Research Outline

Selling Digital Products on Amazon

Goals

To determine if a digital, print-at-home game can be sold on Amazon (i.e. without providing a physical item to ship, but just an access code) and to understand the process for selling this and examples of other similar products (if available).

Early Findings

  • Amazon has designated distributions channels to sell only certain types of digital products.
  • Not all types of digital products can be sold on Amazon.
  • Amazon's distribution channels for digital products include Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (e-books), ACX (audiobooks), Amazon Media on Demand (music and film), Amazon’s App and Game Submission form (apps, games, and software), and Prime Video Direct (videos). Other digital products that do not fall into these categories cannot be sold on Amazon.
  • Amazon's App and Game Submission form is mainly for games being sold as apps.
  • Amazon's list of restricted products includes prohibiting the sale of "products made available by digital download, including "codes" that can be used to access content on other websites or services."
  • The Escape Games sold on Amazon are mainly physical products.

Summary

  • For the initial hour, we mainly found that digitally downloaded products, including the use of "codes" are prohibited from being sold on Amazon, based on their restricted products list and that the Escape Games sold on Amazon are mainly physical products.
  • In the course of our research, we came across the company Print and Play, where digital, print-at-home games can be sold.
  • We also came across other more general insights on selling digital products, which might also be of interest.
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