Knowing how to avoid Amazon seller account suspensions and terminations could be the difference between having a long-term, sustainable business… or suddenly being shut down and forced to sell elsewhere.
In recent years, Amazon has increasingly been suspending and terminating accounts without warning or explanation. This has caused a great deal of frustration and confusion for sellers, who often do not know why their account has been shut down or how to go about appealing the decision.
If your account has been suspended, the best course of action is to contact Amazon and ask for clarification on the reason for the suspension. Be sure to have your account information handy so that you can provide Amazon with all the relevant details.
If you believe that your account has been terminated unjustly or that you have been wrongly accused of violating Amazon’s terms of service, you may want to consider appealing the decision. Be aware that the appeal process can be lengthy and complicated, and there is no guarantee that your appeal will be successful.
However… you’ll want to know how to avoid having your Amazon seller account suspended and terminated in the first place – which is exactly what we’ll cover in this article. Let’s dive right in!
Use this outline to skip to any section of this page:
- When should I take steps to prevent Amazon seller account suspensions?
- Is it hard to avoid Amazon seller account suspensions & terminations?
- Advertise your products accurately & honestly
- Don’t neglect customer service
- Maintain high Amazon customer reviews & store reviews
- Trademark your brand & company to avoid suspensions & terminations
- Be aware of unethical competitors
- Never try to use more than 1 Amazon seller account
- Never attempt to sell unauthorized or restricted items
- Always have documentation ready to use for seller account suspensions
- Keep an eye out for warnings and policy changes
- Be ready to appeal Amazon seller account suspensions & terminations
When should I take steps to prevent Amazon seller account suspensions?
We know getting your Amazon business up and running is a long process – requiring several hours each day that often goes beyond 40 hour work weeks.
However, knowing how to avoid Amazon seller account suspensions and terminations should be one of the first things you focus on, simply because you could lose 100% of your progress (and any future potential) for your Amazon selling privileges.
Is it hard to avoid Amazon seller account suspensions & terminations?
An Amazon account suspension or termination can be a devastating experience for an Amazon seller. The risk of an account suspension or termination is high, and the consequences can be significant. Sellers who have had their accounts suspended or terminated often find it difficult to get their accounts reinstated, and they may lose significant amounts of money as a result.
The risk of an account suspension or termination is high for several reasons:
- Amazon regularly suspends or terminates accounts that violate its policies – especially with the amount of fraudulent sellers online
- Amazon frequently changes its policies, and sellers who are not up-to-date on the latest changes may find themselves in violation of policy
- Amazon is quick to suspend or terminate accounts that it suspects are engaged in fraudulent activities – in order to protect consumers
Sellers who want to protect themselves against the risk of an account suspension or termination should make sure they are familiar with Amazon’s policies and stay up-to-date on any changes. They should also be vigilant in monitoring their account activity for any signs of fraud.
Advertise your products accurately & honestly
When advertising your products on Amazon, it is important to be accurate and honest in your descriptions. Failing to do so can result in your Amazon account being locked, suspended, or terminated.
To start – make sure you have a reliable FBA prep company for inspections (so that your products don’t arrive damaged or inaccurately sourced from your supplier). You’ll also want to be sure to include all of the pertinent information in your product listings – including the product’s dimensions, weight, materials used, and any other relevant details.
Keep in mind – you need to be 100% truthful in your descriptions of the products themselves, and 95% isn’t enough. If you are selling a product that is not actually new, be sure to state that fact in your listing. Failing to do so can result in customer complaints and negative reviews, which can hurt your business.
By accurately and honestly representing your products on Amazon, you can avoid any unpleasant surprises and maintain a positive reputation with both customers and Amazon itself.
Don’t neglect customer service
When a customer has a problem with their account, it is the responsibility of Amazon customer service to solve it. By providing excellent customer service, you can prevent account suspensions and terminations.
First, listen to the customer and understand their problem. Next, try to solve the problem as quickly as possible. If you are not able to solve the problem, escalate it to a supervisor. Keep the customer informed of the progress of their case. Thank the customer for their patience and cooperation.
Providing excellent customer service is the key to preventing account suspensions and terminations. By following these tips, you can keep your customers happy and your account in good standing.
Maintain high Amazon customer reviews & store reviews
Maintaining high Amazon customer reviews and store reviews is essential to the success of your business on Amazon. A recent study found that businesses with at least a 4-star rating on Amazon had a sales increase of 20%. In addition, Amazon may suspend or terminate your account if you do not maintain a high level of customer reviews and store reviews.
The best way to maintain high customer reviews and store reviews is to provide fast & helpful customer service – while selling high-quality products that solve customer problems (and aren’t cheap knock-offs). Make sure that you respond to all customer inquiries in a timely manner, and ensure that your products meet or exceed expectations. By providing an exceptional customer experience, you can encourage customers to leave positive reviews.
In addition, it is important to automate your customer review acquisition. You can gather feedback by using a review request tool like FeedbackGenius.com. By asking customers for reviews, you can increase the chances that they will leave a positive review.
By following these tips, you can maintain high customer reviews and store reviews, and ensure the success of your business on Amazon.
