Amazon Seller Account Blacklisted? Here’s What You Need to Know

Introduction

For businesses that rely on Amazon's marketplace, few things are more jarring than getting that dreaded notification: your seller account has been suspended. When your business does millions in revenue through the platform, a suspension can mean thousands of dollars lost daily.

If you're caught in this situation, here's what you need to know about Amazon account suspensions, why they happen, and how to fix them.

What Does Being Blacklisted on Amazon Actually Mean?

When Amazon blacklists (or bans) your seller account, it's much more serious than a simple suspension. While a suspension might be temporary, a blacklisted account means Amazon has permanently removed your selling privileges and won't accept any further appeals.

During a blacklist situation, your selling abilities are completely removed. Amazon stops reading or responding to your emails. Your appeals are automatically rejected. Your inventory may remain stuck in Amazon warehouses, and your funds could be held for 90+ days.

Different Account Statuses on Amazon

Before diving into blacklisting, it's important to understand how Amazon's account statuses work.

When your account is Active, everything is in good standing. You can sell products and receive payments according to your regular schedule.

If your account goes Under Review, it remains active while Amazon investigates concerns. Funds may be held for up to 90 days or until the review ends.

A Suspended status means your selling privileges are temporarily revoked. Funds are withheld until reinstatement or for 90 days, whichever comes first. In some cases, you might receive an automatic reinstatement date.

Finally, Banned/Blacklisted is the final stage where Amazon permanently removes your selling privileges with no path to reinstatement.

Why Amazon Blacklists Seller Accounts

Amazon doesn't blacklist accounts randomly. Multiple or serious violations of Amazon's Terms of Service can lead to blacklisting. After several suspensions or failed appeals, Amazon may decide you're too risky to keep on the platform.

Selling prohibited items is another major reason for blacklisting. Amazon maintains an extensive list of restricted products that either cannot be sold or require special approval. 

These include illegal drugs, weapons, counterfeit goods, endangered species products, products that infringe on intellectual property, recalled products, many types of medical devices, certain electronics, and hazardous items. 

Selling prohibited items even once can lead to immediate and permanent removal.

Amazon has a zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit products and intellectual property violations. If they believe you're knowingly selling fake items or infringing on someone's trademark or copyright, your account could be blacklisted without warning. 

Review manipulation is taken very seriously by Amazon. Paying for reviews, using fake accounts to leave feedback, or offering incentives for positive reviews can result in blacklisting.

Creating new accounts after a suspension (known as "linked accounts") is against Amazon's policies. Their sophisticated systems can detect relationships between accounts through IP addresses, banking information, and other data points.

Poor account health metrics can also lead to blacklisting. Consistently failing to meet performance requirements like order defect rates, late shipments, A-to-Z guarantee claims, negative feedback, and poor customer service will eventually catch up with you. 

Amazon expects sellers to maintain a late shipment rate below 4% and an order defect rate below 1%.

Finally, providing false information during account verification or failing to submit required documents can trigger a blacklist, especially with the INFORM Consumers Act requirements.

Warning Signs Before Blacklisting

Amazon typically gives sellers warnings before permanent removal. You might receive performance notifications highlighting metrics that need improvement, policy warning emails, temporary suspensions, or multiple denied appeals.

However, in cases of severe violations (like selling counterfeit products), Amazon may skip these steps and move straight to blacklisting.

What To Do If Your Account Gets Blacklisted

Finding yourself blacklisted isn't necessarily the end of your Amazon selling career. First, make sure you're actually blacklisted and not just suspended. Look for language like "permanent" or "decision is final" in Amazon's communication.

If you have inventory in Amazon's fulfillment centers, submit a removal order through Seller Central. You usually have 90 days to request returns before Amazon may dispose of or keep your products.

While Amazon typically holds funds for 90 days after account closure, you should follow up to ensure you receive your money after this period.

Consider getting professional help. Amazon account reinstatement specialists have experience dealing with blacklisted accounts. Companies like eGrowthPartners, ecommerceChris, and Riverbend Consulting specialize in helping suspended sellers. 

Most importantly, analyze what went wrong to avoid similar issues in the future, whether on Amazon or other platforms.

Can You Get Back on Amazon After Being Blacklisted?

The honest answer is: it's extremely difficult, but not always impossible. Some sellers have successfully challenged Amazon's decision through legal means. This approach is expensive and time-consuming but might be worth considering if your business relies heavily on Amazon.

Some sellers attempt to create new accounts with different information. This approach comes with significant risks: it violates Amazon's terms of service, Amazon has sophisticated systems to detect linked accounts, if caught, you'll face immediate blacklisting again, and you may lose any inventory and funds in the new account. No sharing of address, banks, phones, internet connection or anything.

Some sellers work with family members to create legitimate new accounts. This approach is still risky but potentially viable if the family member is genuinely involved in the business, they use their own identification, banking information, and address, they handle their own taxes and legal responsibilities, and there is no connection to the previous account. 

How to Prevent Getting Blacklisted

Prevention is always better than trying to fix a blacklisted account. Regularly review Amazon's policies and stay updated on changes. Look at all Restricted Products pages and understand what's prohibited or regulated.

Check your performance metrics regularly and address issues before they trigger automated actions from Amazon. Keep detailed records of supplier invoices, authenticity documents, customer communications, shipping confirmations, and product sourcing information. These records can help you quickly respond to any Amazon investigations.

Respond to customer inquiries promptly, address negative feedback professionally, and process returns efficiently. If you notice an issue with your account or products, fix it immediately. Don't wait for Amazon to flag it.

If you're a brand owner, enroll in Amazon Brand Registry to protect your intellectual property and gain additional tools for managing your presence.

Don't Let Your Ecommerce Business Depend on a Single Platform

Successful ecommerce businesses don't put all their eggs in one basket. While Amazon offers incredible sales potential, the risk of account suspension or blacklisting highlights why diversification is crucial for long-term success.

Flxpoint helps you take control of your ecommerce destiny with our comprehensive inventory and order management platform. Our system connects your business across multiple sales channels, streamlines your operations, and reduces your dependency on any single marketplace.

Whether you're currently selling on Amazon or recovering from an account blacklisting, Flxpoint can help you build a more resilient ecommerce business. Our platform makes it easy to expand to new channels, manage inventory across multiple fulfillment sources, and keep your business running smoothly even if one sales channel becomes unavailable.

Ready to protect your ecommerce business from the risks of marketplace dependency?

Request a demo today to see how our platform can help you build a more stable, diversified, and profitable business.

Flxpoint – Powerful Dropship and Ecommerce Automation Platform