Amazon Seller Account Suspended: What Does it Mean?
While Amazon suspension does not mean that the apocalypse is happening, it can lead to the permanent deactivation of your seller account. Amazon suspension removes your selling privileges and warns you to fix the issue (we’ve explained all possible issues later on). It’s very important to act quickly and thoroughly to resolve the suspension and comply with Amazon’s standards.
What Happens When Amazon Seller Account Suspended?
- What happens? When Amazon suspends your account, you will first of all lose your ability to sell products. The product lists will be removed, and any funds in your account may be held by Amazon. \
- How should I know? Check your email, there is surely a notification there. This notification explains the reason for suspension, and how you can appeal to get the account back.
- Address the issue: To address the suspension, you need to identify the issue and submit a comprehensive plan of action (POA) outlining how you will rectify it.
- What will happen? After appealing to the platform, your account can be reinstated (if the request is accepted). This means that things go back to normal and you can start selling. But if the appeal is unsuccessful, or if you don’t respond, the suspension can lead to a permanent ban.
Why is My Amazon Seller Account Suspended?
There are quite a few reasons for Amazon account suspension. here is the complete list:
Poor Performance (Metrics)
Unsatisfied customers, late shipment reviews, high order defect rates, and cancellations can have a bad impact on your account health and can cause suspension.
Policy Violations
َAmazon is very sensitive when it comes to policies. selling counterfeit or fake items, banned products, or breaching any of Amazon’s listing guidelines can trigger the platform to suspend you.
Intellectual Property Complaints and Issues
Listing items that are not aligned with trademarks and copyrights can result in immediate account suspension. another dangerous issue is selling or claiming other people’s intellectual property.
Multiple Account Violations
when you operate multiple seller accounts without proper authorization, the platform will suspend you.
Customer Complaints
A lot of negative feedback and complaints about product authenticity, or poor customer service is one the main reasons for suspension.
Faking Reviews
Manipulating product reviews is not tolerated on Amazon. Incentivizing reviews or using fake accounts is strictly prohibited and can result in suspension.
Fraudulent Activities
This one is one the most serious. Any type of fraudulent activity, like identity theft, listing hijacking, or fake transactions, will definitely lead to suspension.
Inaccurate Product Information
Misleading product descriptions and images, will result in unsatisfied customer reviews, and then account suspension.
Late Responses to Requests
Failing to respond promptly to Amazon’s requests for information or documentation means that you are not present in the business, and might trigger the platform the suspend your account.
Violating Terms of Service
like any other platform, Amazon will not tolerate it’s users violating the terms and conditions that they have agreed upon.
Typical Amazon Appeal Process
While it can be scary to get that suspension notice, there is no need to panic. An Amazon appeal is a strategic process, but it’s not impossible and everyone can do it. Once you have addressed the problem and presented a compelling case for reinstatement, there is no need to worry. Here are the steps you need to take:
Fully comprehend the notice review
The Amazon email or notification. In it, there is the reason (or reasons) for the suspension. Know what policies have been violated, or what products are problematic. Now, start the appeal process.
Take a look at your account health
ٍٍEvaluate your health metrics. There are tools that can give you account reports, or you can do it manually by checking the order defect rate, late shipment rate, and customer feedback. Gather data from the areas that have caused the problem, and do what it takes to find out the exact issue.
Read Amazon’s policies
It’s always a good idea to read Amazon’s policies and guidelines, even if you have done it before. Go to specific violations, and include them in your appeal. This shows the platform that you have understood the terms and are committed to acting accordingly.
Develop a plan
Make a comprehensive and clear action plan for what you’re going to do to fix the problem. Outline your future steps, and explain what you’ll do to enhance performance and prevent further issues.
Write the letter
The appeal letter should be clear, compelling, and straightforward. In this note, including the suspension reasons, acknowledge your faults humbly, and guide the platform to your corrective actions. Be honest and formal, yet humble and excited to do the right job.
Provide documentation
If there’s any relevant and needed document to support your claim, include it in the appeal. It’s always good to attach things like invoices, shipping records, or other evidence.
Send the appeal
Send the letter through the right channels, the ones that are provided in the notification email. In sending the appeal, it’s important to follow the platform‘s instructions and make sure the request reaches the right department to view and answer.
Be patient
In this step, it is important to practice patience, yet check your email and Amazon account regularly for answers. Avoid submitting repetitive appeals, it only disrupts the process.
