A new seller encountered a confusing experience: Seller Central initially indicated they could list a product without approval, but when attempting to copy the listing, Amazon requested product images and packaging photos for an approval process. This is a common source of friction and questions—understanding when Amazon requires gating vs. when it’s truly open-to-sell can save time and prevent listing rejections.
Why This Happens
- “Open to sell” ≠ automatic listing copy. The initial ASIN lookup tells you the category is ungated, but certain brands or product types within that category may still require approval or documentation.
- Copy listing often triggers additional checks. When you attempt to copy an existing listing, Amazon re-validates your account eligibility, inventory information, and in some cases, brand authenticity or compliance requirements.
- Product images and packaging proof are frequently requested as verification of ownership or authenticity, especially for branded goods or new categories your account hasn’t sold before.
What You Should Expect
- Submitting product and packaging images is a normal part of many approval flows—it’s not a rejection, it’s a documentation step.
- Response times vary; Amazon may approve within 24–48 hours, or it can take longer depending on the brand and category.
- Rejection is also possible if images don’t meet quality standards or if Amazon has concerns about authenticity.
How Squatio Helps
Squatio Decode (ASIN lookup, listing visibility & Sentiment IQ review analysis) lets you investigate the listing you’re targeting in detail—including category status, review patterns, and seller eligibility signals. Before copying a listing, running this check can help you understand whether the product is genuinely open-to-sell or likely to trigger approval gates, saving you the surprise of having to gather documentation later.
Additionally, Cortex (AI niche & category analysis) can help you understand whether a category has known gating or compliance requirements before you commit sourcing effort.
Have you run into surprise approval requests when copying listings? What documentation did Amazon ask for, and how long did approval take?
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/FulfillmentByAmazon/comments/1wajo2q/approval_issues_please_help_ty/