Yes, you can get ungated on a brand‑new 2026 account, but it’s much harder and your realistic ceiling is around a 30–40% approval rate even if you do everything right.
Amazon’s default assumption is: “No sales history = unproven risk.” So instead of relying on your metrics (ODR, IPI, cancel rate), the system leans heavily on the strength and origin of your documents. That’s why going straight to the brand owner matters. If you can secure:
A Letter of Authorization (LOA) on brand letterhead explicitly naming your company and authorizing Amazon sales
Supporting compliance docs like CoA, CPC, or safety reports where relevant
…you’re effectively borrowing the brand’s trust to compensate for your lack of account history.
The other key is scope: don’t apply for broad categories when you’re new. Start with 1–3 specific ASINs you can document perfectly instead of “all Beauty” or “all Toys,” because wide-scope requests raise red flags for fresh accounts and are much more likely to be auto‑denied. As you build even a few months of clean sales, approval odds improve sharply.
