How to Appeal an Amazon Seller Suspension

If you’ve ever faced an account suspension on Amazon, you understand the immense stress it brings. Sellers encountering this for the first time might panic. But while we can’t quell that initial panic, we can offer some guidance to help you navigate the appeal process and reinstate your Amazon business.

Step 1: Pinpoint the Cause of Suspension Understanding why your account was suspended is crucial. Amazon usually provides a basic reason, but digging deeper into what went wrong is essential. Two main reasons typically lead to suspension: violating Seller Policies or falling below performance standards.

Seller Policy Violations: These involve selling restricted products or breaching Amazon’s policies. The policies cover various aspects, like setting up multiple Seller Central Accounts without permission or directing traffic away from Amazon. Understanding these policies is critical.

Seller Performance Issues: Amazon tracks seller metrics like order defect rate, pre-fulfillment cancel rate, and late shipment rate. Falling below the acceptable threshold in any of these areas can lead to suspension. Identifying the root cause is vital to rectify the issue.

For instance, if the suspension is due to a high order defect rate, investigating negative feedback, A-to-z Claims, or credit card chargebacks is necessary to identify the cause and fix it.

Evaluating Key Areas: Check your listings for accuracy, ensure prompt and polite customer communication, maintain timely shipments, and manage inventory effectively.

Step 2: Develop a Plan of Action (POA) Creating a strong POA is crucial in appealing an Amazon account suspension. It should identify the issue, its cause, and the preventive measures. Rather than generic apologies, provide specific steps to rectify the problem and show your commitment to preventing recurrence.

POA Outline:

1. Introduction: Briefly state your identity, business description, and the reason for the suspension.

2. Description of Issue: Clearly explain the issue, supported by data and specifics.

3. Action Steps: Describe the changes made to rectify the problem and prevent future occurrences.

4. Closing Statement: Summarize the steps taken and request reinstatement of selling privileges.

Step 3: Submit Your Appeal to Amazon Once your POA is ready, go to Performance Notifications in Seller Central, find the suspension notice, and click “Appeal” and then “Appeal Decision.” Fill in the provided form with your POA details and submit it for Seller Performance review.

Step 4: Await Amazon’s Response Amazon typically responds within 48 hours via email. Good luck!