The 2023 Guide to Selling DVDs on Amazon
Although streaming is a go-to entertainment source for millions of people worldwide, the DVD market is still going strong: It’s worth an estimated $1.2 billion in 2021. Amazon once allowed any third-party seller to peddle DVDs on the platform. Still, to crack down on counterfeits, Amazon has significantly curtailed DVD sales on the platform.
Liquidators or resellers may have a tough time selling DVDs on Amazon today, but it’s still possible to sell as a third party or via trade-in. Understand Amazon’s current rules for selling DVDs, the approved ways you can still sell on the platform, and how you can get Amazon approval to sell DVDs.
Can you sell DVDs on Amazon?
Amazon has progressively cracked down on DVD sales over the years because of bootlegging and counterfeits on the platform.
Previously, there were plenty of loopholes in Amazon’s DVD selling policies. Some sellers were grandfathered into policies that permitted DVD sales because of their history as reputable sellers. Other third-party sellers were allowed to sell DVDs as long as the MSRP was below $25.
But even these measures didn’t solve the counterfeit issue. That’s why Amazon now has a zero-tolerance policy for most DVD sales.
Today, Amazon will only permit you to sell DVDs if:
- You’re selling a small, personal collection of DVDs through Amazon’s trade-in service
- You sell DVDs professionally and have several invoices, purchase orders, or receipts from verified DVD manufacturers
In other words, it isn’t easy to sell used DVDs on Amazon. While liquidation is a legitimate business, Amazon needs to see invoices from wholesale manufacturers to approve your listings—that’s why liquidators may have better success selling on other platforms.
Two approved methods for selling DVDs on Amazon
Selling DVDs on Amazon is a bit trickier in 2021. If you want to stay on the good side of Amazon’s seller guidelines, you can try these two approved ways of selling DVDs on Amazon.
Amazon Trade-In
Do you have a huge shelf full of old DVDs? Amazon will allow you to trade in your DVDs for an Amazon gift card. As long as the DVDs are in good shape and still work, you can quickly liquidate them through the platform.
To trade in your DVDs:
- Visit the Amazon Trade-In store.
- Click “Find more items” to see which DVDs Amazon accepts. Double-check to make sure the title is a perfect match to the product you’re trading in.
- List the product’s condition. Amazon will accept “Used-Like New” and “Used – Acceptable.”
- If they want your trade-in, Amazon will send you a free shipping label.
- Once you send off the DVDs, it can take up to 10 days to hear back from Amazon’s trade-in team. They’ll let you know how much your trade-in is worth and which items, if any, didn’t make the cut. If Amazon doesn’t want a DVD, they’ll ship it back to you for free.
- If you accept the trade-in, the amount will be credited to your Amazon account within a few days.
This isn’t the most profitable option for selling DVDs on Amazon, but if you’re selling a personal collection to clear out your entertainment center, a trade-in is the easiest option.
Third-party sales
Amazon does allow third-party sellers to list DVDs on the platform, but there’s a huge caveat: You need approval before you can sell DVDs.
Amazon requires all third-party sellers to provide proof that their products are legitimate. If you try to list DVDs without approval, Amazon can cancel the listing, forfeit your earnings, and even remove your rights to sell on the platform.
They’re serious about this, so it’s crucial to receive approval before you try selling DVDs on Amazon. The good news is that, once you’re approved, you add the DVDs to your Amazon account as you would any other item.
How to get approved to sell DVDs on Amazon
According to Amazon, you can only sell DVDs if you have:
- A Professional selling plan
- An order-defect rate (ODR) of 1% or less
- A cancellation rate of 2.5% or less
- A late shipment rate of 4% or less
They will also ask you for information like:
- Where you source your inventory
- Your estimated inventory quantities
- Three past purchase orders or invoices from your manufacturers or distributors. The invoices need to include your name and address, the manufacturer’s name and address, pricing information, and order quantities of at least ten combined units. Keep in mind that these need to be wholesalers, not liquidators.
Amazon reserves the right to verify all of this information before they approve your listings. If anything doesn’t check out, they will cancel your selling privileges—so tread carefully.
The easier way to sell DVDs on Amazon
Selling DVDs on Amazon can be lucrative, but you need the platform’s blessing before you list anything. Always err on the side of caution and provide the correct information so Amazon can approve your DVD sales quickly. If you’re selling a small, personal collection of DVDs, you’re better off trying Amazon Trade-In. You won’t earn as much this way, but it will keep you on Amazon’s good side.
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