Best Practices for Restoring Your Amazon Account
If you've ever faced the dreaded scenario of your Amazon Seller Account being suspended, you know how stressful and confusing it can be. Restoring access to your account is crucial for your business, but understanding the right steps to take is just as important as knowing what not to do. A wrong move can delay the process or make things worse. Here are some key recommendations on what you should avoid when dealing with a suspended Amazon account.
1. Don’t hurry to submit your first appeal
It’s common for sellers to panic and rush into submitting an appeal right after receiving the suspension notification. However, impulsive actions are one of the biggest mistakes you can make. The immediate reaction is to send in any plan of action (POA) just to get the ball rolling, but this approach can often backfire.
Amazon's support team handles thousands of appeals daily, with each appeal reviewed quickly and briefly. Submitting a poor-quality POA or an improperly thought-out response will likely lead to rejection and can hurt your chances of getting reinstated in the future. Amazon generally doesn’t reinstate accounts on the first appeal unless the infraction was minor. In most cases, the restoration process can take days or even weeks.
What to do instead
Take your time to analyze the suspension reasons. Thoroughly understand why your account was suspended, and craft a well-thought-out POA before contacting Amazon. A high-quality appeal can significantly increase your chances of a quick resolution.
Don’t open a new account
Upon facing suspension, some sellers think the easiest solution is to open a new Amazon seller account and continue business as usual. This is a major mistake. Even if you use a new name, bank details, or address, Amazon has sophisticated tracking tools and algorithms that will eventually identify the new account as being connected to the original one.
Once Amazon finds the link between the accounts, it will lead to a double suspension – meaning both the original and the new account will be blocked. The chances of reinstating either account after that are close to zero.
What to do instead
Focus on appealing your existing suspension properly. Amazon frowns upon attempts to circumvent its policies, and any attempts to "outsmart" the system can lead to harsher penalties.
Don’t edit or falsify invoices
One common reason for suspensions is "inauthentic inventory." Sellers who receive such notices might be tempted to modify existing invoices to align with Amazon’s requirements. This is highly risky.
Even minor edits to an invoice, or worse, creating fake invoices, will be detected by Amazon's support team, which reviews thousands of documents daily. Submitting an altered or forged invoice can result in a suspension labeled "forged and manipulated," making reinstatement far more difficult.
What to do instead
Always provide genuine and original documents. If there’s an issue with your invoices, it's better to resolve it directly with your supplier or source rather than attempting to deceive Amazon. Manipulation of invoices is a serious infraction and could damage your account irreparably.
Don’t contact seller support unnecessarily
The Amazon Seller Performance Team is the only department authorized to handle account suspensions. While you may be tempted to reach out to Seller Support via phone, email, or directly from your seller account, this will not help resolve your suspension.
Seller Support may offer generic or misleading advice, which can further complicate your situation. In some cases, the advice from Seller Support conflicts with the actual guidelines of the Seller Performance Team, leading you to take actions that might delay your account's reinstatement.
What to do instead
Communicate only with the Seller Performance Team through the official channels specified in the suspension notice. Make sure any action you take aligns with the Seller Performance Team's recommendations.
Best practices when facing a suspension
Here’s what better to do if you have your Amazon account suspended.
- Understand the suspension notice
Carefully read the suspension notice sent by Amazon. It will outline the reasons for the suspension, and you must address each point specifically in your POA. - Create a comprehensive POA
A POA should include:
- An acknowledgment of the issues outlined by Amazon.
- Steps taken to identify the root cause.
- Measures implemented to prevent future occurrences.
- A detailed explanation of how you plan to address any ongoing problems.
- Get expert help if needed
If you’re struggling to understand the suspension notice or need help drafting a comprehensive POA, consider seeking professional assistance. Amazon reinstatement services can offer tailored advice based on your situation.
Plan of action template for Amazon account reinstatement
Here is a basic template to guide you in drafting your POA:
- Introduction: address the reason(s) for suspension and acknowledge any shortcomings.
Example: “I understand that my account was suspended due to an issue with my product listings not adhering to Amazon’s guidelines.”
- Root cause analysis: explain the primary reason for the issue and provide context.
Example: “After careful review, I determined that the non-compliance was due to incomplete information in my product listings.”
- Corrective measures taken: describe the immediate actions you have taken to resolve the issue.
Example: “I have updated all affected listings with accurate and complete information as per Amazon’s policy.”
- Preventive measures for the future: outline steps to avoid similar issues in the future.
Example: “To ensure ongoing compliance, I will regularly audit my listings and conduct thorough checks before any changes.”
- Conclusion: reaffirm your commitment to following Amazon’s policies.
Example: “I am committed to adhering to Amazon’s guidelines and providing a positive shopping experience for customers.”
Final thoughts
An Amazon account suspension can be challenging, but thousands of sellers successfully restore their accounts by remaining calm and taking the right steps. Rushing into appeals or trying to bypass Amazon's systems can lead to further complications and potential bans.
If you're facing an Amazon account suspension, take time to analyze the situation, draft a solid plan of action, and follow the instructions from the Seller Performance Team. Remember that if you're struggling with the process or require professional guidance, SellerSail is here to help. Contact our experts today for a free consultation, and get the support you need to restore your Amazon seller account swiftly and efficiently.
