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In most cases, the main category will be one of the 33 shown on the Amazon category list below. (Note that the names of these categories vary slightly throughout the Amazon ecosystem. You may see “Beauty” or “Beauty and Personal Care” as the main category for a product.) However, if you are approved for special programs or part of the Brand Registry, you may have access to sell in additional categories.
Selling in some categories requires approval from Amazon. Even if a category doesn’t require approval, you may need permission to see certain products within the category.
Each of these categories is classified into a number of sub-categories. There are over 25,000 sub-categories on Amazon, so a full list of the Amazon categories and subcategories would be incredibly unwieldy! Fortunately, Seller Central includes helpful tools to help you identify and classify your products. You can also see subcategories and ranking information on a listed product's Amazon detail page in the Best Sellers Rank table.
You can always see the most current list of Amazon Best Sellers to get an idea of what's trending. Here's a quick list of some of the consistently top-selling categories on Amazon so you can better understand what people are buying online.
Amazon category fees vary. Every ASIN on Amazon and all ASINs of a specific type can only belong to one fee category.
Go to Amazon's fee category guidelines to see a detailed and searchable list of products in each fee category. These categories are independent of product listing requirements and browse tree guides. They are used specifically for determining the rate that applies to each product for various fees. Referral fees and FBA fees may rely on fee categories to identify products for fee calculation. For example, sellers who participate in FBA will also pay apparel-specific fulfillment fees. If you believe your item is in a different category, you can file a dispute with Amazon.
For example, some categories have condition guidelines for products listed as new, used, or refurbished. Product identifiers such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) in form of a UPC, EAN, ISBN, or JAN are required for most categories. GTIN exemptions are possible in certain categories.
Most categories have style guides for product titles and descriptions. Amazon provides product page style guides as downloadable PDF files that contain requirements for images, product descriptions, and other content.
Some products are restricted and cannot be sold on Amazon under any circumstances. Restricted products include illegal and unsafe items, as well as products that are only available by prescription. Some products are restricted from the FBA program but can be sold if you fulfill your own orders. Get to know Amazon’s restricted product guidelines to learn more.
If you’d like to apply to list a product that requires approval and is already in Amazon’s catalog, simply click on the Catalog menu in Seller Central and choose Add a Product. Type in the item you’d like to sell and click the Show limitations hyperlink next to the item in the search results. Click Apply to sell to start the application process.
In some cases, the product may have additional listing limitations beyond the approval needed. Amazon might not be accepting applications due to regulatory or importation limitations, regional compatibility issues, temporary selling restrictions that prevent the item from being sold during certain times, a performance issue such as a product safety complaint, or item condition.
Restrictions are subject to change. If Amazon is accepting applications, you'll see Apply to sell next to the product search results. If you’d like to list a new product in a category that requires approval, you’ll follow the appropriate link from Categories and products that require approval to submit the required information.
If you’re adding a large number of products, a Browse Tree Guide (BTG) can help identify the correct product categories. You can find the BTG for your category on the Inventory File Templates and BTG page in Seller Central. Download the correct BTG and follow the instructions in the guide to choose categories and subcategories for your products. Be sure to use the correct browse node IDs when uploading your inventory template file. Note that while BTGs are still available, Amazon recommends using the Product Classifier because it includes the most current information. It's also more user-friendly.
Amazon inventory file templates are spreadsheets that include multiple data columns for describing products. They are used to upload and update listings on Amazon. Correctly classifying your products is critical. Missing or incorrect information could make it difficult for customers to find and purchase your products.
If you’re adding a smaller volume of different types of products across multiple categories, use the Product Classifier (Add Products via Upload) to categorize up to 20-30 product types.
You can quickly select your product’s category and product type. The Product Classifier generates a customized inventory file template for you to upload to Seller Central. You can also monitor the upload status and add documents for your products here.
To classify products one at a time, use Select a product category to individually choose the category and product type.
ASIN Product Type (PT) refers to a set of products that have similar attributes. The 'PILLOW' PT might refer to products including bed pillows, throw pillows, and furniture pillows. Each PT has a corresponding template that makes it easy for you to provide relevant information about the product. It's important to choose the right PT when creating your listing in order to describe your product more accurately.
