If you woke up to an Amazon suspension email, you’re not alone—and you’re not doomed. In 2025, Amazon enforces strict performance and policy standards to keep trust high. The upside: those same standards make the reinstatement path fairly predictable when you know exactly why you were suspended and how to craft a surgical, evidence-backed Plan of Action (POA).
This guide gives you a complete playbook: the leading causes of suspensions, how to pinpoint the root cause in minutes, a step-by-step POA framework with templates, realistic recovery timelines, and a proactive checklist to keep your account healthy. We’ll also show where Sendwin—a cloud browser built for multi-login, security, and isolation—fits into a compliant Amazon workflow without risking “related account” entanglements.
TL;DR: What to Do in the First 30 Minutes
- Open Account Health and read the top banner + Performance Notifications to capture the exact violation or metric threshold you tripped. This is your POA “diagnosis.”
- Freeze the damage: unlist problem ASINs, stop offending behaviors (e.g., price gouging patterns, third-party retail dropship), and respond to buyer messages within 24 hours.
- Collect evidence: invoices, supply-chain traceability, test reports/SDS (for hazmat), shipping logs, message logs, and screenshots of fixes.
- Draft a POA with three parts—root cause, corrective actions, preventive measures—and submit it through the violation card in Account Health.
- If IP complaint: request a rights-owner retraction and/or email [email protected] with evidence; Amazon also provides a formal retraction form.
The Top 2025 Suspension Triggers (and How Amazon Defines Them)
1) Customer Experience Metrics (Performance)
- Order Defect Rate (ODR) Amazon requires ODR under 1%. ODR aggregates negative feedback, A-to-z claims not denied, and chargebacks over a rolling 60-day window. Breaching 1% risks restrictions or deactivation.
- Late Shipment Rate (LSR) For seller-fulfilled orders, Amazon targets LSR below 4%; sustained breaches draw enforcement.
- Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) Amazon expects ≥95% valid tracking on eligible shipments. Falling under 95% can remove shipping privileges or trigger suspensions.
Where to watch: Account Health dashboard shows policy and performance risks and your real-time Account Health Rating (AHR) from 0–1,000 (≥200 considered “healthy”). Amazon’s Account Health Assurance (AHA) may keep you active if you consistently maintain a high AHR and engage within 72 hours to resolve issues.
2) Dropshipping Policy Violations
Using a retailer (e.g., another marketplace or big-box store) to fulfill your Amazon orders is not allowed unless the buyer experience makes you the seller of record. You must remove third-party invoices/packing slips, accept returns yourself, and comply with all policies. Violations often result in swift deactivation.
3) Intellectual Property (IP) & Inauthentic Complaints
- IP complaints (copyright, trademark, design) can suspend an ASIN or your entire account. If a rights owner retracts the complaint or you provide persuasive non-infringement evidence, Amazon can restore your listing. Retractions go to [email protected]; there’s also an online retraction form.
- Inauthentic/Counterfeit claims require real supplier invoices and, where applicable, letters of authorization. Expect requests for traceability and product-safety compliance documents.
4) Restricted & Prohibited Products / Safety & Compliance
Listing products that are restricted, prohibited, or non-compliant with product-safety rules (e.g., missing required SDS for hazmat) leads to offers being suppressed or accounts deactivated. Amazon’s help center details restricted categories and safety listing restrictions; SDS/exemption sheets are often mandatory during FBA hazmat review.
5) Review Manipulation & Communication Violations
Incentivizing reviews, manipulating ratings, or off-policy messaging can tank your AHR and lead to suspension. Amazon permits only certain Buyer-Seller messages and prohibits marketing or promotional contact outside the approved channels.
6) Fair Pricing / Excessive Shipping
Amazon’s Marketplace Fair Pricing standards target unfairly high list prices or high shipping rates relative to market. Offers can be suppressed for potential high-price or shipping violations during enforcement cycles.
7) Linked or Multiple Accounts
Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct permits only one account per region unless you have a legitimate business need and all accounts are in good standing. Unapproved multiple accounts—or data overlaps that make accounts appear “related”—are frequent triggers.
8) Identity Verification / KYC & Risk Reviews
New or growing sellers can be asked for additional identity, address, or business verification. Failure to supply the right documents on time often results in deactivation until the review is complete. Check your Performance Notifications for specific document asks.
Diagnose the Exact Cause (in Minutes)
- Open Account Health and scan the Policy Compliance and Customer Service Performance sections. Each violation card explains what went wrong and how to appeal.
- Check AHR & AHA eligibility. If you’re in AHA and respond within 72 hours, Amazon typically won’t deactivate while you fix issues.
- Pull evidence that maps 1:1 to the violation: invoices (supplier → you), SDS/test reports, shipment logs, tracking proofs, message logs, price history rationale.
- If IP complaint: contact the rights owner for a retraction and send proof to [email protected]; also prepare a non-infringement rationale for Amazon.
Your 2025 Plan of Action (POA) Template
Amazon explicitly tells sellers to keep appeals clear, concise, factual—focus on events leading to the issue, provide the root cause, corrective actions, preventive measures, and supporting evidence; avoid emotive language. Submit via the Appeal button on the violation.
