If you are an Amazon seller, having your account suspended could be a nightmare, let alone accounts banned from Amazon. Get Banned is a serious issue and could be devastating to your Amazon business. You will most likely lose money, time, and most importantly your Amazon customers.
As an Amazon seller, it is very important that you know why your Amazon account got banned. You should also learn how to avoid getting banned, and in case your account does get banned, you should know how to unban it.
What are Amazon Account Banned and Suspension
When mentioning having your Amazon account banned, it has to mention Amazon account suspension. What’s the difference between having your Amazon account banned, and suspension?
Amazon account banned, means that your account has been closed by Amazon permanently. The account is usually banned due to a violation of policies, such as counterfeit sales of items and conducting fraudulent activity.
On the other hand, an account suspension is temporarily blocked access to some or all of Amazon’s services. This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as policy violations, intellectual property infringement, and account misuse. Please remember that during a suspension the user will be required to provide additional information and also take necessary actions to fix the issue.
8 Reasons Why Sellers Get Banned From Amazon
As stated having your Account banned from Amazon is a big deal because it is permanent in nature, and is far more severe than having your Account suspended. Here are some factors why your Amazon account banned from Amazon.
1. Bad Customer Service
Poor customer service encompasses a great many things for a customer. After-sales support is the most critical phase of a sale on the Amazon platform; just because you got paid doesn’t mean you can ignore customers emails or complaints about the product they ordered.
A customer trying to reach out to you to rectify a problem is synonymous with them throwing you a lifeline. Take action immediately and make things right with the customer. Do not make it seem like it is their fault even if it is. You don’t want your seller account getting banned from Amazon because of something that you can and are supposed to be doing — providing excellent customer service.
You want each customer to have a pleasant experience buying from your online store. If you need to resend the product for free, or issue credit or a refund to them, do it. It will reflect better on you as a seller, and there won’t be any negative feedback on your product listing page.
Who knows, they might post a positive review for the excellent customer service they received from your team or also recommend your store to others.
Having too many bad reviews and low ratings will merit an audit from Amazon. So unless you are totally cool with getting an Amazon ban, take extra good care of your customers. Although there is a way to remove Amazon feedback, you shouldn’t have to if you provide excellent customer service.
2. Delivery Issues
Amazon has stringent rules when it comes to shipping products. Amazon prime customers enjoy two day free shipping. Regular Amazon customers expect to receive their orders after three business days; this is also a requirement from Amazon.
All Amazon customers expect to receive an email confirmation of their order with a tracking number for their package. This allows them to see where their package is right up until it arrives. Remember that any order received after three business days counts as a delayed delivery.
Amazon upholds a delay rate at a maximum of 4%. If a seller fails this metric, they risk getting their account suspended or worse, banned from Amazon.
3. Low Product Quality
When online shoppers purchase products on Amazon, they expect their purchase to be a high-quality product. Well, they hope it is anyway. Since you sell on the Amazon platform, it is your job as a seller to make sure your customers can buy a good quality product from you.
Do not sell defective merchandise or products that will fall apart after a few days use. Selling poor quality products will cause that customer to write a bad review and share their bad customer experience.
Amazon can and will find out about bad customer experiences. And too many of these bad experiences will cause your account to be suspended or banned from Amazon.
4. Soliciting for Good Reviews
Offering customers discounts or free items in exchange for good reviews is not allowed and goes against Amazon’s terms and conditions. Expressly asking customers for good reviews in any way is also not permitted.
Instead, provide your customers with excellent customer service, then ask for a review. The only condition is that you cannot ask for a good review. You can, however, ask for an honest review. Learn how to get Amazon reviews the right way that won’t risk you getting an Amazon ban. Additionally, learning how to spot fake reviews on Amazon will go a long way.
If you sold the customer a quality product at a reasonable price and showered them with excellent service, then you don’t have anything to worry about. Explicitly asking for good reviews is like begging to get your account banned from Amazon.
