Amazon Suspension: Reasons & How to Reactivate

For Amazon sellers, few things are more alarming than waking up to an email from the Amazon Seller Performance Team notifying you of a suspension. It’s the kind of message that can shake your day—and your business.

I remember my first suspension vividly. It happened during a beautiful vacation. That morning, I took my coffee out to the balcony and began checking emails, only to be met with the dreaded subject line: “Your selling privileges have been removed.”

The truth is, most suspensions don’t come completely out of the blue. They typically follow repeated rule violations, negative customer feedback, or intellectual property disputes. But still, for many sellers, it feels sudden and unexpected. And unless you’re doing something intentionally shady, there’s always hope for reinstatement.

In this guide, we’ll explore why Amazon suspends or deactivates seller accounts, how to prevent it from happening, and the steps you can take to appeal and regain access to your account or product listings.

What Does it Mean if My Amazon Seller Account is Suspended or Deactivated?

There are several layers to this issue, so let’s break it down step by step.

Any breaches of Amazon’s policies will be relayed to you through what’s called a Performance Notification. These are located within your Seller Central dashboard, specifically in the Performance section.

Each performance notification contains two key parts:

The reason for your listing’s removal or account’s deactivation
The instructions on how to dispute or appeal Amazon’s action

In many cases, you might just have a listing deactivated due to a policy violation tied to a specific product or ASIN. You can find more details in your Account Health dashboard, where violations are logged.

From there, you can dive into the details of the violation and click the appeal button. But don’t rush—make sure to resolve the underlying issue before submitting your appeal.

If your entire Amazon account is deactivated, it’s usually a temporary suspension. Once you correct the problem and submit an appeal, reinstatement is possible.

Your appeal may require a Plan of Action (POA), which we’ll explain in more depth later on. Just remember—rushed or incomplete appeals often lead to denial, so it’s worth doing it right the first time.

Top Reasons for Amazon Seller Account Suspensions or Deactivations

It’s always easier to prevent an issue than to fix one after it happens. So let’s look at the most common reasons sellers get suspended.

Selling Counterfeit or Knock-Off Products

Amazon enforces a strict Anti-Counterfeit Policy. You must only sell authentic, verifiable items. If you receive a product authenticity violation but are confident in your inventory, you can appeal. Be ready to submit invoices and supplier details for each affected ASIN.

Violations of Product Detail Page Guidelines

Amazon wants every customer to have a consistent and high-quality experience. Some common no-nos include:

Duplicate listings
Low-quality or inappropriate images
Inserting external links
Asking for reviews
Irrelevant or misleading info

Once your listing is approved, avoid making unnecessary changes that could trigger a policy breach.

Incorrect Use of Variations

Product variations should only differ by attributes like size or color. Misusing this feature—such as adding unrelated products or bundling multipacks improperly—can land you in trouble. When in doubt, check Amazon’s variation guidelines.

Operating Multiple Seller Accounts Without Approval

Amazon typically allows one account per seller per region, unless you have a legitimate reason (e.g., different brands or product categories). If one of your accounts is suspended, your others might be affected too. Always seek permission before operating multiple accounts.

IP Complaints and Trademark Infringement

Intellectual Property violations are taken very seriously. This includes unauthorized use of brand names, trademarks, and copyrighted materials. Always verify brand approval when reselling. Tools like the IP Alert Chrome extension can help you steer clear of problem brands.

Also, don’t use other brands’ names in your listings unless your product is an accessory and you comply with Amazon’s formatting rules. And never use photos or videos you don’t own—take your own pictures or hire a pro.

Improper Dropshipping Practices

There’s a right and wrong way to dropship on Amazon. Dropshipping from retailers (like Walmart or Costco) or using Amazon Prime to fulfill orders for customers is against Amazon’s policy. Legitimate dropshipping requires using suppliers who ship unbranded packages with your business info.

Manipulating Reviews

Review manipulation is a fast track to deactivation. Don’t offer incentives for reviews, buy your own products to leave fake reviews, or use shady tactics. Focus on providing excellent service and let positive feedback happen organically.

How Account Health Helps Prevent Suspension?

Amazon’s Account Health dashboard tracks your compliance and performance. It’s your first line of defense against suspension. There are three pillars of account health:

1. Customer Service Performance

Your Order Defect Rate (ODR) must be below 1%. It’s based on:

Negative feedback (2 stars or less)
A-to-Z Guarantee claims
Chargebacks

To stay in the green, always use trackable shipping, package items well, and resolve customer issues quickly.

2. Policy Compliance

Violations of seller policies appear in your Account Health dashboard. Some key policies include:

Anti-Counterfeiting
Intellectual Property
Product Detail Page Rules
Review Guidelines
Pricing and Condition Standards

Familiarize yourself with these to ensure you’re playing by the rules.

3. Shipping Performance

If you fulfill orders yourself, Amazon tracks:

Late Shipment Rate (under 4%)
Pre-Fulfillment Cancellation Rate (under 2.5%)
Valid Tracking Rate (over 95%)

Miss these targets and you risk losing your selling privileges.

How to Appeal a Suspended Amazon Account?

When Amazon suspends a listing or account, they notify you via a performance notification. You’ll find the violation details in your Account Health dashboard.

Most suspensions are temporary. But if you ignore the issue, it could lead to permanent deactivation. You must act quickly and submit a clear appeal with a well-crafted Plan of Action (POA).

What is a Plan of Action (POA)?

A POA outlines:

The issue that led to your suspension
The steps you’ve already taken to fix it
What you’ll do to prevent it in the future

Tips for Writing an Effective Plan of Action

Amazon offers guidance on what makes a strong POA:

Keep it short and specific
Explain what went wrong and why
Include clear supporting evidence
Highlight relevant info for fast review

What to Avoid in Your POA

Don’t make these mistakes:

Recycling an old POA word-for-word
Outsourcing it to someone unfamiliar with your case
Including fluff about your business or emotions
Referencing past issues that are irrelevant
Describing actions you plan to take (you should already have taken them)

Conclusion: Navigating Amazon Account Suspensions

Yes, Amazon’s rules can feel overwhelming. But if you prioritize compliance, sell quality products, and deliver great service, you’ll be just fine.

Even if you receive a performance notification or get suspended, don’t panic. Amazon usually gives you a fair chance to correct things—just make sure you act quickly and thoughtfully.