Year after year, Amazon continues to record phenomenal profits as more people turn online for their daily needs and wants. It’s raking billions every year, benefitting the millions of third-party sellers who leverage Amazon’s power.
But this comes as no good news for the growing number of accounts being suspended for some reason. That’s because they fear the downside to their income and reputation. Add to that the emotional toll it causes to the sellers who have to dabble on compelling ways to cope.
If your account gets suspended, inhale and exhale and feel the normal emotional gap but don’t stay on that for too long. In this article, we’ll show you what to do when that happens to you.
Know the Difference
Here are the key things you need to know, and you should not confuse with.
- You’re not out of the game here. You can still appeal to Amazon and get your store back to normal when you develop and implement a plan of action.
- You submit a plan of action, but it gets rejected, so your appeal is denied. That means you need to revise the plan.
- This is the most dreaded among the three. You’re out of the game forever, and no amount of appeal can get your store back.
Common Reasons for Suspension
When Amazon suspends your account, check out the Performance Notifications under Seller Central to determine why. But among these, here the most common:
- Amazon notices that your store’s performance is declining. They ought to retain stores that satisfy their standards on excellent customer service.
- Some of your practices violate the policies of Amazon. Take note. You’re operating under Amazon, so adhere to their rules.
- Selling a prohibited product.
Once Amazon suspends your account, you’ll get the following notification, “Your amazon.com selling privileges have been removed.” That notification comes with the list of ASINs that reflect violations of Amazon’s policies.
Every suspended seller is then required to come up with a Plan of Action aligned with the information stated in the notification.
How to Get Immuned from Suspension
1. Review Amazon reports thoroughly to get updated of possible warnings
Keep track of Negative Feedback, Returns, and Imperfect Order reports to know what your customers are saying about your product and delivery. Don’t also miss checking out the messaging and the A-Z claims.
You should likewise ensure efficient shipping to deliver the products on time. These products should be properly packaged. When your item is lost or is delivered late, expect adverse effects on your Buy Box percentage and account.
As Amazon strives for customer satisfaction, it wants to make sure that sellers are abiding with the guidelines and policies. These include factors like refund policies, shipping, and returns, which are imperative for boosting the satisfaction level of customers.
2. Download the Amazon Seller App so you can respond Faster to Messages
Check your listings regularly.
When you have new products, don’t forget to label these as “new” and for old products, mark these as “old.” Make sure you selected the proper condition category for each of your products, so scrutinize this.
3. Check your Listings for any Potential Flags
Avoid using a private label for generic products. But if you’re offering a private label, inform Amazon and your customers of the distinct features and qualities of your product that they cannot find on other similar offers in the marketplace.
When writing the product description, every detail should be both honest and accurate. Don’t resort to too flowery or lofty-sounding wordings. Otherwise, you’ll agitate the platform and the users.
Don’t forget to also review the pricing. Make use of an Amazon repricer like Seller Snap to help you do that.
4. Close and Archive Old Listings if you’re an FBA Seller
Consider replacing troublesome ASINs by transitioning to FBA as this can help you deal with ecommerce issues such as fraud.
Take note. Refunds and returns are inherent in the Amazon selling game. There’s no denying that customers dictate the trend of Amazon and how it should function. So if you’re receiving returns or refunds, accept it and learn the lesson. If not, that could send a signal to Amazon that you’re not catering well to customers. Respond nicely so you can maintain the trust and good relationship.
Consider the broader viewpoint and don’t allow some consumers to wreck your feedback rating. You can also ask for a positive review from the customer if you issued a refund to him/her. There’s no harm trying that.
Here’s a catch. Take extra caution when purchasing cheap products from AliExpress, liquidators, or eBay. That can lead to an increased volume of spurious claims. When Amazon detects that, it could trigger an issue of suspension.
5. Don’t Sell Counterfeit Goods
Just don’t attempt selling counterfeit goods no matter how lucrative or profitable these may seem in the short term. Even if you make loads of money, Amazon will eventually suspend or ban you forever.
How to Properly Appeal Against your Suspension
Despite your best efforts, there’s still a chance that Amazon will suspend your account. Again, relax and focus on the solution. What you have to do is thoroughly investigate your report, zoom in in critical details, including previous warnings.
Make sure you read the suspension notice comprehensively to determine the particular rules you could have violated. Check out the Seller Central for the policies and agreements page of Amazon. If you’re still confused or not satisfied with the notification and the provided information, you can open a ticket to raise queries and clarifications.
When appealing, specify the factors/reasons for the suspension.
- Take sincere responsibility and recognize the inconvenience done to the buyer.
- Inform Amazon that you commit to offering the best customer service and experience aligned with its policies and guidelines
- Never criticize or question the process of Amazon’s product quality.
Here is the catch. Ensure your plan of action reflects your internal account findings to boost your chances of nailing the appeal. This is the most critical part.
You should know that while you are going through the process, money is lost at every time interval. Make sure you do this right and efficiently.
So when Amazon then reinstates you into the platform, learn from the experience, and implement measures so that it won’t happen again.