The Amazon selling platform brings several advantages to account holders looking for a seamless and effective way to sell their products online. Amazon seller accounts have become increasingly popular as business owners realize the financial benefits of selling with Amazon. But what happens when you face an Amazon Seller Suspension?
Unfortunately, for many Amazon sellers, seller account suspensions are common. While Amazon’s strict guidelines protect buyers from sellers who deliberately cut corners, they can easily affect hard-working and honest businesses. Even worse, Amazon is notorious for failing to alert sellers as to why their accounts are suspended. The reversal process can be daunting, and many sellers panic as they work hard to appeal their suspension.
The good news is that you can prevent your seller account from being suspended in the first place. If you end up with an Amazon seller account suspension, you can also get a quick reversal with the right strategies and professional support. Before any of this can happen, you need to understand the ins and outs of Amazon seller account suspension. Let’s dive right in!
What Is an Amazon Seller Account Suspension?
Amazon seller account suspensions occur when Amazon removes your selling privileges. Account suspensions fall under one of two categories:
Listing suspensions occur when certain product listings in your account get suspended.
Account suspensions occur when your entire seller account is shut down, forcing you to lose your selling privileges across Amazon’s entire platform.
What Happens When You Get Suspended?
Amazon seller suspensions occur when the eCommerce platform believes you have violated one of its policies. Once your account is suspended, your selling privileges are restricted based on the severity of your suspension. This creates a big blow for Amazon sellers. Suspended sellers don’t only lose money from lost sales during the time the account is suspended. They are also forced to pay storage fees, supplier fees, and, in some cases, employee wages until the account can be reinstated.
Although you can’t sell your products during your suspension, Amazon argues that you are utilizing their warehouse for Fulfillment by Amazon. Therefore, you’re forced to incur all associated costs until your issue is resolved. That’s why it’s essential to act fast and consult a professional if you’re dealing with an Amazon account suspension. The longer the appeals process, the more money you lose. Even worse, failing to have your appeal overturned can lead Amazon to ban you from the platform entirely.
What Are the Main Reasons Your Amazon Seller Account Is Suspended?
The best way to handle account suspensions, or avoid them entirely, is to understand the leading causes of Amazon seller account suspensions. Here are some of the common reasons why sellers get their accounts suspended:
Poor Performance
Amazon is the leading eCommerce platform in the world. That’s why they hold their seller accounts to high standards. When your seller performance drops, Amazon worries about your ability to provide outstanding service to your customers.
Amazon monitors your performance using a metric rate. If you don’t meet their requirements, your account will be at risk for suspension. The overall performance of your seller account is based on the following items:
Order rate
Pre-fulfillment cancel rate
Late shipment rate
Negative return feedback rate
Late response rate
You need to keep close tabs on these metrics to not only attract buyers but to avoid account suspension.
Policy Violations
Amazon sets strict policies to ensure its customers have a safe, fair, and desirable shopping experience while using its platform. Their strict set of rules prevents fraud and ensures customer satisfaction. Ultimately, Amazon’s policies allow them to secure the success of their enterprise. If you violate their policies or terms of service, you will undoubtedly be suspended. To avoid policy violations, make sure you read through the Amazon seller guidelines thoroughly and check back regularly for updates and policy changes.
Selling Restricted Products
To work in line with their strict policies and guidelines, Amazon forbids the sale of restricted, counterfeit, or inauthentic products. Anyone caught selling illegal, unsafe, or restricted products will be immediately suspended. This also goes for sellers who list products as “new” but sell old or used products.
Make sure you read through Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting Policy and list of restricted products before listing your products. You should also check the additional shipping restrictions if you are using FBA as your fulfillment method. In some cases, selling restricted products is merely an accident. If Amazon notifies you that you are selling prohibited products, it’s vital to remove these listings immediately to avoid account suspension.
Multiple Seller Accounts
Another common reason for Amazon seller account suspension is when sellers have multiple accounts. While it may be tempting to create a second account to sell more items, this goes against Amazon’s terms and conditions. Sellers are only allowed to have one seller account with some exceptions. If you plan to create a different business account, make sure you take the proper steps to apply for an exception.
Amazon works hard to deliver the best service to buyers. Still, they also want to give sellers a fair chance against their competition. Believe it or not, they analyze your IP address, bank information, email, tax IDs, and physical address. So, if you try to get away with having multiple seller accounts, you will most likely get caught. This also goes for Amazon sellers who create new accounts after their original accounts are suspended.
If you think you need to have multiple seller accounts or you use the same IP address as other Amazon sellers, talk to an Amazon appeals professional to avoid account suspension. They can also help you work through the appeals process quickly.
What Can You Do When Your Account is Suspended?
If your Amazon seller account is suspended, you have options. While it might be tempting to begin the appeals process immediately, don’t rush to submit your appeal. The appeals process takes time, so you want to be sure you have the best shot of successfully overturning your suspension.
Amazon Seller Account Appeals
Fortunately, with the right plan of action, you can quickly get your account suspension lifted. You’ll need to prepare a strong case, so you have a higher chance of approval. Hiring a professional to file your appeal is the best way to get the results you need fast. Keep in mind that many scammers out there claim they can help reinstate your suspended account. So, you need to find a reputable Amazon appeals company to get the results you deserve.
Our experts at Appeal Wizards can help you create an effective, well-crafted appeals package within 24 hours. We’re here to take the stress and uncertainty out of the Amazon appeals process. If your account has been suspended, don’t panic. We’re here to help! Contact a dedicated member of our team to get you back to selling and keep your account in good standing.