Amazon’s recent trend of "instant/hard gatings" has created significant uncertainty for sellers like us, especially as we prepare to place large orders for Q4. As a medium to large seller carrying hundreds of SKUs, we often place orders in the hundreds of units per SKU, driven not only by demand but also by Amazon’s fee structure, which penalizes insufficient stock with additional fees.

However, the growing occurrence of instant gating, where brands are suddenly restricted with little to no warning or explanation, poses a serious risk. Sellers can find themselves unable to sell products they’ve already purchased, facing costly removal fees that can run into thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. This is an enormous challenge, particularly because these gating decisions seem increasingly unpredictable and are being applied to an ever-growing number of brands.

Given this environment, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for Amazon sellers to confidently place large orders with any brand. The possibility of sudden gating creates a significant financial risk, making it hard to make sound business decisions when the threat of unsellable inventory and steep removal fees looms overhead.

To address this, we believe Amazon should consider revising its policies, especially around the removal fees associated with instant/hard gatings. Sellers should not be penalized for inventory they’re unexpectedly restricted from selling. Without greater transparency and predictability, the current situation discourages us from making the necessary investments to meet customer demand.

In light of these concerns, we ask: How can Amazon sellers confidently invest in large orders if brands can suddenly be gated without warning? The risk is significant, and it puts our businesses in a vulnerable position. We urge Amazon to review and refine its approach to brand gating, ensuring fairer treatment for third-party sellers.