We are often asked by new wholesale buyers if we can provide them with a “Chain of Custody Letter” so today I want to discuss this topic with you.

Let’s start off with this: A Chain of Custody Letter does not exist for liquidation merchandise. Chain of Custody Letters are for things like medicine / drugs, actual drugs seized by police or the DEA, food products (such as Tuna Fish, from the place it was harvested in the ocean to the company that processed it), rare art, high end jewelry (such as a 7-karat diamond), etc. There is NO SUCH THING as a Chain of Custody letter for a pair of Mens Wrangler Jeans or Victorias Secret Pink tank tops. Even a Gucci handbag doesn’t come with a Chain of Custody letter. So, I am not specifically sure who is telling resellers they need to ask for these Letters, but whomever is stating this is not a very experienced seller… OR… they have their terminology confused.

IS THE WRONG TERM BEING USED?

It is very likely that what you might actually be looking for is a Letter of Authorization, which can also be referred to as a “Third Party Letter”, depending where you purchase the wholesale. The Letter of Authorization basically says the brand-holder gives you permission to sell their merchandise on Amazon. However, you have absolutely no reason to invest time in trying to obtain a Letter of Authorization if you are not selling on Amazon or if one is not required wherever you sell. PLEASE learn about Letters of Authorization before you spend time trying to get them.

It is also possible that what you are seeking is a proper invoice. If you are trying to get ungated on Amazon and you are submitting a “Pro Forma Invoice”, a “Purchase Order” or a Receipt the problem is that you are not submitting the correct paperwork. Read our blog post Invoicevs Receipt vs Purchase Order vs Pro Forma: What is the Difference? EXPLAINED!

And lastly, if you feel super frustrated with being rejected for Ungating, we took the time to write a Complete Step-By-Step Ungating Guide as well as a Complete Ungating Checklist. We even have a post called “Which Wholesalers Can Guarantee Ungating?”. All of this content is totally free and designed to help you learn. 

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