POA Structure (Copy/Paste & Customize)
Subject: Plan of Action – [Violation Type/ASIN] – [Seller ID]
1) Root Cause
- What exactly caused the issue? (Be precise. One line per cause.)
- Evidence that confirms your diagnosis.
2) Corrective Actions (Completed)
- Immediate fix(es) you’ve already implemented (with dates).
- Documents/screenshots proving the fix.
- If ASIN-specific, actions at ASIN level (pull inventory, relabel, update listing attributes).
- If policy-specific, actions at process level (stop retail-to-retail dropship, fix pricing template, enforce message templates).
3) Preventive Measures (Long-Term Controls)
- New SOP(s), tools, audits, training cadence.
- Proof of implementation (SOP doc names, audit schedule, role assignments).
Attachments:
- Invoices/LOA (supply chain), SDS/test reports (if relevant), shipping logs, message logs, training records.
POA Examples by Violation Type
A) Inauthentic Item Complaint (ASIN-level)
- Root cause: We accepted a distributor’s invoice that lacked brand authorization; we did not verify traceability to the brand owner.
- Corrective: Removed all inventory for ASIN X on [date]; obtained invoices from authorized distributor Y covering lot/batch; added LOA from brand; updated item condition photos; attached documents.
- Preventive: Implement a two-step supplier onboarding (authorization + traceability check), quarterly supplier audits, and pre-listing document checklist maintained in a shared compliance folder.
Why it works: Amazon wants traceable invoices and proof your process prevents repeats.
B) IP Complaint (Trademark/Design/Copyright)
- Root cause: Our listing title and images referenced protected phrasing/artwork; we lacked internal IP review.
- Corrective: Removed infringing content; contacted rights owner; retraction requested and evidence sent to [email protected]; attached revised assets and IP clearance log.
- Preventive: Add a pre-publish IP checklist (trademark search, image licensing proof), assign an “IP approver” in your workflow, and keep a rights-owner contact log for disputes.
C) Dropshipping Policy Violation
- Root cause: A vendor shipped directly using their invoice/packing slip, making them appear as seller of record.
- Corrective: Canceled third-party retail fulfillment; all orders now ship from our own facility/3PL with our invoices/packing; returns processed by us.
- Preventive: Contract terms with suppliers forbid retailer-to-retailer fulfillment; warehouse SOP includes invoice/packing slip audit before dispatch.
D) Performance Metrics: ODR / LSR / VTR
- Root cause (ODR): Response times >24 hours led to A-to-z claims and negative feedback on late deliveries.
- Corrective: Switched to carriers with reliable scans; implemented message macros to respond within 12 hours; refunded impacted buyers; attached tracking tables and response-time reports.
- Preventive: Weekly KPI reviews, automated alerts when VTR dips below 97% and LSR approaches 4%, and a backup ship method during peak volumes.
E) Safety/Compliance (Hazmat, SDS, Testing)
- Root cause: We listed a battery-containing SKU without uploading SDS/exemption documentation.
- Corrective: Uploaded SDS to Manage Dangerous Goods Classification; added battery composition data; held all replenishments pending approval.
- Preventive: Compliance gate at SKU creation: SDS/test report required fields; monthly audit of hazmat attributes.
Submitting & Following Up
- Appeal via Account Health on the violation card. Keep it under 1–2 pages, bullet your steps, and attach only relevant documents.
- For IP: pursue a retraction—Amazon recognizes rights-owner retractions submitted to [email protected] or through the retraction form.
- If you’re AHA-eligible: engage within 72 hours; Amazon states it won’t deactivate while you resolve issues if you meet AHA criteria.
Buyer Account Suspended? (Non-Seller)
Consumer accounts can be restricted for risk, unusual activity, or policy reasons under Amazon’s Conditions of Use, which allow Amazon to terminate or restrict access. If your buyer account is limited, complete requested verifications from Amazon and keep communications within official channels.
2025 Prevention Checklist (Copy This Into Your SOP)
Performance & Shipping
- Keep ODR <1%, LSR <4%, and VTR ≥95%; review weekly.
- Confirm scans & tracking before EOD; keep backup labels/carriers for peak days.
Listing & Product Safety
- Run a restricted/prohibited check on every new ASIN; if hazmat-adjacent, prepare SDS/exemption and battery data.
- Maintain a compliance pack: test reports, certificates, SDS, labeling photos.
Communication & Reviews
- Use only Buyer-Seller Messages for approved reasons; no marketing/promos; never incentivize reviews.
Pricing & Shipping Fees
- Monitor for potential high price or shipping rate flags; keep offers competitive and shipping fair per marketplace norms.
Accounts & Access
- One seller account per region unless you have a legitimate need and approval; keep all linked accounts in good standing. Use sub-users (permissions) instead of new accounts for staff/vendors.
Account Health Discipline
- Check AHR daily; aim well above 200; enroll in AHA if eligible.
