How to Reinstate your Amazon Seller Account

So, your Amazon seller account is suspended. Naturally, your immediate thought is: how can I resolve this quickly and get my business back on track

While Amazon’s suspension policies are strict, you’re not alone in facing this challenge. Many sellers unintentionally end up on the wrong side of these rules. But before panic sets in, remember: reinstating your account is not impossible.

Let’s unpack what Amazon’s suspensions mean and answer the critical question: “How to reactivate my Amazon seller account?” We’ll also explore alternative options you can pursue if your initial appeal doesn’t go through successfully.

 

What is Amazon Seller Account Suspension?

Account suspension or deactivation on Amazon occurs when the platform restricts a seller’s ability to operate due to a breach of its guidelines or performance standards.

Unlike termination, an Amazon account suspension is not a permanent ban, but a temporary status that sellers can appeal. A suspension usually results from a violation of Amazon section 3 policy, which governs factors like: 

• Seller behavior
• Prohibited practices
• Intellectual property issues
• Failure to meet performance metrics

 

Sellers are provided with a notice explaining the reason for the suspension, and they are required to take swift action to resolve the issue.

Whether it’s for performance reasons, policy violations, or selling prohibited items, the goal of suspension is to ensure that Amazon’s marketplace maintains a high level of trust and satisfaction for its customers.

To reinstate their selling privileges and resume operations, sellers must submit an appeal. This process includes a comprehensive Plan of Action (POA) outlining how the issues will be resolved.

 

Reasons Behind a Suspension

When dealing with an Amazon account suspension, it’s critical to understand the underlying reasons to properly address and resolve the issue. 

An Amazon seller suspension may typically fall into three main categories:

 

Performance-Related Suspensions

These suspensions occur when sellers fail to meet Amazon’s performance metrics, such as:

• Order Defect Rate (ODR). Measures negative feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks.
• Late Shipment Rate (LSR). An shipping indicator of how many orders are shipped late, directly impacting customer experience.

 

With a study showing customer reviews and fast shipping being among the top reasons for shopping online, it’s not surprising that Amazon is keeping an eye on third-party sellers’ ODR and LSR.

Sellers who consistently fail to meet these key metrics are likely to face an Amazon seller suspension.

Policy Violations

Amazon enforces strict rules under its Amazon section 3 policy, which covers issues like prohibited behavior, intellectual property infringements, and manipulation of reviews. 

 

Prohibited Items or Counterfeits

If a seller lists items that are on Amazon’s restricted list or sells counterfeit goods, Amazon will suspend the account immediately. 

A 2023 report that surveyed 295 ecommerce company representatives revealed that 56% of those who encountered counterfeit products have done so on US platforms, such as Amazon and eBay.

Amazon is working to enhance its IP enforcement measures to ensure that counterfeit items don’t damage the trust and reputation of its marketplace.

Related content: Amazon Suspension Insurance

 

Initial Steps to Take After Amazon Account Suspension

Facing an Amazon seller account suspension can be stressful, but the key to reinstating your account is to handle the process systematically and calmly.

Here are the initial steps you could take:

 

Thoroughly Review the Suspension Notice

Take time to carefully examine the notice you receive from Amazon. It will serve as your guide for addressing the issues. Understanding whether it’s a performance issue, policy violation, or other reason will help you tailor your response.

Below is an example of an Amazon seller account deactivation letter posted by a user in Seller Forums. While these notices can sometimes be vague, they provide the starting point for addressing your suspension.

Stay Calm and Organized

It’s natural to feel anxious, but rushing the process can lead to mistakes. Take your time to gather the necessary information, assess the situation, and organize your next steps. A well-structured appeal will greatly improve your chances of reinstatement.

 

Consider Consulting Professional Services

If the process feels overwhelming or you’re unsure of how to proceed, consider consulting Amazon account reactivation services. These experts specialize in handling suspensions, helping you avoid common mistakes that could delay or jeopardize your reinstatement.

AMZ Advisers is one of your best options to get professional guidance, especially helpful when drafting a detailed Amazon seller appeal. Our team has extensive experience not only in Amazon services and business management. 

