Proven Strategies to Reinstate Suspended Amazon Seller Accounts

29 August 2024
Ben Mathew

Did you know that over 10% of Amazon sellers face account suspensions at some point in their selling journey? The disruption can be devastating, but with the right approach, you can get back on track quickly. As an Amazon seller, maintaining a healthy account is crucial for continued success. However, even minor missteps can lead to a suspended Amazon seller account, disrupting your business operations. Understanding the common reasons behind these suspensions and knowing how to effectively reinstate your account can save you from prolonged downtime and financial loss.

In this blog, we will explore the typical causes of such suspensions and provide a detailed roadmap for getting your account reinstated, ensuring you stay on track with your e-commerce journey.

Common Reasons for Amazon Seller Account Suspension.

  1. Policy violations: Many sellers often overlook the details of Amazon’s policies including selling policies, code of conduct, terms of use and conditions of use. Engaging in practices like artificially boosting product reviews can quickly get your account into hot water.

  1. Copyright problems: Selling items without proper authorization. For instance, listing products with trademarked logos without permission could lead to copyright infringement claims. Always ensure you have the right to sell your products legally.

  1. Restricted items: It’s crucial to familiarize yourself with Amazon’s list of restricted items to avoid unintentional violations.

  1. Inaccurate information: Even a small mistake like entering the wrong billing address can lead to big trouble on Amazon. There have been instances where Amazon mistakenly saves a shipping address as a business address. This mix-up becomes problematic if linked to another seller account, leading directly to an account block.

  2. Refund issues: Increase in refund requests might indicate potential product quality issues and can raise red flags with Amazon. Too many refunds or incomplete documentation can signal problems that might lead to account suspension.

  3. Poor performance metrics: Crossing amazon’s thresholds on Order Defect Rate which tracks orders with chargeback, Late Shipment Rate which tracks seller-fulfilled orders shipped past the due date, and Valid Tracking Rate which tracks shipments with a valid tracking number.

  1. Identity verification: Small oversights such as forgetting to verify your email or confirming your account setup can delay your selling process and even trigger suspicion from Amazon's end.

  2. Payment details mismatch: Your payment details need to align perfectly. Any mismatch can raise doubts about the authenticity of your business. This is an easy fix but crucial for maintaining your account’s credibility.

  3. Opening a new account post-suspension: Amazon can link accounts and recognize this action, which could lead to another suspension.

What happens when your Amazon seller account is suspended

The moment your Amazon account gets suspended, you can't list new products, fulfill pending orders, access your funds or access essential sales data. An email from Amazon Seller Performance outlines exactly why you've been suspended—maybe it’s policy violations, performance issues, or customer complaints.

Amazon can impose various restrictions on your account: Account suspension is a temporary time-out requiring you to contact Amazon for resolution. Account deactivation is more severe, ending your selling privileges unless you successfully appeal within 90 days; attempting to create a new account can lead to being flagged. If your appeal is denied, you can revise your Plan of Action and try again. An account ban permanently revokes your selling privileges, with no possibility for further appeals.

How to get your suspended Amazon seller account reinstated

Now all this may seem daunting, but with the right approach you can get your account reinstated. Here is a roadmap used by thousands of sellers to reinstate their Amazon account.

Dealing with an Amazon seller account suspension can be a daunting experience, but with the right knowledge and approach, it is possible to navigate this challenge successfully. By understanding the reasons behind suspensions and following a systematic plan of action, you can not only reinstate your account but also strengthen your business practices for the future.

--

Ben Mathew, Amazon Expert

Ben Mathew is a co-founder at Superfuel, a sales assistant for Amazon sellers. In the past, Ben and his team of e-commerce specialists and software engineers have launched 40+ new brands on Amazon, taking them from zero to bestsellers. In his free time, he is either learning from other top sellers or encouraging his 3 daughters in their love for reading. He is reachable at ben [at] superfuel.io.