Understanding Amazon’s exception process including publisher restrictions and ISBN gating

Understanding Amazon’s exception process including publisher restrictions and ISBN gating

Notes
Note: Amazon may delist or refuse to list items on the basis of a publisher request. Bibliopolis is not able to assist with resolving this issue. 

Why Amazon is delisting used books ?

Amazon now allows many publishers to gate their imprints at the ISBN level. When this happens, all listings tied to those ISBNs become restricted — including used and collectible copies.

Amazon claims that these policies were designed to address:
  1. Counterfeit risk,
  2. Brand control,
  3. Large-scale retail compliance.
They were not designed with the secondary book market in mind. As a result, Amazon does not distinguish between:
  1. New vs. used inventory,
  2. Single-copy listings vs. bulk sales,
  3. Estate acquisitions vs. wholesale sourcing.
Once a publisher is gated, the restriction applies universally.