Whatever you need, Amazon is your trusted friend. From those day-to-day necessities to a must-have Nicholas Cage pillow case, there’s little you can’t buy. But even Amazon has its limits. Despite their pretty extreme offerings, they still pull the plug on certain weird, wonderful, or ‘just wrong’ items. They do have some ethics, you know! Let’s take a look at what you can’t buy on Amazon.
Real Human Skulls
That human skull you’ve always wanted, you’ll have to go elsewhere. Amazon draws the line at human remains. Thank God. Yes, you can buy fake ones for Halloween, but due to massive ethical concerns, the legality of selling bones varies wildly by country. Sorry about that, but you might want to question why you want a human skull in the first place.
Prescription Medications
Sorry, you can’t just hop on and buy your Adderall from Amazon. It’s not a pharmacy. It sells supplements galore and a whole heap of well-being-related medicines, but heavy regulations make it a no-go for quick prescription purchases. That said, it does have a pharmacy for US users, but you need to upload a valid prescription.
Live Animals
You can’t buy dogs, kittens, snakes, and certainly no horses. Banish the thought. There are far too many legal, ethical, and logistical issues – imagine trying to order a puppy for next-day delivery! You can buy fish tank snails or live mealworms, but that’s your lot. We’re truly grateful for this strict restriction!
Firearms
Firearms might be ‘worryingly’ available across the US, but Amazon isn’t one of these providers. You may find gun safes or cleaning kits, but a firearm is off-limits. The laws are far too complex, and let’s not even talk about liability risks! Making firearms a one-click checkout isn’t a rule that many people would like to normalize.
Lottery Tickets
Gambling laws are too controlled to allow lottery ticket sales on Amazon. It’d be too easy to get into a bad habit if you could just keep adding lottery tickets to your regular shopping cart, and that wouldn’t fare well. You can buy a wide range of lucky items, though: lucky socks, tarot cards, and crystals. In theory, they might help you win!
Alcohol (In Most Countries)
Some states will allow wine or spirits to be shipped, but it’s a bit patchy. Amazon attempted a booze delivery service, but for unknown reasons, they pulled the plug on it. All the ID checks and legalities would make it too complex for a mere bottle of rose. Pop to the store; it’s much easier.
Contact Lenses
Amazon won’t let you buy contacts. They’re deemed as medical devices, so you can’t casually pop on and add to cart. Besides, you want to know precisely what you’re putting in your eyes, so it’s better to purchase from a reputable retailer. You wouldn’t want to risk dodgy third-party sellers.
Cigarettes
Tobacco has too many heavy restrictions for Amazon to sell them, and most of these are to prevent underage access. That’s a positive, right? Shipping logistics are tricky too. However, if you want an ashtray or a lighter, Amazon can assist. And if you want to quit? They have plenty of nicotine gum. (See what we did?)
Hoverboards
You might recall the hoverboard craze not so long ago. Do you also remember the spontaneous explosions? Crikey. It didn’t go down well. Amazon ended up pulling thousands of hoverboards from its listings due to fire hazards. A few safer models stayed on, but it isn’t worth the risk. Most of them never made it back after the controversy.
Ivory Products
Hallelujah! Like hundreds of other reputable companies worldwide, Amazon refuses to sell ivory products. It has a strict policy banning products made from endangered species overall. Amazon will not be your course for any ivory-related products, and we applaud them for it. Numerous cruelty-free alternatives prevent you from needing to purchase ivory products.
Magic Mushrooms
Imagine a world where anyone could buy magic mushrooms in one quick swipe. It wouldn’t be ideal. Sorry, no psychedelic trips are endorsed by Amazon; it doesn’t allow sales of any hallucinogenic substances. You’ll probably find mushroom growing kits, but actual psilocybin products are illegal in most places. Hate to disappoint.
Explosives
If it goes boom, you won’t buy it on Amazon. (No hoverboard jokes here.) If you want fireworks or TNT, you’ll have to shop elsewhere, Amazon doesn’t want boxes or packages exploding on people. Some regions might have sparklers in some regions, but anything more is too much of a liability.
Body Parts
Question: Why are you shopping for body parts? This is an important question. For most, Amazon’s refusal to sell body parts is pretty obvious, but if you’re one of the few that don’t get it, anything harvested from a living (or formerly living) person is strictly banned. No Black Friday pancreas price drops here.
Certain Religious Items
A wide range of religious items are available on Amazon, but certain culturally sensitive or sacred items, like ceremonial feathers or Native American artifacts, are restricted. Amazon policies aim to prevent exploitation and respect protected cultural heritage, so while you can buy sage bundles or spiritual books, other sacred items are off limits.
Fake Reviews (Or Attempts to Buy Them)
Fair enough, this isn’t an object or a ‘thing’, but it’s still banned. Plenty of people try to buy fake reviews to boost their listings and reputation, so Amazon has cracked down on shady sellers and review farms. If you offer to buy or sell fake reviews, you can expect an Amazon ban. And that would be a nightmare.
