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Last updated on June 5th, 2023
Written by Mohamed Aden
Like any other seller on Amazon, I started my account from humble beginnings into a profitable business. I had a feedback score of 4.9/5, a $50,000 monthly income, and tons of product reviews. Business was definitely doing good until my account got suspended. Luckily, my Amazon suspended account was reinstated.
But what if it happens again?
The urgency of having to send an Amazon suspension appeal letter and the anxiety in waiting for my account to be reinstated can be traumatizing. If you're an Amazon seller, you can read this simple guide on how to avoid getting your account suspended on Amazon, alongside some tips to grow your online business.
One of the mistakes Amazon sellers make is submitting false and incomplete documents to Amazon. When you open an Amazon seller account, you must give them clearly scanned documentation for easy checks.
Take a photo of the document under a bright light or choose to shoot in daylight. Place the documents on a flat surface such as a table or floor to take the shots.
All the information provided on the documents must be factual. Confirm your business name and address to ensure that what's stated on your bank statement and provided documents are the same. Any discrepancies may result in the decline of your Seller Account.
When a rights owner claims infringement on an Amazon seller, Amazon will notify the seller through a complaint. The Amazon seller must work out a retraction of the complaint. However, some sellers ignore these complaints, thinking they’re a non-essential matter.
Multiple intellectual property complaints can lead to the suspension of the Amazon account. The only way to have the account reinstated is to work with the rights owner. An Amazon suspension appeal service can help you, but you must still talk to the rights owner. So, always check your emails and solve these complaints right away.
Based on Amazon's policy, "the sale of illegal, unsafe, or other restricted products listed on these pages, including products available only by prescription, is strictly prohibited." If you are selling on Amazon FBA, you must take note of this too, "Those participating in Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) should also review the FBA Product Restrictions page, which lists products that are not eligible for the FBA program."
All items sold on Amazon must comply with its laws and regulations. Anyone who violates the policy will be suspended from selling in the marketplace. As a seller, you must dedicate at least a few hours of your time every month to reeducate yourself on Amazon's policies and prohibited items list.
If you have received a notification about selling a prohibited item, quickly remove the listing. Create a plan of action to prevent this issue from recurring and look for other items not on the prohibited list.
Another type of intellectual property issue that Amazon sellers face is the use of images and texts that another seller owns. When the rights owner files a complaint, it will be hard for you to convince them to withdraw the complaint.
To avoid this, you must obtain proper permission from the rightful owner to use their images and texts. If you did not ask for permission, you must immediately remove the texts or images from the listing. Just remember to review whatever you put on the listing.
When your account gets hacked, you must immediately inform Amazon. Hackers will change your account information and bank details, which may prompt Amazon to flag your account for suspicious activity.
There are several ways to avoid a hack. One is to create cyber / e-security measures in the form of a 2-step verification for your account. It can be time-consuming, but it gets the job done. And the next time you think of using public wifi, best not.
A consistent low product rating can attract the attention of Amazon. Amazon wants to give the best to its customers, so if they see negative reviews sprawled across your listings, they can suspend your account.
These complaints are taken seriously by Amazon that they suspend accounts just because of one or more claims. To avoid getting suspended, you must be proactive and respond to these buyers. Ask them about their experience and ways you can help them out. Another way is to ensure these reviews are authentic. Otherwise, your account may be a victim of illegal blackhats.
Amazon sellers tend to use several Amazon accounts for various reasons, almost always ending up with a suspension notification. If you have to use a second account for different product branches, you must inform Amazon. Per Amazon's Prohibited Seller Activities page, "Operating and maintaining multiple Seller Central accounts is prohibited. If you have a legitimate business need for a second account, you can apply for an exception to this policy."
You should not have two accounts without Amazon's permission. It is also discouraged to access your account using a different network and CPU.
Several Amazon sellers chose to open a new account after their account got suspended. Instead of resolving the issue with their first account, they chose to open a new one. This can result in your second account being suspended or banned from Amazon.
Honesty is imperative when selling on Amazon. You must properly label your products as used or new. When Amazon finds out that you are selling a used item even though you stated it's new, your account will be suspended.
Another reason is creating a listing that is totally different from the product you are selling. Customers will definitely ask for a refund and leave negative reviews. When Amazon sees this, you can say goodbye to your Amazon account and hello to an Amazon reinstatement service.
So you’ve learned the common don’ts after an Amazon account suspension, let’s now move on to how you can grow your account. There are 9.6 million sellers on the platform, which means tough competition. You ought to know how you can beat these odds and achieve success. Here’s how:
Optimize! Optimize! Optimize!
We can't stress this enough. Optimizing your listing means using the right keywords and applying strategies backed by carefully analyzed data. Start by creating a catchy title that uses your main keywords. Don't forget to fill up the product descriptions and key product features.
Make it a habit to check your listings for spelling and grammar mistakes, readability, and accurate product information. Your customers must easily scan your listing and get all the good info they need to make a purchase.
Customers are likely to purchase products advertised by people they trust. That's why influencer marketing helps increase sales. This way, you can reach out to their massive and loyal audience.
To pick an influencer for your product, you must pick one that resonates with your niche. If you sell beauty products, then you can contact makeup artists. Usually, influencers have a set of rates, so be prepared.
Instagram has definitely taken over the social world. From an image-focused app that displays images in a sleek, tiled layout to a powerful marketplace that you can use to push your brand, Instagram is just one of the many social media platforms that have turned into online shopping hotspots.
Amazon's marketplace is becoming even more competitive. Organic search results are getting pushed down in favor of paid ads. For you to become competitive, you must utilize Amazon PPC. PPC is an effective way to increase your overall Amazon sales by paying for ads to increase product awareness and visibility.
To do this, you need to use a landing page to lead your external traffic. Offer them a promotion. Discount, or freebie once they signed up to your mailing list. Once you have a list, you can send newsletters to them to be updated on your new products.
Getting suspended on Amazon is difficult. But if you commit to honest selling without breaking the rules, you won’t meet the same fate as unfortunate Amazon sellers. Seller Interactive has PPC ad management, optimization, and an Amazon account reinstatement service to help you beat the odds and achieve great success. Contact us at [email protected] to get started.
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