Why does my first order ship to me instead of Amazon?

Amazon ungating approvals are unpredictable — it could take days or weeks. Holding inventory at our facility while you wait could mean unexpected storage fees. Shipping your first order directly to you keeps things clean. Once you are approved, ongoing orders go straight through our prep workflow and on to Amazon FBA.

Do your invoices actually work for ungating?

We purchase from authorized distributors and provide real distribution invoices with every order — the type Amazon requests during brand approval reviews. That said, Amazon approval is never guaranteed. Requirements vary by account, category, and brand, and Amazon can change their policies at any time.

Will the products be profitable to resell?

Possibly — but that is not the primary purpose. We are a retail distributor, so our catalog pricing will not compete with deep wholesale discounts. Some products may have workable margins; others may be tighter once you account for Amazon fees and competition. The real value is the invoice: a distribution invoice from an authorized distributor carries significantly more weight with Amazon than a Walmart or Costco receipt.

Can I send inventory to you before I am ungated?

Yes. If you would prefer to have inventory on hand at our facility ready to prep the moment your approval comes through, you are welcome to send it to us. We will hold it at no charge for the first 30 days. After that, standard storage fees apply.

What is the $150 CAD minimum for?

The minimum applies to the product purchase itself — you're buying real products from our catalog, not paying for a document. The distribution invoice is generated as part of the transaction. Smaller purchases may not produce an invoice substantial enough to be taken seriously during a brand approval review.

Stratosphere Launch | Distribution Invoices for Amazon Brand Approvals

How It Works

From signing up to listing restricted brands on Amazon.

Become a Prep Client

Launch is exclusively for onboarded Stratosphere prep clients. Contact us and we'll walk you through the prep client agreement to get you set up.

Place Your First Order

Browse the catalog and place your first order. Your order ships directly to you with a distribution invoice included. If you'd like it to come to us instead, that's fine — just keep in mind that if the ungating process takes longer than 30 days, standard storage fees will apply.

Submit Your Ungating Application

Use the distribution invoice to apply for brand approval on Amazon. Our products come from authorized distributors — which is the type of documentation Amazon looks for during brand approval reviews. Store receipts from places like Walmart or Costco are typically rejected at this stage.

Start Sending Shipments

Once approved, you can start sending future inventory to us as a prep client. We handle prep, labeling, and FBA shipment coordination for anything you send our way — whether it's from our catalog or sourced elsewhere.

Important Disclaimers

No Guarantee of Ungating. Amazon brand approval decisions are made solely at Amazon's discretion. Submitting a distribution invoice does not guarantee approval. Requirements vary by account, category, and brand, and Amazon may change their policies at any time. Stratosphere makes no representation that using this service will result in a successful ungating outcome.

Retail Pricing, Not Wholesale. Stratosphere operates as an end-user retail distributor. Products in our catalog are priced at retail rates and are not intended to be competitive with wholesale or bulk pricing. Margins on resale may be limited. This service exists to provide you with legitimate distribution documentation for ungating purposes — not as a sourcing program for profitable inventory.

Full Case Quantities Required. Products are sold in full distributor case quantities only. If a product cases in packs of 12 and you only need 10 units, you are required to purchase the full 12-unit case. Minimum order quantities vary by brand and product.