Trademark your brand & company to avoid suspensions & terminations
Trademarking your brand and company will help prevent dishonest and unethical competitors from causing your Amazon account to become locked, suspended or terminated – and it’s important to understand what’s involved in the process:
- Conduct a comprehensive search of the USPTO trademark database to make sure that your desired brand name isn’t already taken
- File an application with the USPTO, which will cost between $225 and $325 (depending on the type of mark you’re seeking protection for)
- Start using it consistently in order to maintain your rights over it
Of course, trademarking your brand is just one part of protecting your business online. You’ll also need to make sure that your Amazon account is secure and that you’re taking steps to prevent fraud and other malicious activity.
By following these tips and investing in a quality trademark protection plan, you can help ensure that your business is safeguarded against any potential threats.
Be aware of unethical competitors
Many people trying to sell on Amazon are unaware of the dangers posed by dishonest and unethical competitors. These competitors will often try to cause an Amazon account suspension by reporting the account holder to Amazon for policy violations. Some of the most common tactics used by these competitors include reporting you for:
- Selling counterfeit goods.
- Selling unauthorized or gray-market products.
- Violating Amazon’s terms of service.
- Copyright or trademark infringement.
- Engaging in fraud or deceptive practices.
It is important for you to be aware of these tactics, and to take steps to protect themselves from being reported by unscrupulous competitors.
One way to do this is to make sure that your products are in compliance with Amazon’s policies and terms of service, and to take steps to protect your intellectual property rights. You should also be aware of the signs that someone is attempting to report your account, and take action to prevent them from doing so.
Never try to use more than 1 Amazon seller account
There are a few reasons why you should never use more than one Amazon seller account. The first reason is that it’s against Amazon’s terms of service. Using more than one account can lead to suspension or termination of your account.
Plus, using more than one Amazon seller account can lead to decreased rankings for your products. When Amazon detects that you’re selling in multiple accounts, they may lower the ranking for your products. This means that your products may not show up as high in search results, which can lead to decreased sales.
Keep in mind – using multiple accounts is because it can be difficult to track your sales and profits if you’re selling in multiple accounts. It can be hard to keep track of which products are selling well and which ones aren’t if you’re not using a single account.
Never attempt to sell unauthorized or restricted items
To prevent your Amazon account from being suspended or terminated, it is important to never sell unauthorized or restricted items. Unauthorized items are those that are not listed on Amazon’s site as being for sale, while restricted items are those that Amazon has determined cannot be sold for various reasons. Some of the most common types of restricted items include food, pharmaceuticals, and explosives – with the full list of Amazon restricted items here.
If you are unsure whether an item you want to sell is authorized or restricted, just check that link above before listing it. You can also do this by visiting the Seller Central website and navigating to the Help & Customer Service section. There, you will find a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about selling on Amazon. You can also contact Amazon customer service directly for assistance.
Selling unauthorized or restricted items creates a high probability of account suspensions or terminations. Therefore, you need to be aware of Amazon’s policies and guidelines for sellers, and to always comply with them. By doing so, you can avoid any issues and continue to sell on Amazon without interruption.
Always have documentation ready to use for seller account suspensions
If your Amazon account gets suspended, you should have documentation ready. A suspension can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as not meeting Amazon’s selling guidelines or violating their policies. In most cases, Amazon will send an email notification outlining the reason for the suspension. If you believe that the suspension is in error, you can reach out to Amazon’s customer service team for assistance.
If your Amazon account gets terminated, you’ll be in a much better position with documentation ready at-hand. In most cases, Amazon will send an email notification outlining the reason for the termination. If you believe that the termination is in error, you can reach out to Amazon’s customer service team for assistance – followed by submitting an appeal with your documentation ready.
Keep an eye out for warnings and policy changes
When it comes to Amazon, it’s important to keep an eye out for policy changes and warnings. Recently, Amazon has been cracking down on sellers who are violating their policies. If you’re not careful, you could have your Amazon account locked, suspended or terminated.
So what can you do to stay safe? First of all, make sure that you read Amazon’s policies carefully and understand what is and isn’t allowed. Secondly, be diligent in following Amazon’s policies. If you see a warning or policy change, take action immediately. Finally, if you do run into trouble, be sure to contact Amazon as soon as possible. They may be able to help resolve the issue.
Amazon is a great place to sell products, but it’s critical to stay within the boundaries set by Amazon. Follow these tips and you’ll stay safe while selling on Amazon.
Be ready to appeal Amazon seller account suspensions & terminations
If your Amazon account is locked, suspended or terminated, you need to be prepared to appeal. The first step is to figure out why your account was closed. Remember – there are a variety of reasons your account could be closed, including:
- Not following Amazon’s policies
- Selling counterfeit goods
- Violating copyright laws
- Committing fraud
Once you know the reason for your account closure, you can start preparing your appeal. Be sure to include any evidence that supports your case, such as documentation of your compliance with Amazon’s policies or proof that the items you were selling were not counterfeit.
It can be helpful to have a lawyer help you with your appeal, especially if the reason for your account closure is related to fraud or copyright law. However, if you choose to represent yourself, be sure to thoroughly research Amazon’s appeal process and guidelines – and never threaten legal action against Amazon. It’s always their discretion for who they allow to sell on their platform, and Amazon needs sellers to respect that.
The appeals process can be lengthy and complex, so it’s important to start planning and preparing early. If your account is locked, suspended or terminated, don’t wait – start appealing today!
