×
GlobalIndiaThailandUAEUSA
Back
Back
Head of Marketing - Earned Media
Marketing | Amazon
Getting an Amazon DSP account is tougher than most expect....
By Narender Singh
Jan 29, 2026 | 5 Minutes | 
| 
Getting approved for an Amazon DSP account is harder than most people think.
You can't just click a button and start running programmatic ads across Amazon network. Amazon gates this platform behind some pretty strict requirements and plenty of brands get stuck at the application stage without understanding why. The truth is, Amazon DSP isn't designed for everyone. It built for advertisers who know what they're doing and have the budget to back it up.
That said, there are ways around the hurdles. And honestly? Most brands shouldn't be trying to get their own Amazon DSP account anyway.
Amazon DSP is nothing like Sponsored Products or Sponsored Brands. Those are self service platforms where you bid on keywords and hope your product shows up. DSP is programmatic advertising. Think display ads, video campaigns and even audio spots running across Amazon ecosystem and beyond.
The real power comes from Amazon first party data. You're not just targeting generic demographics. You can reach people based on actual shopping behavior, purchase history and browsing patterns. Someone looked at your competitor product but didn't buy? You can show them an ad. Someone bought from you six months ago? Retarget them.
It sophisticated stuff. And Amazon knows it requires more than a casual understanding of digital advertising.
There are two ways to access Amazon DSP and the distinction matters.
Self service means you run everything in house. Your team logs into the platform, builds audiences, creates campaigns, manages bids and analyzes performance. Sounds great until you realize Amazon expects you to maintain a minimum monthly spend (usually around $50,000) and have people who actually know programmatic advertising. Not "took a course once" knowledge. Real experience.
Managed service is when Amazon or an approved partner runs campaigns for you. You still pay for the ad spend, but they handle strategy, execution and optimization. The catch? Higher minimums. You're looking at six figures annually in most cases, plus management fees.
Here what nobody tells you: the self service option isn't really self service. You still need Amazon approval and they're not handing out accounts to brands with no track record.
Amazon doesn't publish a checklist, but after seeing dozens of applications, the pattern is clear.
You need a registered business with proper documentation. Tax IDs, business licenses, the whole thing. Amazon will verify this stuff, so don't think you can skip steps. You also need to prove you can spend serious money. We're talking minimum commitments that start at $35,000 to $50,000 per month for self service access.
Then there the expertise question. If you're applying for self service, Amazon wants to know your team can handle the platform. Have you run programmatic campaigns before? Do you understand audience segmentation, creative optimization and attribution modeling? They're not going to train you from scratch.
The application itself is detailed. Business information, advertising objectives, historical spend data if you have it and details about who'll be managing the account. Then you wait. Weeks, sometimes months.
The rejection reasons aren't always spelled out, but they're usually predictable.
Insufficient budget is the big one. If Amazon doesn't believe you can maintain the minimum spend, you're done. Smaller brands get caught here constantly. You might have $10,000 a month to spend, which seems like real money, but for DSP? That not enough.
Lack of programmatic experience kills applications too. Amazon isn't interested in being your training ground. They want advertisers who can use the platform effectively from day one. If your team advertising experience is limited to Facebook Ads and Google Shopping, that a problem.
Sometimes it just timing. Amazon ad business is massive and they prioritize brands that fit their current strategic focus. If you're in a category they're not pushing, your application might sit in limbo regardless of your qualifications.
This is where things get practical.
Instead of trying to get your own Amazon DSP account, most brands work with an Amazon DSP partner. These are agencies and platforms that already have DSP access and can run campaigns on your behalf. You skip the approval process entirely. No waiting, no minimum spend requirements you can't meet, no proving your team expertise.
The partner already has the relationship with Amazon. They already have the platform access. You just tell them what you want to accomplish, they build the campaigns and you start seeing results. It faster, less risky and frankly, it how most successful DSP advertisers operate anyway.
Some people worry about losing control. Fair concern. But here the reality: if you don't have experience with programmatic advertising, you're going to lose control anyway. You'll waste budget figuring out what works, make rookie mistakes with audience targeting and probably give up after three months of mediocre results.
Working with someone who knows the platform means you're learning from campaigns that are actually optimized, not just throwing money at the wall.
The process is straightforward. You reach out to a partner who offers Amazon DSP services (there are several, ranging from full service agencies to platform providers). They'll ask about your advertising goals, current Amazon presence and budget.
Most partners have lower minimums than direct Amazon access. You might be able to start with $10,000 to $15,000 a month instead of $50,000. They handle everything: audience research, creative development, campaign setup, bid management and reporting.
You get regular performance updates. You see where your money going and what results you're getting. Good partners will educate you along the way, explaining why certain audiences perform better or why video ads are crushing it compared to display.
The fees vary. Some charge a percentage of ad spend, others have flat monthly rates. Shop around, but don't cheap out. You want a partner who invested in your success, not just someone checking boxes.
Let be realistic about results. Amazon DSP isn't a magic bullet. It won't fix a bad product or compensate for weak listing optimization. What it does do is expand your reach beyond people actively searching for your product right now.
Brand awareness campaigns can put your products in front of thousands of relevant shoppers who didn't know you existed. Retargeting campaigns bring back people who showed interest but didn't convert. Competitive conquesting lets you steal market share from bigger brands.
The performance metrics look different too. You're not just tracking ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale) like with Sponsored Products. DSP campaigns get measured on impressions, click through rates, viewable impressions and ultimately, attributed sales across multiple touchpoints.
Good partners know how to read these metrics and adjust. They'll kill underperforming placements, scale what working and test new creative angles. That the expertise you're paying for.
For most brands? Probably not.
If you're a major corporation with an in house media buying team and you're already spending seven figures on Amazon advertising, sure. Apply for your own account. You'll have the resources, expertise and budget to make it work.
But if you're a growing brand trying to compete smarter, partnering with someone who already has access makes way more sense. You get the same platform capabilities without the bureaucratic nightmare of approval. You benefit from their experience instead of making expensive mistakes while learning.
Think about it this way: Amazon built DSP for sophisticated advertisers. They're not trying to democratize access. They want brands and agencies that can execute at a high level. If that not you yet, find someone for whom it is.
The goal isn't to own the account. The goal is to run profitable campaigns that grow your business. How you get there matters way less than actually getting there.
Here what you should do if you're serious about DSP advertising.
First, make sure your Amazon presence is solid. Fix your listings, optimize your imagery, get your reviews in order. DSP drives traffic, but your detail pages need to convert that traffic. Running DSP campaigns with weak listings is lighting money on fire.
Second, be honest about your budget and expertise. If you can't commit $15,000 a month minimum, DSP probably isn't the right move yet. Focus on mastering Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands first. Build your advertising foundation.
Third, research potential partners. Look for agencies or platforms with proven Amazon DSP experience. Ask for case studies. Talk to their current clients if possible. You want someone who not just running campaigns, but actively optimizing and improving performance.
Don't get hung up on trying to get your own Amazon DSP account unless you meet all the requirements and have the team to manage it. The partner route gets you to the same destination faster and with less headache.
Amazon DSP is powerful. Used correctly, it can transform your advertising strategy and unlock growth that basic sponsored ads can't touch. Just don't make the mistake of thinking you need to own the account to benefit from the platform. Work smarter, not harder.