When you receive a notice of account suspension or listing removal, it is easy to be pulled toward ideas like "no invoice means it's over," "a sincere apology will get it through," "sending it again and again will get it through," "a template is enough," or "it will come back if I wait." Each of these sounds plausible, but acting on it as-is can steer your preparation in the wrong direction or cause you to miss a deadline. This article checks five common misunderstandings against what Amazon's official Help actually says, and sorts out what to read in the notice and what to confirm before you decide how to respond.
What the five misunderstandings have in common: not separating the notice's wording from the facts
All five misunderstandings arise from mistaking part of a notice's wording, or an explanation that applies to a different case, for the facts of your own case. This article is based on official information, such as Seller Central Help, that we were able to confirm as of September 2026. Policies and on-screen labels can change, so please also check the latest display on your own screens.
First, confirm how far the restriction goes
Help states that failing to meet certain metrics or policies can lead to "temporary deactivation of your selling account," "removal of a listing," or "restrictions on Fulfillment by Merchant (seller-fulfilled) shipping." Which screen you open and where you file an appeal depends on the scope.
- If your entire account has been deactivated: The basic route is to appeal from "Reactivate your selling account" near the top of the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page. For identity-verification and similar reviews, follow the instructions in the notice or on the Account Health page and submit the required documents and information. For repeat violations, if the notice or screen points to a different entry point, such as the "Compliance with Product Policies" (商品規約の遵守) dashboard, follow that instead
- If a listing has been removed: Check the "Compliance with Product Policies" tab; if it isn't shown, check the deactivated listings under "Manage Inventory" (在庫管理); then check "Performance Notifications" (パフォーマンス通知) for details of the removal. If nothing appears on the Account Health page, also check "Manage Your Compliance" (コンプライアンスの管理)
- If Fulfillment by Merchant (seller-fulfilled) shipping has been restricted pending review: Check the notice and the guidance on the Account Health page. If you believe this was a mistake, Help states that you can submit proof of delivery and similar evidence through an appeal or by email to the address given in the notice
Button names follow Help's wording and may differ from what actually appears on your screen.
Confirm whether a notice is genuine on the screen, not from the email
There are also phishing emails disguised as notices from Amazon. Help recommends confirming directly in Seller Central rather than using links inside an email, and states that Amazon will never ask for your password or bank account information by email.
Read "suspended" and "closed" by tense and condition
How serious a notice is comes through in how its sentences are put together, not just in individual words. In one notice a seller reposted on the Seller Forums, the account was described as currently "temporarily suspended," continuing that it would be "permanently closed" if the required information was not provided by the deadline, and that it would become "eligible for reactivation consideration" if the appeal was completed successfully. Here, "closed" is written as the consequence of missing the deadline.
Conversely, there are also reposted examples that use the word "suspended" while stating that reactivation is being withheld because of involvement in fraudulent, illegal, or unlawful activity. Both are individual examples; the deadlines and exact wording differ from notice to notice. We cover how to read the distinction in more detail in How to Read a Notice and Tell "Suspended" from "Closed".
Misunderstanding 1: "No invoice" is not the same as "can't be reactivated"
Help on invoice requirements states that "many" cases of addressing a policy violation require an invoice from your supplier, and Help on the questionnaire states that "for some products" an invoice covering the past 365 days is required. Invoices are central mainly to notices about authenticity or product quality; the evidence required changes depending on the type of violation.
| Type of notice | Main submission/response indicated in Help |
|---|---|
| Authenticity / product quality | An invoice issued by your supplier |
| Intellectual property rights | If you never listed the item, reply to the notice to say so. If you have a relationship with the rights owner, ask them to withdraw the complaint. If it was made in error, state the reason and provide evidence such as invoices and order numbers |
| Product condition, etc. | An appeal choosing from two options, plus evidence such as updated training materials, product packaging, and photos of your quality checks |
| Identity verification / address verification, etc. | A valid, unexpired form of identification, or a utility bill issued within the past 90 days, among other documents |
Assuming "suspension always means an invoice" can lead you astray, for example gathering purchasing documents when what's actually being reviewed is your identity.
Submitting an invoice doesn't automatically mean it will be accepted
Main requirements Amazon checks for on an invoice (per Help)
- Issued within 365 days before you received the Performance Notification
- Covers a quantity that matches your sales volume for the ASIN(s) in question over the past 365 days, as well as the quantity you currently hold in stock
- Includes a product code that can be verified online (product name, model number, UPC, etc.)
- Includes your supplier's contact information: name, phone number, address, website, etc.