How Sendwin Helps You Stay Compliant and Efficient (Without Crossing Amazon’s Lines)
Important policy note: Amazon allows only one seller account per region unless you have a legitimate business need and all accounts are in good standing. Tools should not be used to evade Amazon policies. Use sub-user permissions where possible, and if you do operate multiple legitimate entities/accounts, ensure Amazon’s approval and airtight separation.
That said, day-to-day Amazon work (and multi-market e-commerce) often require many concurrent logins—brand analytics, ad platforms, vendor portals, QA environments, marketplaces outside your Amazon region, and supplier systems. This is where Sendwin shines as a cloud browser designed for secure multi-login and zero-trust isolation:
- Session isolation per tab: keep each login in its own secure container so cookies, storage, and sessions never bleed. Great for testing listing changes in parallel or running audits without cross-contamination.
- Different browsers in one window: test flows in multiple real desktop browsers without spinning up VMs locally.
- Premium Proxy add-on (BYO): maintain IP/location anonymity when testing search results or ad placements in different regions—without a VPN client.
- Protect and share sessions: grant teammates access to sessions, not passwords, blur or block sensitive pages (billing, account) before sharing.
- Security: AES-256 + RSA-2048, zero shared storage across tabs, agentless streaming sessions isolated from malware/phishing, and disposable browsers you can create/destroy in seconds.
- No install required: launch from the dashboard; nightly version updates; global endpoints (Americas/Europe/Asia) for low-latency work.
- Unlimited time: work as much as you need in a month—no per-session time caps.
Sendwin Plans (Quick Look)
- Starter: €0.9 for 7 days; 5 saved sessions, 1 live, 250 MB secure cloud.
- Pro (most popular): €29.9/mo; 20 saved, 3 live, 1 GB, BYO proxy, share sessions, +1 team seat.
- Team: €79.9/mo; 100 saved, 9 live, 15 GB, +3 team seats.
- Business: €159.9/mo; 300 saved, 19 live, 100 GB, advanced reporting, dedicated account manager, +7 team seats. Compare tiers here → https://send.win/pricing
Use it responsibly: Use Sendwin to streamline your legitimate multi-login workflows (ad consoles, market research, QA) and collaboration—not to create unapproved duplicate Amazon accounts. For Amazon selling, prefer sub-user permissions and documented separation where you have an approved multi-account structure.
Escalation Paths & Timelines (What to Expect)
- First appeal: You’ll typically get a response in days (varies by queue). If denied, revise root cause clarity and add evidence you missed (not more emotion). Amazon’s own guidance emphasizes concise, factual appeals.
- IP disputes: Prioritize retractions; many IP suspensions resolve fastest when the rights owner emails [email protected] or submits the retraction form.
- Account Health Support/AHA: If eligible, engage within 72 hours to avoid deactivation during remediation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) Should I open a new account while suspended?
No. Amazon allows one seller account per region unless you have a legitimate reason and approval. Opening a new account just creates a linked-account problem and hurts reinstatement odds.
Q2) I got flagged for “dropshipping.” Can I keep dropshipping?
Yes—but only if you’re the seller of record. Remove third-party branding/invoices, accept returns yourself, and comply with all policies. Retail-to-retail (from another store) is a common violation.
Q3) What’s a “good” AHR?
AHR ranges 0–1,000; Amazon considers ≥200 healthy. Keep it high and enroll in Account Health Assurance if you qualify.
Q4) My listing was priced fairly but got suppressed—why?
Amazon enforces Fair Pricing standards, including shipping fees. If your shipping or price is significantly out of line with recent norms, offers can be suppressed. Review templates and regional shipping rates.
Q5) What documents fix hazmat/compliance requests?
Often an SDS (or exemption) and accurate battery attributes; sometimes additional test reports/certificates. Upload via Manage Dangerous Goods Classification.
Proactive Compliance Toolkit (Steal This)
- Weekly Health Stand-up: Review ODR/LSR/VTR, AHR trajectory, and open violations.
- Pre-listing Gate: Restricted/prohibited check → compliance docs → IP clearance → attribute accuracy.
- Message Hygiene: Use Amazon-compliant templates only; keep all comms in Buyer-Seller Messaging.
- Price & Shipping Guardrails: Minimum/maximum price rules; shipping template sanity checks to avoid HSR flags.
- Supplier Compliance Binder: Invoices, LOA, test reports, SDS, and audit notes for each SKU.
- Access Management: Sub-users in Seller Central for staff/agents; if you truly need multiple entities, document the legitimate need and ensure all accounts are in good standing.
The Bottom Line
Reinstatement isn’t about pleading—it’s about proving. Diagnose the precise cause via Account Health, gather the right documents, and submit a clean, concise POA that maps each root cause → corrective fix → preventive control with evidence. For day-to-day ops, use modern tooling to work faster without crossing policy lines.
If you’re juggling multiple logins, teams, and workflows, try Sendwin—a cloud browser built for secure, isolated sessions, sharing access without passwords, and region/IP testing with BYO proxies. It’s zero-install, zero-trust, and tuned for productivity. Compare plans here: https://send.win/pricing.
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