Should You Launch Products under Amazon’s Restricted Categories?

If you’re looking for new product ideas to add to your existing portfolio or you’re a new seller, a good starting point would be Amazon’s best sellers list. The list includes top selling products under different categories on Amazon. Personally, checking out the best sellers list is overwhelming because I can easily go down the rabbit hole trying to assess the potential of numerous products.

When conceptualizing your product idea, the process looks like a funnel. You start with a wide selection of possible ideas then everytime you add a filter or condition, your selection gets smaller and smaller, which should be the case. At some point, you have to move forward from brainstorming, otherwise, analysis paralysis will hit you.

Going back to the best sellers list, it can be filtered by categories so if you are interested in a particular category–i.e. Tools & Home Improvement or Pet Supplies–then you can go from there. Now when choosing a category, first decide if you want to sell a product under a restricted (or gated) or ungated category.

What are restricted (or gated) categories?

Gated categories on Amazon are product categories that require Amazon’s approval to sell in. Amazon has gated/restricted categories to help protect sellers and buyers. By restricting certain categories, Amazon hopes to reduce the amount of counterfeit products being sold on their marketplace.

For a full list of gated or restricted categories, here’s a helpful link.

Would I recommend a new seller to launch a product under gated categories?

No unless you’re the actual manufacturer, you’ve done all the tests required and have all the necessary documentation. Another risk–if your product is not compliant, Amazon can automatically suspend your listing, or worse, deactivate your account. Selling under gated categories is not impossible but it comes with high risks and high level of difficulty.

As an Amazon consultant and seller, if I can avoid it, I wouldn’t manage and sell products under these categories:

• Consumer Electronics – high return rate because of impatient customers who don’t bother reading the manual
• Supplements – very competitive (you’ll burn a lot of money on advertising alone), has expiration date, and customers can easily complain about having bad reaction which can lead to a legal battle
• Beauty products – same with supplements
• Food and Beverage – margins are just too low on these products and inventory management can be very challenging. You can’t produce a lot because of the expiration date and when you don’t produce enough, you’re at risk of going out of stock which is just as bad as having surplus inventory.
• Medical Devices and Accessories–i.e. face masks, gloves, etc.–too much competition especially from China and there’s little room to innovate without driving the price up
• Shoes & Apparel – not technically a gated category but products that require multiple sizes and colors would mean having too much inventory on-hand

What categories would I recommend for new sellers?

• Arts, Crafts & Sewing
• Home & Kitchen
• Travel, Sports and Outdoors
• Tools & Home Improvement
• Office Products

Majority of the accounts I’ve managed sell under these categories. From glue guns, BBQ grills, fake indoor and outdoor plants, weatherproof tape, slush & ice cream maker, children’s furniture to eye patches for kids. These products generate 6-7 figures in revenue annually.

If you’re still unsure, check out my other post — Best Products to Sell on Amazon 2025.

Got questions? Drop a comment or send me an email.