How to Handle Amazon Andon Cord Notifications?
Your sales have been strong over the past few months, especially after a boost from Amazon Prime Day promotions. Purchase orders are climbing, customer reviews are positive, and everything seems on track. Then suddenly, an email from Amazon Retail Business Services or Vendor Central lands in your inbox with the subject line “Andon Cord.” The term may sound familiar from Amazon’s resource materials, but now it directly impacts your business.
What Exactly Is an Andon Cord?
The phrase “Andon Cord” originates from Toyota’s assembly lines. In their system, if a worker identified a defect, they would pull the cord to immediately stop production. This pause allowed the team to investigate and fix the issue before continuing.
Amazon has adapted this method for its marketplace. When customer service receives complaints suggesting a product defect or issue, they can activate an Andon Cord to temporarily halt sales of a specific ASIN. This ensures potential defects are addressed before more customers are affected.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore It
An Andon Cord notification signals that one of your ASINs is suspended until Amazon investigates the complaints. These issues may involve functional or cosmetic defects, or discrepancies between the product listing and the item itself. For example, an advertised feature may be missing, or the product color might differ from the description.
Your Responsibilities as a Vendor
As a seller or supplier on Amazon, you’re responsible for ensuring your products are free of defects, correctly packaged, and accurately described.
When you receive an Andon Cord email, Amazon provides details of customer complaints. You’ll be asked to review your own inventory for potential problems and confirm whether the issue exists. If the concern involves functionality, Amazon may also request quality-testing procedures to check items in their fulfillment centers.
Vendors usually have 24 hours to respond with findings and a corrective action plan to minimize downtime and avoid lost sales.
When Multiple Andon Cords Affect the Same ASIN
If the same ASIN receives repeated Andon Cord notices over time, Amazon may require you to issue a return authorization (RA) for all current inventory. You’ll need to replace it with a new, defect-free batch. Repeated problems can even lead to the permanent removal of that ASIN from the marketplace.
Handling False Positives
Not every Andon Cord reflects a true defect. Sometimes, complaints result from customers misusing a product or not following instructions. In these cases, you can act to reinstate the ASIN.
Submit product instructions, documentation, or standard quality control (QC) processes to Amazon. Request that their fulfillment team perform additional checks, while also inspecting your own stock. Once cleared, the ASIN can be relisted. To prevent future confusion, consider updating your product detail page with clearer functionality details or usage tips.
The Importance of Acting Quickly
Andon Cord suspensions can hurt sales and lower your product’s search ranking while it’s inactive. That’s why a rapid, coordinated response across your teams—customer service, supply chain, sales, and quality control—is critical.
Establishing a rapid-response plan for Andon Cords and similar situations helps minimize downtime. In the fast-paced Amazon marketplace, speed and diligence make all the difference.
