Does my Amazon UK product need selling approval?
Check the exact product in your own Amazon UK Seller Central account before paying for trial stock. Save any approval request and compare its evidence requirements with what the supplier can genuinely provide. If a completed purchase is needed, decide whether to accept that risk before ordering. Factory document checks can be coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Check through the account that will sell the stock
Select the UK store in your own Seller Central account. Open Catalogue, then Add Products, and search for the exact product by identifier or name. Check the brand, model, pack contents and intended condition against the supplier’s offer. For account setup and catalogue preparation, use our Amazon UK listing guide.
Do not treat another seller’s live listing, their approval screenshot or a supplier’s claim that the product sells on Amazon as proof of your permission. Open any approval option shown for your proposed offer. Amazon provides an approval request route within Seller Central. For a new product, work through the proposed listing details far enough to inspect the prompts before committing to stock.
Turn the account prompt into a buying checklist
Save the exact restriction message and application requirements, with the product identifier, brand, category, condition and date checked. Record whether the screen concerns category approval, brand approval, product documents or account verification. Keep those tasks separate so the supplier receives a specific document request.
Copy any requested invoice age, purchased quantity, issuer details, authorisation wording, photographs, reports and file requirements from the live application. Avoid applying thresholds from an unrelated example. If the screen says applications are unavailable, or the requirement is unclear, pause the purchase and ask Seller Support to clarify the exact restriction.
Check what this supplier can actually provide
Send the supplier the document checklist without sharing your account password. Ask for existing evidence and a written explanation of what can only be issued after purchase. Identify the factory, trading company or sourcing company that will invoice you. A document from a different entity needs an explanation before you rely on it.
Review invoice preparation using our Amazon UK supplier invoice guide. Where reports are requested, check their model and configuration against the proposed stock using our test report verification guide. Ask the issuer to correct errors; preserve original documents.
| If the application requests | Ask the supplier | Check before committing |
|---|---|---|
| A purchase invoice | Who issues it, what details it contains and when it becomes available | Buyer details, supplier identity and product description against the request |
| Brand authorisation | Who can obtain it from the brand owner | Whether its scope matches the proposed brand and selling activity |
| Product or packaging photographs | For photographs of the actual proposed configuration | Brand, model, labels and pack contents against the application |
| Test reports or declarations | For the original documents and the covered configuration | Issuer, report holder, model and relevant components |
Handle the purchase invoice problem before payment
Amazon’s UK approval guidance says the invoice must show a paid and fulfilled transaction and that pro forma invoices are not accepted. A draft invoice can help check planned details, but it cannot establish a completed purchase. If your application needs completed purchase evidence, you may have to buy before you can submit that evidence.
Make that uncertainty an explicit buying decision. Ask Seller Support about any unclear evidence route, then agree with the supplier what happens if approval fails: cancellation before dispatch, returns where agreed, or another viable sales channel. Record the agreed terms. Proceed only if you can accept the exposure; the supplier’s promise to provide documents is not an approval decision.
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Make the payment decision from the saved evidence
Keep a short decision record: the exact proposed product, the account result, evidence already available, evidence still dependent on purchase and unresolved questions. Treat no approval prompt, an open application, submitted documents and a confirmed approval as separate findings. Before payment, revisit the proposed offer and check that its details still match the supplier’s stock.
Keep product compliance assessment separate from Amazon’s acceptance of documents. If someone will submit on your behalf, use our Amazon compliance submission brief. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China can help obtain supplier records and product photographs for review; keep the account and purchase decision under your business’s control.
Frequently asked questions
Does another seller listing the product mean I can sell it?
Do not use another seller’s listing as proof of your permission. Check the exact product, brand and intended condition through your own UK Seller Central account and save the result.
Can I get Amazon approval before buying trial stock?
Inspect the application before paying. If it requests evidence of a completed purchase, that evidence depends on buying stock. Clarify the request and decide whether you can accept the risk before ordering.
Will Amazon accept a pro forma invoice for approval?
Amazon’s UK approval guidance says pro forma invoices are not accepted and the invoice must show a paid and fulfilled transaction. Use a draft to check planned details, not as completed purchase evidence.
Can my Chinese supplier guarantee Amazon approval?
Treat the supplier’s assurance as a document supply promise, not Amazon’s decision. Check what the supplier can provide against your application and agree what happens if approval fails before paying.