Headline finding: Amazon approved 55.4% of 576 resolved brand-ungating requests in Catalist's Q1 2026 dataset, spanning 155 distinct brands and the window Jan 14 – Apr 23, 2026.
Evidence Panel
- Source
- Catalist internal ungating_requests table
- Queried
- 2026-04-23
- Sample size
- 576 resolved (approved or denied), 155 distinct brands
- Date range
- Jan 14 – Apr 23, 2026
- Methodology
- Approval rate = approved ÷ (approved + denied). Pending and cancelled requests excluded.
- Limitations
- Dataset reflects Catalist client-base selection; may skew toward mid-difficulty brands.
Overall Q1 2026 Metrics
Across 576 resolved ungating requests between January 14 and April 23, 2026, Amazon approved 319 and denied 257, yielding a 55.4% approval rate. The sample spans 155 distinct brands. An additional 73 requests were still pending at the time of analysis and are excluded to avoid skewing the rate.
Of the 155 brands in the dataset, 31 had at least 5 resolved requests each — a sample-size threshold we use below for brand-level tier analysis.
Tier A — Easiest Brands (80–100% approval)
Seven brands in the Q1 2026 dataset approved at least 80% of resolved requests. These are the strongest first-attempt targets for sellers building ungating history.
| Brand | Resolved | Approved | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talisman Designs | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| Huish Outdoors | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| Klean Kanteen | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Oceanic | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Stren | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Luigi Bormioli | 24 | 20 | 83% |
| Hasbro | 5 | 4 | 80% |
Tier B — Moderate Brands (50–79% approval)
Thirteen brands approved between 50% and 79% of requests. Expect a meaningful rejection risk on the first attempt, and plan for resubmission with stronger documentation.
| Brand | Resolved | Approved | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godinger | 9 | 7 | 78% |
| Corelle | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| Atomic | 10 | 7 | 70% |
| Anchor Hocking | 49 | 34 | 69% |
| Superio | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| NRS | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| Spalding | 8 | 5 | 63% |
| Lizard Skins | 13 | 8 | 62% |
| Bullhead Safety Eyewear | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| Yankee Candle | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| DeSantis | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| McDavid | 9 | 5 | 56% |
| Prepara | 32 | 16 | 50% |
| J-B Weld | 6 | 3 | 50% |
Tier C — Hard Brands (20–49% approval)
Eight brands approved less than half of Q1 2026 requests. Sellers should treat these as high-investment attempts — proper documentation, brand-direct invoices, and realistic expectations required.
| Brand | Resolved | Approved | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Home Collection | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| Source Naturals | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| Pachmayr | 8 | 3 | 38% |
| Cuisinart | 11 | 4 | 36% |
| Silicon Mix | 9 | 3 | 33% |
| Franklin Sports | 17 | 5 | 29% |
| HEAD | 14 | 4 | 29% |
| Intex | 34 | 9 | 26% |
Tier D — Hardest Brands (0–19% approval)
Two brands with at least 5 resolved requests in Q1 2026 had no approvals at all. Without exceptional documentation or an existing brand relationship, these are effectively closed categories for new sellers this quarter.
| Brand | Resolved | Approved | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swingline | 9 | 0 | 0% |
| EuroGraphics | 6 | 0 | 0% |
Most-Requested Brands in Q1 2026
Demand is not the same as approval. Intex drew 65 total requests but only a 26% approval rate — a pattern indicating high seller interest in a category where Amazon's gates are tighter than sellers expect.
| Brand | Total requests | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor Hocking | 81 | 69% |
| Prepara | 67 | 50% |
| Intex | 65 | 26% |
| Franklin Sports | 40 | 29% |
| Luigi Bormioli | 36 | 83% |
| Cuisinart | 33 | 36% |
| HEAD | 29 | 29% |
| Lizard Skins | 25 | 62% |
| McDavid | 22 | 56% |
| Talisman Designs | 22 | 100% |
What This Means for Amazon Sellers
Start with Tier A. New sellers who lead with a 100%-approval brand (Talisman Designs, Klean Kanteen, Huish Outdoors) build ungating history with minimum attempt cost. That history then supports Tier B and Tier C attempts.
