What is considered a distributer?
Trying to understand where items can be purchased for them to be considered from a distributer? Is CVS a distributer? Is Kohl's a distributer? Those are just two examples. Can I buy in store or it needs to be online for proof of purchase to get accepted into selling a certain product? Thank you!
What is considered a distributer?
Trying to understand where items can be purchased for them to be considered from a distributer? Is CVS a distributer? Is Kohl's a distributer? Those are just two examples. Can I buy in store or it needs to be online for proof of purchase to get accepted into selling a certain product? Thank you!
54 respostas
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
No, they are retailers. You need to invoices, not receipts. You need to find something you are interesting in selling and research it. If you want to sell a brands item, then you will need permission not only from Amazon, but more than likeley the brand as well.
Seller_CF0URQS5DxG2u
A couple days ago, @Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp wrote a phenomenal post that will help shine a lot of light on this for you.
Please read his comment in its entirety, it should help a lot.
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/e9763087-d5c1-44f1-8c3b-cdb2cccac560?postId=b3a5058a-a916-4116-a5ab-e5fa035cd392
Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v
{Content Removed}
- Edited to remove content that is disruptive to the function of the Seller Forums. Content that demonstrates no relevance to selling in Amazon’s store, or disrupts the effective use of the Seller Forums in any way is not permitted. Please post only to assist other sellers and post in good faith. Thank you. - Amazon Seller Forums Community Manager
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
Thanks to @Seller_CF0URQS5DxG2u for the complement -- And the link but you REALLY need the college level course and even the normally pretty good Grampa_and_Grandma is giving you DANGEROUS information when they say that kohls.com is a 'yes' WITHOUT telling you the important distinction -- it is STILL a STORE and NOT an AUTHORIZED distributor.
Here is my rookie lecture to try and keep you from being suspended. PERMANENTLY!
Since you appear to be brand new, I will expand and give you my freshman, Amazon Rookie lecture. Please read it.
You are confusing AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
You really need to go study Seller U instead of TikTok and YouTube before your account gets kicked to the curb permanently.
Since you don't appear to have done that PLEASE pay attention to the following:
The first question is -- Are you authorized IN WRITING by the BRAND to sell their items on Amazon? That means from the BRAND, not some random wholesale source that can NOT authorize anything – they only SELL.
More and more brands have provided a "whitelist" of their approved sellers and if YOU are NOT on the list you will be stopped in your tracks and probably hit with an IP violation.
The second (and probably more important) question is -- Where are you sourcing your products? Are you buying direct from the brand or through an AUTHORIZED wholesale source?
NOTE – DOING RA IS NOT PERMITTED ON AMAZON. PERIOD. ALSO NOTE that buying from ANY retail dot com site is doing RA and WILL (eventually) get you suspended or worse yet, SUED by a brand with LOTS of high priced attorneys!
There are a LOT of FAKE wholesalers out there ranging from places like Sam's Club, Costco, BJs Wholesale and others to all those Gray market providers touted on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and other places. AND there are places like Ali#$#$ that sell counterfeits and knockoffs.
Any of the guys mentioned have resulted in so many account suspensions that it is impossible to count the number.
When Amazon says in Seller U to use an Authorized Reseller they mean an AUTHORIZED (by the BRAND) Wholesale Distributor – NOT some random wholesale distributor that has “thousands of brands” in stock but is NOT authorized by the brand.
Here is an Amazon MOD response to another post with similar issues. I share this because a FEW people don’t believe in needing permission to sell from the BRAND.
“Hello @Photo1,
My name is Dougal from the Community Manager Team. This can be a difficult topic to navigate so I appreciate you posting here in case others have the same or a similar question.
Thanks to @NEVERLAST and @Brigittefor providing assistance and I don't have much more to add other than restating that you need the Brand Owner's approval to sell their brand. I also want to provide you the help page on why a letter of authorization is needed and what should be included in it: Letter of Authorization.
Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Dougal”
NOTE -- I AM NOT DOUGAL. I am quoting what he responded to on a different post regarding the same type issue.
Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6bl
When you buy from an actual wholesale business you must meet certain criteria -- and that's not just having a credit card. You will be supplying tax related documents at a minimum.
You can meet real manufacturers and distributors at trade shows.
Desultory internet searching will just lead to various retail sites, even if they call themselves wholesale.
Seller_t62CBQtzPH5of
Where can these items be purchased? The answer for most items is nowhere. They don't want you selling their products. Amazon basically wants the brands themselves to sell directly on this platform. In lieu of that, they want retailers with a direct relationship to sell the products here (probably on the sly in violation of the agreement they signed). Amazon's only concern is liability.
Remember, 99% of what you read in this forum is either misinfomed nonsense or deliberate disinformation to kill the competition. These people are not your friends, they don't want you to succeed. When a seller gets discouraged and comes here to say they are quitting, these people are happy as clams. "Yessss, we got rid of another one!"
Interesting thing about RA--Amazon invented it. That's how they got started (besides flipping books)--by doing RA at Toys R Us. They had a relationship and stabbed TRU in the back the first chance they got. That is the pattern they used over and over again to gain market share. They used every sort of RA, gray market goods, probably violated sales tax laws, etc. They just relied on an army of lawyers to shift liability from themselves to 3p sellers. Copious lobbying of politicians probably helped as well.
Now that they have huge market share they want to go legit by getting all brands to sell directly on their platform. If they can achieve that they will get rid of 3p sellers for good.
Just remember these important points:
1) Most people here are liars.
2) No one wants you to succeed.
3) Amazon's sole purpose is to maximize shareholder profits. You mean less than nothing to them!
Good luck! 😂
Seller_R2dP7Hunjcdj0
First, you should ALREADY have a business license AND a plan of action in-place that includes where you will store your inventory and where you will process your inventory.
THEN, you should go through Amazon Seller University to cover the vital basics.
THEN you will be ready to proceed to the next step.
As for your question, for Amazon purposes, you should consider a Distributor to be a business which offers Retail Products at Wholesale Prices to assigned Accounts of the Distributor. You MUST be at least a Wholesale account buyer to sell on Amazon now, if not a manufacturer.
To create a Wholesale account with a Distributor, one must contact the Distributor and ask if they are accepting new Wholesale accounts, and if,so, what are their terms.
While many Distributors are also Manufacturers (like Hasbro), most Manufacturers have deals with their own Distributors to offer their products Wholesale. You might find a list of Authorized Distributors of products on the products Manufacturers website.
To sell an item on Amazon as of now, you must have a Wholesale Invoice that contains your company info, the Distributor's company info, and the item purchased info. You also usually need to purchase a specified minimum quantity to qualify.
Without this document you leave yourself open to suspension on Amazon.
Good Luck!
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
The first thing to look for is what they require from you to purchase from them.
Do they let you come in, pay with cash or credit card, and leave? If so, NOT a distributor.
OTOH, if they require that you submit a copy of your business and/or resale/tax license (specifics vary by state), AND they give you an actual INVOICE (with terms), and the don't sell to anyone without those things, then they probably qualify as a "distributor".
Of course, then there is the followup- are they an AUTHORIZED distributor of what you are buying?
Note that even if they ARE authorized by the brand you are buying, that does not automatically convey permission for you to sell it on Amazon.
If there is a brand you want to sell, you should contact the brand, and ASK what distributor you can use; make sure to specify that you will be selling on Amazon.
Seller_qTJiCxRI8PpIZ
Absolute truth here. Trust everything @Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9 @Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6bland @Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp say. They give the best advice around here.
Seller_4nMaz8PIYpP7Z
A distributor is company you have a wholesale account with. Unless it's used items like books, (Just an example) and even then, some sellers are having issues selling books now. Amazon must have approval from said company or companies to sell their products. I have approval from multiple companies to sell their products, but some of them do not allow me to sell on Amazon. I have an actual store, so this is why I have so many distributors. Hope this helps!
