Appeal Amazon Seller Suspension with a Persuasive Plan of Action

Last updated on June 5th, 2023

Written by Himanshi Raj

If you're a seller on Amazon, you may be dreading the following message: 

We have suspended your Amazon seller account. During the review process, you will not be able to sell on Amazon; however, you can ship any open orders. If you have any funds in your account, they will only be available after any amount has been paid for A-to-Z claims or chargebacks on your orders have been deducted. This process usually takes about 90 days, but funds may be held longer.

Having your Amazon seller account suspended can be stressful and hurt your profit significantly. But instead of panicking, take a deep breath. We’ll take you through a step-by-step process on how to appeal Amazon seller suspension with an Amazon reinstatement service!

Understanding Why You Got Suspended

Before appealing to Amazon, it's best to do your research first about the reason for your suspension. This first step might seem like a no-brainer move, but Amazon only gives you a general reason for why your account was suspended. It's usually no longer than a sentence, and it might be challenging to make an Amazon seller suspension appeal letter going off that.

Do some digging, and you might find a more ample reason as to why Amazon suspended your account. Having a better understanding of why your account was suspended will significantly improve your chances of getting your request reviewed and eventually approved.

These are the primary reasons for account suspension. 

• Failure to meet the Amazon seller performance quotas
• Violation of one or more Amazon seller policies
• Creation of another Seller Central account without permission
• Redirecting customers away from Amazon to other e-commerce websites
• Selling items that may be considered a weapon or may be mistaken for prohibited items, such as home brewing kits or coins

Usually, it's either you failed to meet the seller performance quotas or you violated one or more seller policies you signed up for when you made your Amazon seller account. Figure out which of these you committed and start to appeal your suspension by creating an Amazon suspension appeal letter describing your situation.

With regards to the performance quotas, Amazon tracks and measures how your business is doing by comparing it to their standards. If your metrics don't measure up, that may result in your account being suspended. 

Here are the standard criteria that Amazon uses to measure your performance.

• <4% late shipment rate 
• <1% order defect rate
• <2.5% pre-fulfillment cancel rate

If you fall short in any of these areas, check your statistics to see if this is a systemic issue or just a one-off problem. Thoroughly understand the issues behind why you haven't met the threshold so that you can adequately address the problem. Then, include that in your appeal letter.

What Is a Plan of Action?

To get your account back, Amazon requires a Plan of Action or POA from the seller account under suspension. The Plan of Action is reviewed by Amazon to determine if you deserve to get your account back. Thus, it would be in your best interest to take great care in crafting a POA.

A well-written POA explains that you have identified the problem that caused the suspension and how it happened and that you have fixed it. It also details how you will prevent these issues from showing up in the future.

Tips on Making a Persuasive Plan of Action

You have to go beyond offering an apology to Amazon. You have to present a detailed, step-by-step plan explaining how you intend to fix the problem. Amazon must also know all information pertinent to your case to decide whether or not you get your account back. After all, that is the point of writing a POA.

A good POA includes how you will change your systems if your business is to continue. It also shows detailed data regarding how you will implement the changes and what your business will look like afterward.

When writing a POA, avoid using vague language. Always be specific when talking about the problems that led to your suspension. Don't use the terms such as “sometimes,” “numerous,” or “few.” You're writing a formal document that a group of professionals will judge, so make sure you give it the respect it deserves.

After you have made a POA, send the document to Amazon for processing. Here's how it works:

1. In Seller Central, go to the Performance drop-down menu. 
2. Click Performance Notifications and look for your suspension notice.
3. Click Appeal, followed by Appeal Decision.
4. Fill out the Plan of Action form. Don’t forget to provide your contact number.
5. Submit your appeal.

Afterward, wait for Amazon’s response within a few days. The jury is still out on how long until Amazon gives you back your account. Some sellers get a simple canned response in 48 hours. Some appeals take up to 17 days or even longer.

Amazon would like to help their sellers get their accounts up and running again, and sometimes these processes take a significant amount of time. Just be patient, and soon your patience will be rewarded. So start preparing your Amazon reinstatement letter along with your Amazon seller suspension appeal letter.

Appeal Your Account Suspension with Seller Interactive

If you aren't an Amazon seller yet but are thinking about setting up an account one day, don't let this article scare you. We do not mean for our content to put you off your entrepreneurial dreams but to help you perform well on the platform.

If you are an Amazon seller and your account has been suspended for the first time, it's only normal to get jittery and nervous. But remember: don't panic. If you panic, you will lose your cool, and you will start making even more mistakes. Trust the process, follow the steps we detailed above, and you'll be just fine.

Let Seller Interactive take this stress away from you. Our Amazon reinstatement service will help you lift the suspension on your Amazon seller account and bring your store back online! Contact us today to get help in handling your Amazon seller suspension needs.