Budget for 1-in-4 rejection in the middle tier. Tier B brands (50–79% approval) are winnable but require realistic planning — including a resubmission reserve if the first attempt is denied.
Don't chase 0% brands. Two brands had zero Q1 2026 approvals. Without a brand relationship or authorization letter, attempting these wastes time and documentation budget.
Demand ≠ ease. Anchor Hocking has the highest request volume (81) and a strong 69% approval rate. Intex has the third-highest volume (65) but only 26% approval — high interest, high failure.
Related Catalist Research
- Amazon brand ungating hub — 130+ brand-specific guides with proprietary approval data
- How to get ungated on Amazon — step-by-step process guide
- Best wholesale suppliers for Amazon sellers
- Amazon Ungating Success Rates by Brand (Historical) — evergreen baseline with 857 attempts
- Cost of Amazon Ungating by Brand
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Amazon brand ungating approval rate?
Catalist's Q1 2026 data shows a 55.4% approval rate across 576 resolved ungating requests submitted between January 14 and April 23, 2026. Of those, 319 were approved and 257 were denied. The sample covers 155 distinct brands on Amazon.
Which Amazon brands had 100% approval rates in Q1 2026?
Five brands in the dataset had a 100% approval rate with at least 5 resolved requests: Talisman Designs (17/17), Huish Outdoors (9/9), Klean Kanteen (7/7), Oceanic (5/5), and Stren (5/5). These are the strongest first-attempt targets for new sellers.
Which Amazon brands had the lowest approval rates?
Among brands with at least 5 resolved requests, Swingline (0/9) and EuroGraphics (0/6) had 0% approval rates in Q1 2026. Intex (26%), HEAD (29%), Franklin Sports (29%), and Silicon Mix (33%) were the next-hardest tier. Sellers should avoid these without proven documentation.
How long does Amazon brand ungating take?
In the Q1 2026 dataset, the median time from submission to approval is under one day, and the mean is approximately 2 days for approved requests. Some approvals are near-instant, reflecting Amazon's automated document verification for compliant submissions.
How many ungating attempts did Catalist analyze for this report?
The report is based on 576 resolved ungating requests (either approved or denied) between January 14 and April 23, 2026. An additional 73 submitted requests were still pending at the time of analysis and are excluded from approval-rate calculations to avoid skewing the numbers.
Why do some brands have such different approval rates?
Approval rates vary because Amazon applies brand-specific policies. Some brands require only a single compliant invoice; others demand authorized-distributor status, minimum order quantities, or brand-issued letters. Difficulty correlates with brand size, enforcement budget, and channel-protection stance.
Which Amazon categories are easiest to get ungated in?
Based on Q1 2026 data, kitchenware (Luigi Bormioli 83%, Anchor Hocking 69%, Corelle 71%), outdoor/sporting goods (Huish Outdoors 100%, NRS 67%), and certain toy brands (Hasbro 80%, Talisman Designs 100%) had the highest approval rates. Electronics and office supplies trended lower.
Is Amazon getting harder to get ungated for in 2026?
Q1 2026 resolved requests show a 55.4% approval rate, which is consistent with the 50–60% baseline industry sellers have reported in prior years. We have not observed a dramatic tightening in this window, but approval rates vary significantly by brand and documentation quality.
How is Catalist's ungating data different from industry estimates?
Most public ungating success-rate claims come from seller surveys or single-seller anecdotes. Catalist's data comes from 576 real request outcomes tracked inside our ungating workflow, with documented submission and approval timestamps. The sample spans 155 distinct brands.
Can I see Catalist's ungating data for a specific brand?
Yes. Visit catalistai.com/amazon/ungating/{brand-slug}/ for 130+ brand-specific ungating guides with proprietary approval-rate data, requirements, common mistakes, and documentation specs. Examples: /amazon/ungating/hasbro/, /amazon/ungating/anchor-hocking/, /amazon/ungating/luigi-bormioli/.
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