- Records a completed transaction for goods that were shipped
- The supplier can be confirmed through public sources or reliable third-party sources
- Is an unaltered original document (pricing information may be redacted), submitted as a PDF or in jpg, png, or gif format
On the other hand, pre-final documents such as quotes, invoices issued by the seller themselves, invoices where the supplier and buyer appear to be the same entity, altered documents, and editable formats such as .xlsx are stated as not being accepted, and Amazon may also contact the supplier directly to confirm.
Whether other documents, such as delivery notes or receipts, can substitute for an invoice is not specified in official Help, so check what document the notice itself specifies. Creating a document you don't actually have, or rewriting the contents of an existing document, counts as a false submission and must not be done (the only information you may redact is pricing; everything else must remain legible). For how to sort out your materials when you don't have an invoice on hand, see Checking Your Documents When You Have No Invoice for an Authenticity Investigation.
Misunderstanding 2: What's required is a factual explanation, not an apology
Some sellers treat their appeal as a letter of contrition, believing that piling on apologies and resolutions makes it more likely to be accepted. But the guidelines in Help on the questionnaire call for a clear, concise, fact-based explanation that focuses on the events that led to the issue, without information about other cases or emotional language. They further ask that you identify the root cause behind the violation and describe the specific action you took, together with details, the date the change was implemented, or supporting documents.
It isn't stated that a single sentence of apology counts against you. The problem is that when a message is centered on apology and resolve, it doesn't convey the facts the reviewer needs to confirm.
Don't just "apologize for now" when a determination is factually wrong
Help's FAQ draws a distinction: a "dispute" (異議申し立て) presents evidence that a violation was detected in error, while an "appeal" (申し立て) is for cases where a violation did occur but was unintentional and should be reversed. If either is accepted, the violation and its effect on your evaluation are reversed, but a violation removed through an appeal can still count toward the repeat-violation threshold for 180 days.
If you accept a violation that is factually incorrect, that record can affect you later. Conversely, avoid claiming a violation was a mistake when it actually occurred. The Seller Code of Conduct requires that you not engage in misleading conduct, including in your dealings with Amazon.
An example: replacing an apology-centered message with a factual explanation
Here is an example for a case where insufficient supplier verification was the issue. This is a hypothetical example, not an account of a real case, so replace it with your own company's facts, dates, and document names. First, here is an apology-centered version.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. We take this matter very seriously and will operate with the utmost care going forward, so we would appreciate your consideration for reinstatement.
Replacing the same content with facts, the root cause, and the action taken looks like this.
The two ASINs named at the bottom of the notice were both purchased from the same supplier in [month]. The root cause was that we had no procedure, before starting a transaction, to confirm the supplier's business registration or its relationship with the brand, and we had not obtained documentation showing the origin of the inventory.
On [month/day] we stopped listing the ASINs in question, inspected [number] units of inventory purchased from the same supplier, and confirmed [finding]. Starting [month/day], we changed our procedure so that, before dealing with a new supplier, we confirm whether they can provide a brand authorization letter or an invoice showing the origin of the inventory, and we now keep a record of that confirmation.
Attached documents: invoice for the purchase of the ASINs in question (issued [month/day]), our supplier-verification procedure (revised [month/day]), and a mapping table of the ASINs and their suppliers
For how to structure the cause, the action taken, and prevention of recurrence, see How to Structure a Plan of Action.
Misunderstanding 3: Resending the same wording is not the same as an additional submission that fills a gap
When there's no reply, or rejections keep coming, it's tempting to send the same wording again and again. Help's guidance describes the flow as: after you submit an appeal, wait for the review-result email, and if you're asked for additional information, provide the requested documents and information through "View Account Health request" (アカウント健全性の要請を見る). Help states that a reply can take "up to about two days," but this is not an indication of when or whether you will be reinstated.
The procedures for seller performance reviews also note that you should not resubmit documents, or send inaccurate documents, repeatedly without allowing sufficient time. We could not find any official statement specifying a number of attempts or interval, but resending without changing the content is not a recommended approach.
| Situation | What to do next |
|---|---|
| You've submitted and haven't heard back yet | Wait for the review-result email, and organize copies of what you submitted |
| You've been asked for additional information | Provide the requested documents and information through the screen you were directed to |
| You were rejected | Confirm the reason from the notice, then resubmit after filling in the missing facts or documents |
| You want to contact Support | Check your case history, and don't open a new case if one is already under review for the same issue |
| You have a question about a closed case | Reopen that case rather than creating a new one |
| You've been told no further action is available | Don't reopen the case or create a new one |
How a case is handled follows Amazon's contact guidelines, and not following them can lead to the case being closed.
Legitimate channels to use if you're stuck
- Account Health Support: A contact channel for Professional-plan sellers, reachable from "Contact Us"/"Get a call now" on the Account Health page. It also includes help with submitting the information needed to recover a suspended account.
