Trying to list MK on Amazon and asks for letter of authorization

[alekov]

OK, this is quite strange. Amazon has started to ask for Letter of Authorization to sell some Michael Kors items. "Request Approval" yellow button comes up, even though I'm allowed to list in this category, and the exact message states:

"You need approval to list in this brand.
Collectible, Refurbished, Used conditions You need approval to list in the Clothing & Accessories category."

How do people get around that? Now I know the naysayers will right away tell me that unfortunately there is no way around it and that there is no way in hell you can get letter of authorization from MK, however, a ton of Sellers are apparently doing it, since there are approximately 15 different sellers on the listing, some of them with as little as 5 and 11 feedbacks. Now correct me if I am wrong but someone with 5 feedbacks and 30 items to sell on Amazon DID NOT get a Letter of Authorization to resell from MK. As far as I am aware, only Macy's, Nordstroms, TJMaxx, and few others have that right. So how did these guys do it? Did they submit some bogus letter to Amazon to get the authorization?? What the hell is going on?

[miketyson]

Where's the NEW listing. Must used a different upc because usually it's new and then the other is collectible used etc.

[alekov]

Originally Posted by miketyson

Where's the NEW listing. Must used a different upc because usually it's new and then the other is collectible used etc.

If you look under Cell Phone Cases for instance, and try to list any that are with Name Brand Kate Spade, you will find that it's not allowing you to list them as new. That's when you list against an existing listing, and the UPC is correct on the listings. Instead of the two yellow buttons as usual, one "new" and the one bellow "collectible" etc., now the button on top says New - Request an Approval and underneath the button says "Sell Yours" under Used and etc conditions. Never seen this before, but I'm beginning to see it more and more often in different categories..

[vetus]

They've been doing this for a long time especially for MK

They have also restricted certain model numbers from being listed by smaller sellers, distributor letters, contract agreements etc have to be provided to them for certain model types to be unlocked.

[alekov]

Originally Posted by vetus

They've been doing this for a long time especially for MK

They have also restricted certain model numbers from being listed by smaller sellers, distributor letters, contract agreements etc have to be provided to them for certain model types to be unlocked.

That's possible, even though I've never ran into this problem selling on Amazon for the last 5 years. However, my question is how are these small sellers, some of them with 20 SKUs in inventory and 5 feedbacks able to sell in that category/restricted brand? There are a dozen sellers on some of these products, and they somehow got an approval. My question is, how? Did they provide ⊗⊗⊗⊗ letters of authorizations? I'm pretty sure that a small seller with 20 items to sell who just launched on Amazon few months ago will NOT get a letter of authorization from MK or KS... So how did they do it???

[Vachagan]

About two months ago Amazon started to demand from all sellers to apply for a Brand approval. Doesn't matter what you are selling, if the product is a well known brand, the seller has to present either an authorization letter from the brand owner or from three invoices from authorized distributors. We used to sell Polo Ralph Lauren products, in big volumes, purchasing them at Polo Outlet Store on sales and clearances and even at ralhlauen.com, when they had deep discounted sales.
Now Amazon does not accept those sources - no online invoices, no receipts from the brick and stone stores.
Same is with electronics, shoes, etc. The brand owner will never give such authorization to anyone for sales on smacin or eBay. Amazon is basically eliminating the "small"'guy. Brand owners can sell now only on their own sites or from their stores, including places like Macy's, Best Buy... you see the problem.
Does anyone have the same issue and what's the solution here?