5. Copyright Infringement
Selling products legally owned by another corporate entity is technically illegal. Naturally, selling copyrighted products is not allowed and can get you banned from Amazon. This is where you see the term authorised dealer or authorised reseller come into play.
It is legal to sell brand name products as used. But to sell brand name items as new; you usually need authorisation from the manufacturers.
Now that you understand that selling another company’s products is not allowed; make it a point to avoid this practice. That is, unless you want to get an Amazon ban.
Using pictures that are owned by another company or seller is also not allowed. Stock photos that you “googled” are too risky because those are typically copyrighted. If you don’t want to risk legal action, don’t use copyrighted material for your product listing.
Create a new product listing and use original photos taken by you. Taking these extra precautions will prevent your seller account being reviewed, suspended and eventually banned.
6. Selling Prohibited Products
Amazon has a list of restricted products that are not allowed to be listed on the Amazon platform. Items in some categories require special approval from Amazon before you are allowed to sell them.
Sellers are also not allowed to sell counterfeit merchandise. Any negative feedback or reports by customers indicating that fake products were purchased from you will result in your seller account getting banned from Amazon.
Sellers need to go the extra mile when double checking the authenticity of a particular product. Taking shortcuts and not checking the products personally will likely have a negative result for you and your business.
7. Cancelling Orders
Proper inventory management is vital to running a successful e-commerce business. Make sure to only list the correct amount of inventory that you have in stock.
Novice sellers sometimes get their Amazon inventory management wrong, resulting in too many product orders that cannot be fulfilled.
You do not want to end up in a scenario where you, the seller, end up cancelling orders from confirmed buyers. Doing so will reflect poorly on your account, and too many instances of cancelled orders will get your account banned from Amazon.
8. Inaccurate listing information
Stating false information in your product listing to try and jump ahead in the product ranking will likely cause negative feedback from your customers. There is a proper way to master Amazon listing optimisation and stating false information is definitely not it.
Creating misleading listings for the sake of making a sale is not ethical and does not abide by Amazon’s guidelines. Advertising an item as new when in fact it is not is also a big no-no when listing products.
To avoid falling into this trap, do your best to create the best and most accurate product listing for your products and highlight how your product can solve your customer’s needs.
Be careful when doing retail arbitrage. When one buys merchandise in a store and resells that on Amazon; that item should technically be labelled as used. An Amazon ban can and will be given to sellers who fail to abide by this rule.
How to Get Unbanned From Amazon
Should your Amazon account get banned, you should take the necessary steps to get in unbanned. Here are three ways for getting your Amazon unbanned.
Amazon Ban Appeal
When it comes to appealing your account ban, you should check the Amazon ban notification that will be sent to you. After getting the notification you should respond to the email, and make your appeal. You should be honest and efficient with the actions that you have taken to solve the issue.
You should make sure to provide the necessary documents that Amazon asks of you. After you make the appeal, you should make sure to follow up every few days. The appeal will usually take some to be assessed so be patient with the process.
Looking for a Third-Party Company Help
Aside from appealing your Amazon ban yourself, you may also look for a third party to help you with the appeal.
Here are some third-party companies that could help you out.
Riverbend Consulting: This third-party company focuses on reducing risks for clients and driving revenue. They offer great services such as consulting credibility, small business expertise, and Amazon seller skills. These services also include reimbursements, account support, ASIN appeals, seller account protection, and account appeals. The company has a team of subject matter experts, ex-Amazon employees, brand owners, and long-time sellers.
eCommerce Chris: This company is made up of former Amazon employees who used to work in Amazon seller performance and executive seller relations. This means they are experts in communication with Amazon. This company specializes in fixing Amazon account suspensions, blocked listings, and black hat competitors.
Amazon Seller Attorney: The company is made up of lawyers and consultants that know how to write winning Amazon appeals and plans of action to reinstate Amazon Seller accounts and ASINs. They offer competitive, low prices, and custom-tailored Amazon appeal POAs. their services include Amazon appeals, trademark registration and Amazon registry support, temporary restraining orders, and Amazon arbitration.