- Seller Challenge (セラーチャレンジ): A mechanism available to sellers covered by Account Health Assurance (アカウント健全性アシュアランス) — a program that automatically enrolls Professional-plan sellers who have kept their rating high for a set period and registered an emergency contact — allowing them to request a detailed review of an action after making multiple attempts to resolve it. It's available up to three times every 180 days, and the listing stays deactivated while the review is underway. It applies only to certain listing-level actions shown with an icon or text, and account-wide suspensions are not indicated as eligible.
Neither channel promises a particular outcome. For how to prepare before contacting them, see Preparing Before You Contact Account Health Support.
Misunderstanding 4: A template's format doesn't necessarily match the format your own notice requires
Templates have two pitfalls: the required submission format differs by type of violation, and a template can never fill in "what actually happened at your company." Even for account-deactivation appeals, the screen may ask for a questionnaire, confirmation of the violation, answers to questions, and supplementary documents.
| Situation | Format officially indicated |
|---|---|
| Risk of Fulfillment by Merchant listing deactivation due to Order Defect Rate | A banner at the top of the page may show a 5-question quiz; answering within 72 hours and passing means no plan of action is required. If already deactivated, submit a plan of action from "Submit reconsideration request" |
| Policy violation such as product condition | Choose from two options and attach evidence. A plan of action for this type of violation, and images from your inventory page or product detail page, are not accepted |
| Category deactivation due to Valid Tracking Rate | Since June 30, 2025, this has changed from a plan of action to a format of answering a multiple-choice questionnaire |
Sending the same long-form plan of action for every kind of deactivation can fail to match at the level of format alone.
Items that templates tend to leave out
Points to check against your own notice before you submit
- Have you provided evidence for every product/ASIN under review (the list is said to appear at the bottom of the original notice)
- Have you confirmed the submission deadline for documents? If you can't gather a document in time, don't fabricate or substitute one — check the "next steps" guidance in the notice instead
- Have you marked, for example by circling, the key parts of your documents, such as the ASIN or supplier name
- Is the root cause described as something that actually happened at your own company
- Does the action you took include the date it was implemented and any supporting documents
- Is there no mixing-in of other cases or unrelated violations
It isn't stated that using a template is itself a reason for rejection, but the items above can only be filled in by looking at your own notice and records. We cover explanations that often fall short when reused from elsewhere in How to Match a Plan of Action to Your Own Facts.
Misunderstanding 5: An action that returns automatically only does so under certain conditions, and only for some cases
"It will come back with time" applies to some actions, but only when certain conditions are met. There are also actions that won't come back just by waiting, and actions that will escalate into a suspension if left alone.
| Action / status | Official statement (summary) | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of eligibility for expedited-shipping programs | Once revoked, you're ineligible for at least 7 days; eligibility is restored automatically once your performance improves | Improve your metrics |
| Fulfillment by Merchant shipping under review | Review takes up to 30 days. Once shipment is confirmed, the listing is automatically reactivated, but if proof of delivery is insufficient it may be permanently deactivated | Keep shipping unfulfilled orders and, if needed, provide proof of delivery |
| Deactivation due to your Account Health rating | If deactivated because of your rating, violations remain on the dashboard even after 180 days. Once violations are addressed and other requirements are met and the score exceeds the threshold (100), the account is reactivated | Address the outstanding violations, and file an appeal or dispute |
| Egregious violations (including reaching the repeat-violation cap) | There is a 3-day grace period before deactivation, and if addressed within 3 days deactivation is avoided. For reaching the repeat-violation cap, if not addressed within 3 days, the account is stated to be deactivated until an appeal is completed on the "Compliance with Product Policies" dashboard | Respond within the 3-day grace period. Keep your emergency contact information current |
| Rating in the "At Risk" (yellow) state | If it stays "At Risk," you don't address the violation, and Amazon can't reach you, deactivation is possible. Sellers covered by Account Health Assurance are, once contacted, given 72 hours to respond and are not deactivated while they cooperate toward a resolution (except where involvement in fraud or similar activity is found) | Respond within the deadline and address the violation |
The day counts in the table are not an indication of how long it will take to be reinstated. Regardless of your score, an account can also be deactivated where fraudulent, false, or illegal activity is suspected. For how to check your score, see Checking Your Account Health Rating.
The same goes for a hold on your funds: Help states that this is normally for 90 days and may be extended, and does not say that payment follows simply from waiting. A dispute is filed through the notice or the Seller Central process, and if it isn't released, Help also describes a separate way to appeal after 60 days have passed from the date of the hold. Follow the instructions in the notice you actually received as the priority when checking the procedure.