Amazon usually answers to suspension appeals within 48 hours, but it can take longer depending on the complexity of the case and the volume of appeals they are handling. sometimes, it may take several days to a few weeks to receive a response. To expedite the process, ensure your appeal is clear and detailed, and addresses all issues outlined by Amazon. Regularly check your email and Amazon Seller Central for updates on the status of your appeal.
How to Reactivate Suspended Amazon Seller Account
After submitting your appeal to Amazon, you should actively monitor the appealing channels, and take action on what Amazon asks next. The platform might ask you to change some things in your profile, remove or change listings, etc. Make sure you respond to each of the requests accurately and on time. At this time, it is important to:
Stay Alert: Keep checking the channels and make the right decision as soon as you see an answer.
Address additional requests: if Amazon asks for further documentation or information, do it quickly.
Implement corrections: mistakes can be erased, and to do so, you should change what Amazon has asked you to change.
By following these steps accurately and remaining proactive in your communication with Amazon, you can increase the chance of successfully reactivating your suspended seller account and once again selling on the platform.
How to Avoid Getting Suspended of Seller Accounts?
- Seek advice:
90% of Amazon seller account suspensions happen due to users’ ignorance. When you seek advice from qualified, trained, and experienced profiles, they will guide you and prevent you from making mistakes that lead to the suspension of your Amazon account.
- Read all terms of use:
This point is closely related to the previous section. You need to read Amazon’s terms of use to find out what you can and can’t do.
- Sell quality products:
This is essential since selling poor-quality products will lead to a series of problems and claims that will get your account suspended by Amazon.
- Read all the information and emails that Amazon sends you:
Before suspending any account, Amazon notifies you so you can take action. Amazon’s first form of communication with sellers is via email, so you should check it frequently to see if it has sent you any warnings.
- Get positive reviews:
Another of the main reasons for Amazon seller account blocked is the percentage of orders that have suffered bad reviews, claims for violation of the guarantee, or by customers who have requested a refund of the purchase amount. Try to keep this percentage always below 1%; otherwise, Amazon could suspend your account.
Different Types of Seller Account Restriction
There are only 2 types of restriction: you are or are not suspended.
However, there are several states within it:
- Suspended: This means you can’t sell on Amazon. However, you can request reconsideration to change this status.
- Deactivated: In this status, you can’t continue your selling activities. Here too, whether it’s a policy violation or a mistake on Amazon’s part, you need to communicate with Amazon and ensure to file a reconsideration request within 90 days.
- Denied: This status appears when you have already submitted the reconsideration, but it has been rejected. However, it also has a solution.
- Banned: This status is irrevocable; you cannot sell on Amazon, and there is no possible solution.
Final Thoughts
One of the most worrying situations you may have experienced when using Amazon as a platform for buying and selling products is your Amazon seller account being suspended.
The rise of e-commerce has made many leading market companies consider their customers the most important thing. Amazon has always been concerned with guaranteeing its customers a high-quality service. So it tries to ensure those who offer products within its platform comply with the terms of use or established policies. This is why their level of demand is relatively high when suspending an account when all the requirements are unmet. Amazon has clear rules that, if violated, will lead to account suspension. But no need to worry; if you follow the solutions provided in this article, you will have no problem and can continue selling on Amazon without being suspended.
FAQs
According to Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, “you may only maintain one Seller Central account for each region you sell.” So, writing a formal appeal and providing an action plan to lift your current account’s suspension is recommended.
This is not a good idea because, according to Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, you can only have one Seller Central account for every region you sell. But if you have a legal business reason, you can open a second account, but you have to keep it separate from the older one.
Amazon seller account suspended lasts for 17 days. If you do not provide an appeal during this time frame, your account might get permanently suspended. But if the appeal is rejected, you’ll have 3 chances to re-appeal.
First, you need to research the suspension and find out why you got suspended. Then, you will need to provide an appeal and action plan to Amazon. Even if your appeal gets rejected, you’ll get other chances to re-appeal.
Yes. Amazon can suspend your account permanently, and of course, this would be related to issues like Repeated policy violations, account performance issues, fraudulent activity, Intellectual Property Violations, and excessive customer complaints
A Deactivated account means that the account is no longer active. Depending on the reason for deactivation, it might be permanently closed. This is not the case in suspension. A suspended Amazon account may be allowed to appeal the decision by providing a plan of action to rectify the issues. to know more about this matter, read our “Amazon account deactivated vs suspended” article.
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