 

How to Reinstate a Suspended Amazon Seller Account

Reinstating a suspended Amazon seller account can be a challenging but manageable process if handled correctly. Here’s how you can do it, along with tips for crafting a solid appeal:

 

Understand the Cause of Suspension

Knowing the root cause of the suspension will determine your strategy for the next steps. That said, it’s crucial to clearly grasp the reason for the suspension. 

When you receive an Amazon suspension notice, check the general cause it states, such as policy violations, poor performance metrics, or IPissues. 

 

Prepare a Detailed Plan of Action (POA)

To reinstate your account, you must submit a Plan of Action (POA). The POA is a critical document that outlines how you will address the suspension issues. It’s essential to ensure that the POA is specific to the reason for your suspension and provides a clear solution.

As Amazon explains in their suspension notice, your Plan of Action (as seen from Image 3 above) must consist of three essential components:

• Root cause analysis. Explain what led to the suspension. If the issue was performance-related, for example, you should pinpoint the specific metric that was missed. Acknowledging the issue demonstrates that you understand the problem and are committed to fixing it.
• Immediate corrective actions. Describe the steps you’ve already taken to fix the problem, such as resolving customer complaints or updating your listings to comply with policies.
• Preventive measures. Outline how you plan to prevent the issue from recurring. This could involve changes to your operations, regular reviews of performance metrics, or enrolling on Amazon Brand Registry to protect your intellectual property.

 

A well-crafted POA shows Amazon that you understand the problem and are committed to avoiding future suspensions. Below is a sample POA posted on Seller Forums, which you can use as a guide and customize depending on your unique situation:

• PRO TIP. Avoid emotional appeals and focus on facts and actionable steps.

Submit the Appeal via Seller Central

Once you have your POA ready, log in to Seller Central to submit your appeal. 

In the suspension notice, Amazon provides a direct option to appeal the decision. Click on this option to access the submission form, where you’ll be prompted to upload your POA and any relevant supporting documents. 

 

4. Be Patient and Follow Up

Amazon’s review process can take a few days, and submitting multiple appeals or making repeated inquiries can slow down the process. Stay vigilant for any follow-up requests for additional information and respond promptly to avoid delays.

 

5. Monitor and Maintain Account Health

It’s crucial to keep a close eye on your performance metrics to prevent future Amazon seller account suspensions. Regularly review your Account Health Dashboard in Seller Central, which tracks key metrics like ODR, LSR, and policy adherence.

• PRO TIP. Reinforce compliance by completing or updating seller identity verification processes to ensure your account remains legitimate and compliant with Amazon’s security protocols.

 

What to Do If Your Appeal is Rejected

If Amazon rejects your initial appeal, it’s important not to get discouraged. There are still several actions you can take to get your Amazon seller account reinstated.

 

Revise Your POA

Here’s how you can strengthen your POA:

• Carefully review Amazon’s feedback. Review the reasons provided by the marketplace for rejecting your appeal. Use this information to refine your POA by addressing any missed points or adding more detail.
• Provide more evidence. If your appeal was lacking in supporting documents or evidence, now is the time to submit them. This might include shipping records, customer service logs, or compliance audits.
• Clarify preventive measures. If your initial submission lacked detail here, expand on the steps your business will take to prevent future suspensions.

 

Escalate Your Appeal

If your revised appeal is still rejected, it might be time to escalate the situation to higher levels. Contact Amazon’s Seller Performance Team through the existing suspension notification in Seller Central. 

If you’ve already done this without success, escalate by contacting Amazon’s executive team or writing to Amazon’s Performance Evaluation Team.

Escalation is appropriate when you’ve submitted multiple revised appeals without resolution or if you believe Amazon’s feedback is unclear. In cases of escalated appeals, make sure your communication remains concise, focusing on new evidence and preventive measures.

 

The Lowdown

Reinstating a suspended Amazon seller account might feel overwhelming, but it’s a process that thousands of sellers navigate successfully each year.

Remember, it all goes down to understanding why your account was suspended in the first place and crafting a solid plan of action to address those issues. 

It’s crucial to be patient, as the appeal review could take time. But with the right approach, including providing evidence of corrective actions and preventive measures, your chances of success increase significantly.

 

Author

Carla Bauto Deña is a journalist and content writer producing stories for traditional and digital media. She believes in empowering small businesses with the help of innovative solutions, such as ecommerce, digital marketing, and data analytics.