A while ago, we wrote about the top ten most common mistakes sellers make on Amazon. Sometimes Amazon rules can be a bit arbitrary and confusing, and accounts get suspended for reasons that are not always as clear-cut as they should be.
Today we’re going to try to give you a few tips and tricks that can help you write a good appeal in case Amazon ever revokes your selling privileges.
So, what’s left to be done in the wake of a suspension?
We know how dumbfounding a suspension can be. However, before giving in to the temptation to immediately appeal Amazon’s decision, you should take some time to analyze what exactly got you suspended.
Here are the three most important steps to be taken after having your selling privileges revoked:
ANALYZE your Amazon account
Check all past notifications and try to find a common denominator between them and the Amazon suspension decision. They are not always related, but usually Amazon shuts down accounts only after sending you a few warnings about the same/similar violations.
Try to make an honest and thorough analysis of your business. This is probably the most important step to take. See how the warnings you received relate to different underlying issues. For instance, if you get suspended for not following Amazon condition guidelines, it’s important to set things straight. Did you send items in poor condition? Or did they get damaged in transit? If so, it may suggest that you might have some carrier issues or with the way you pack your products.
Make sure your performance parameters are on “green”. If you got suspended for performance related issues, you should try to fix some, or ideally all, of them prior to submitting your appeal. Even if you didn’t get suspended for that, keeping your performance above average can make a difference.
Now that you’ve identified the core issues that triggered the suspension, you should start working on a good action plan to submit to Amazon.
Write the PLAN
Stick to the point. We know it’s frustrating, but getting lost in irrelevant details will not help your case. The plan should be detailed, but it should include only the pieces of information that relate to the matter at hand. What Amazon needs is to see that you’ve understood the impact of your mistakes, and that you’re willing to learn from them.
Make it actionable and don’t bargain. A good plan should reflect what you’ve learned from the suspension, and how you’re planning on steering clear of similar issues in the future. Keep in mind that you need to be prepared to completely change the way you handle things.
Bonus points for whatever changes you’ve managed to implement prior to hitting the ‘appeal decision” button.
Structure. This is as important as content. For the biased eye, sloppy structure can mean sloppy planning, so try to structure your ideas and solutions as well as possible.
SUBMIT your appeal
Patience is a virtue. While you wait for their decision, you can start doing what you promised in your appeal. Sometimes Amazon asks for more info to support your case, so implementing your changes will surely make your arguments stronger.
If you’ve got any other questions regarding Amazon suspensions, contact us at services@SellerEngine.com or visit our Account Rescue page here.
We’re here to help!
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Irina is part of the Business Development Team at SellerEngine Software. She’s an expert in bringing back to life Amazon Selling Accounts. Her motto is: everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.