Make a New Amazon Account after Being Banned
While getting your Amazon account unbanned is possible, there is also a chance that your appeal could get denied. This is a worst-case scenario. Don’t worry though, you still have the option to make a new Amazon account.
Please take into account that Amazon policies state that you could only have one seller account for each region. You may be able to open a new account, even if you have been banned in the region. However, please know that this is considered illegal by Amazon.
Here are some ways you could set up a new account:
Buy an existing Amazon account: There may be times when your seller account could not get reinstated. You have the option to purchase another existing Amazon seller account. Should you choose to take this option, you should buy a business with a verifiable tax infrastructure. This option could be costly though, and not viable for some users.
Set up a new account with a new legal entity: As a seller, you also have to set up a new account with a new legal identity. This is somewhat more complex because you will need to open a new Limited Liability Company (LLC) for your business. This could be a bit tricky to understand but could be explained as such.
A business is suspended by Amazon. In order to circumvent this, you create another business, which is then owned by the suspended business. The new business will then still be able to sell on the marketplace.
How to Avoid Amazon Account Banned
Now that you know the key factors that could get your Amazon account banned, you should know the key methods on how to avoid your Amazon account getting banned.
- Double-Check Your Listings
Before uploading any product listings, you should make sure that you follow Amazon rules and regulations. Remember that Amazon follows stringent rules and regulations for listings. If you break these rules, your account may get banned.
- Avoid Selling Restricted or Counterfeit Products
If you sell restricted or counterfeit goods, there is a chance that your account could get banned. As a rule, you should double-check all the products that you are going to sell.
- Check Your Notifications on a Regular Basis
Even if you are up-to-date with your orders and follow regulations, there is always a chance that you could commit violations. Just to be safe, you should make sure to check your regulations on a regular basis.
- Don’t Use Multiple Accounts
While setting up multiple accounts may seem tempting, you should resist this impulse. If you set up multiple Amazon accounts without any permission, there is a chance that your account could get banned. As a rule, you should avoid setting up multiple accounts.
- Sell High-Quality Products
You should ensure that all your products are of the highest quality. This will ensure that you meet customer expectations, and avoid returns, negative reviews, and complaints. This will allow you to maintain your company’s reputation and avoid Amazon policy violations.
FAQs about Banned from Amazon
Now that you know the key reasons why an Amazon account could get banned, and how to have these bans taken out, you should also know some key facts about getting banned from Amazon. Remember, every little bit of information helps.
How Do I Know If My Amazon Account Has Been Banned
You will know right away if your Amazon account has been banned. You will receive a notification from Amazon that will inform you that your account has been suspended or banned. You will also notice that your listings have been removed. A significant drop in your account health metrics is also an indication of your account getting banned.
Can I Appeal a Ban from Amazon?
Yes, you have the option to appeal a ban from Amazon. You could do so by contacting customer support and providing the evidence to support your case. You should make sure to understand the reasons why your account got banned. This will allow you to pinpoint the reasons and address these issues.
Can I Create a New Amazon Account If My Previous Account Was Banned
Yes, you have the option to create a new account, if your old account was banned. You will be able to do so by using a new legal entity or by purchasing other people’s Amazon seller accounts. This is a risky prospect because Amazon policies prohibit creating new accounts if you have a previously banned or suspended account. if you are going to risk doing this, you may have your account terminated permanently,
How Long Does It Take to Get My Account Reinstated
If you are going to have your account reinstated, you should know that the time that it takes to have your account reinstated varies. This depends on the reason for the ban and how complex the case is. In some cases, the reinstatement takes several days or even weeks.
Conclusion
As an Amazon seller, having your Amazon seller account banned could be a frustrating and stressful experience. However, with the right approach and persistence, you’ll be able to get your account reinstated. The key is to understand the key reasons for the band, take responsibility for mistakes you have committed, and address these issues.
You will also need to be aware of Amazon’s policies and guidelines. This will help you to avoid having your Amazon account banned in the future. If you have any questions about Amazon account banned or any Amazon logistics, or prep questions, kindly contact our professional team.