Amazon seller account deactivated: the first steps that matter

What this guide covers

This guide is for sellers whose Amazon selling account has been deactivated. The links point to Amazon's US Seller Central help pages; other marketplaces have their own versions, and your notice is always the primary source. Listing removals and held funds are mentioned where they overlap, but they follow separate processes.

Step by step

1. Open Account Health in Seller Central and list every violation shown, with its date and severity.
2. Open the original performance notification for each one. Note the policy named and the products (ASINs) listed at the bottom.
3. Check exactly what is requested: which documents, for which products, covering which period. Amazon notes some products require invoices from the last 365 days.
4. Find the root cause behind each violation. Amazon gives examples such as unverifiable suppliers, inventory management issues or quality control issues.
5. Fix those causes in your operation and record what you changed and when.
6. Gather supporting evidence for every product under review, and highlight the relevant parts (such as ASINs, supplier names or key clauses) as Amazon suggests.
7. In Account Health, select “Reactivate your account” and follow the on-screen steps. You may be asked to complete a questionnaire, acknowledge a violation, take a quiz or upload documents.
8. Watch your email. If Amazon asks for more information, use “View Appeal” on Account Health to add it.

How Amazon asks you to write it

Amazon's appeal questionnaire guidance is short and specific: be clear and concise, factual and direct; focus on the events that led to the issue rather than introducing your business or products; remove references to other support cases; and avoid emotive language. Provide an explanation for every issue, with specific actions and dates.

Where the Account Health Rating fits

Amazon also says it may deactivate an account regardless of the score in some circumstances: where required by law, where it suspects fraudulent, deceptive or otherwise harmful activity, or when policies outside the rating are violated.