may also be affected by these restrictions.
• Dangerous items: Any product that poses a risk to the safety of the customer (and the person making the delivery) cannot be sold on Amazon: toxic, flammable, corrosive, poisons… In addition to the physical integrity of buyers, Amazon is also interested in protecting its public image, delivery record, and relationship with customers.
• Intellectual Property Infringements: To avoid lawsuits and unintended legal consequences for sellers, Amazon takes special care in all matters related to third-party intellectual property rights, such as trademarks, patents, and copyrights. If the company considers that they are not respected, it chooses to prohibit the sale of some products.
• Adult products: Sex toys, movies with explicit content, and items with obvious adult content are just some of the items that can be considered prohibited goods on Amazon. The reason? It can result in a bad image for the company and negatively affect reputation and ties with customers.

Do you need to sell any of these products?

It’s possible that, even though you meet all the legal requirements, you may have some products that Amazon identifies as prohibited goods. You don’t have to worry! There are always options to continue your sale.

If you’re convinced that selling on Amazon is your best option, you can try to get their approval. It is important that you contact the Amazon Seller support team to make your case and explain through convincing and weighty arguments the reasons why you think your product should be approved. It is not a safe option, but it is possible that after studying your case they will approve the sale of the item.

Finally, if it’s up to you, consider changing your product. Changing lines of business is an enriching experience for any entrepreneur. Perhaps Amazon’s refusal will offer you the opportunity to sell other kinds of items and get a great professional apprenticeship.