A procedure for deciding based on the notice and the facts
STEP 1. Save the notice and write down the key points
Save the notice email, the Performance Notification, and what's shown on the Account Health page, each with a date and time, and put on a single sheet: what scope was restricted, where it's displayed, the deadline, the format being requested, and whether a word like "closed" describes the current state or the consequence after a deadline (the tense of the sentence). Use the date stated in the notice you received as your basis for the deadline.
STEP 2. Cross-check the determination against your own records
Gather your purchasing, listing, and shipping records for each ASIN in question, and judge whether the determination matches the facts. If it's a violation on the Account Health page, this is where you can get a sense of whether it's a case for an appeal or a dispute. Which format you can choose depends on the type of violation, so follow what's shown on your screen.
STEP 3. Check it over before you send, and keep a record
Confirm the checklist above before you submit. For where to submit and how to confirm your submission was recorded, see A Checklist Before Submitting a Plan of Action.
What to record after sending: the date and time you sent it / the screen you submitted on or the case ID / the names of the documents you attached / the date, time, and gist of any reply / what additional information was requested and the date you responded
Things you should not do
- Keep selling on a different account: Except where you have a legitimate reason and all your accounts are being operated without any issues, you're only allowed one account per selling region. If any of your accounts is deactivated, this condition isn't met, and continuing to sell on a different account is not permitted. If one account has an issue, all of your accounts can be deactivated, and attempting to circumvent Amazon's systems is stated to be grounds for deactivation regardless of your score.
- Close an account intending to start over: Help explicitly states that a closed account cannot be reactivated.
- Create or alter documents yourself: Altered invoices and invoices issued by the seller themselves are not accepted, and a false submission also violates the Code of Conduct.
- Resend without changing the content, or open multiple cases for the same issue: Repeated submissions that don't wait for review are noted as something to avoid.
- Accept a cause that isn't true, or describe measures you haven't actually taken: This can leave a record against you and undermine the credibility of your explanation as a whole.
- Ignore a deadline or grace period: As described above, missing a 3-day grace period can lead to deactivation until you complete an appeal, and some example notices state that the account will be closed if the required information isn't provided by the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Q. I'm not sure whether I'm covered by Account Health Assurance.
A. Help states that Professional-plan sellers are automatically enrolled if they've kept their rating at 250 or above for at least 6 months, with no more than 10 days below 250, and have a valid emergency contact registered. Check the Account Health page to see whether you're covered.
Q. If I end the listing in question, does the violation go away too?
A. Help states that changing a listing's status, such as ending it or removing it from your inventory, does not remove the violation from the Account Health page. The violation itself still needs to be addressed.
Q. I keep getting rejected. Should I resend the same content?
A. As the table in the main text shows, confirm the reason first and fill in what's missing before resubmitting.
Q. The reason in the notice is vague and I don't know what the problem is.
A. Under the Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement, Amazon states that it will notify you of the reason for a deactivation and your dispute options (referred to in the agreement as "Appeal") when it does so, though there are exceptions, such as where this would interfere with the investigation or prevention of fraudulent activity. Start by checking the Account Health page and "Compliance with Product Policies" for the violation or product in question, and contact Support if you still can't tell. For questions requiring a legal judgment, such as how this relates to the Transparency in Coverage-type disclosure rules, consult an attorney.
Q. It looks like I won't have the documents together by the submission deadline.
A. Deadlines and required documents differ by notice. First check the "next steps" guidance, and if you're a Professional-plan seller, confirm with Account Health Support what needs to be submitted and by when.
Summary
All five points arise from settling on a conclusion before confirming the facts stated in the notice.
- Whether an invoice is required depends on the type of violation and what the notice specifies, and submitting one doesn't guarantee acceptance
- What's required is not an apology, but facts, a root cause, and the action taken, backed up with evidence
- Rather than resending the same wording, wait for a reply, respond to additional requests, and fill in the reason for any rejection
- The required submission format differs by type of violation, and a template can't fill in your company's own facts or ASINs
- Only some actions, under certain conditions, come back automatically; for actions with a deadline, act rather than wait
Start by checking the full text of the notice and your screens, and write down the scope of the restriction, the deadline, the required format, and the tense of the wording before you decide how to respond. You can see the overall picture in From Account Suspension to Filing for Reactivation: The Full Picture. If you're unsure how to organize this, consider consulting a specialist as well.
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Further reading
Distinguishing Amazon seller account suspension from closure: notices and reinstatement inquiries Read article → 
Amazon Seller Agreement and Code of Conduct warnings: identifying conduct deemed a policy violation and corrective steps Read article → 
Responding to an Amazon authenticity review: checking evidence and appealing without an invoice Read article →