Ask the Collective

Can new alcohol sellers get approved on Amazon, and what's the process to do so?

Amazon has been rejecting new alcohol seller applications as a matter of policy, but approval is still possible with persistence and the right approach. **Getting approved:** - Multiple applications may be needed—members report submitting 30+ applications with formulaic rejections before success - **Submitting in ALL CAPS** reportedly escalates applications and can trigger approval; one member's application was approved immediately after resubmitting in capitals (reason unclear, but it worked) - Contact Amazon's buying team directly: **Paul Waller** (Head of Buying for 3rd party brands), **Katie Hewitt** (Spirits), or **Victoria Chapman** (Wine) may help escalate **Managed alternative:** - If direct selling is too friction-heavy, **Unified Retail Group** offers a full managed service: they handle stock from their warehouse, paid ads, optimisations, and initial Amazon setup on a monthly retainer with no additional fees. They target 4x ROAS within 3 months and can also expand you into Amazon EU markets. Contact Steven Thompson (Commercial Director) at steven@unifiedretail.com, 01223 967064, or 07855 775654. **Caveats:** Amazon's approval process for alcohol remains opaque and time-consuming. The caps-lock trick may be coincidental rather than causal, but it's reportedly worked. The managed approach shifts operational burden but adds ongoing costs.