Amazon Account on Hold? Here’s How to Fix It Fast
Your Amazon account on hold is almost like a complete shutdown. Your selling privileges are instantly revoked, your funds are frozen, and your FBA inventory is left stranded in the warehouse.
Your way back is to understand what triggered it and submit a formal, well-crafted appeal.
Whether you’ve just noticed your account is on hold or want to ensure it never gets restricted, this guide is for you. It walks you through everything you need to know about an Amazon account hold, from what it means to the steps to fix it and avoid it in the future.
Read on.
TL;DR - How to Get Your Amazon Account Off Hold
Short on time?
Here’s a quick overview of the 5 steps to remove your Amazon account from hold:
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Check your Amazon notifications.
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Contact Amazon customer service.
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Provide your identity verification.
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Submit the necessary documents.
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Wait for review.
More on each step later in the blog.
What Does “Amazon Account on Hold” Mean?
An Amazon account on hold means Amazon has temporarily paused your selling privileges due to a potential issue under review or requiring your verification.
When your account is on hold, you may not be able to:
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Process new orders
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Access disbursements
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Create new listings or edit existing ones
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Communicate with buyers or process refunds for products returned
These restrictions remain in place until you resolve the issues communicated via your Seller Central performance notifications, email, or account alerts.
However, it’s different from a permanent suspension, and you have some level of access to your account.
Top Reasons Amazon Places a Seller Account on Hold
Amazon account holds are often triggered by account-related activities or Amazon seller policy violations.
Here are the common triggers that can put your account on hold:
Payment Issues
Amazon transfers the seller’s sales proceeds via the bank. It requires you to enter credit or debit cards that accept international charges and must have a valid billing address.
Not keeping your bank account, credit, or debit card details up to date can lead to account restrictions.
Unusual Account Activity
Amazon security systems are designed to automatically trigger a hold on your account when they detect unusual activity, such as sudden changes in buying patterns, logins from unrecognized devices or locations, or unusual payment activity.
This requires you to verify your identity and submit documentation explaining the changes to the flagged activity.
Identity Verification Problems
Amazon may request you to provide business details or identity verification documents during routine reviews.
Delays in providing such information or incomplete submission may result in a hold.
Seller Code of Conduct Violations
Manipulating customer reviews, intellectual property (IP) complaints, misusing customer data, and creating multiple selling accounts without approval can trigger a hold on your account.
Other violations include diverting Amazon customers to other websites or sending inappropriate messages to customers.
Prohibited or Restricted Products
Some products, including alcohol, animals, and theft devices, are restricted on Amazon. Additionally, some require approval before listing, such as jewelry, watches, collectible coins, and streaming media players.
Ignoring these rules can result in a hold.
Poor Performance Metrics
Amazon requires its sellers to meet order performance metrics to ensure customers have a positive shopping experience.
Your Order Defect Rate (ODR) must stay under 1%, Cancellation Rate (CR) under 2.5%, and Late Dispatch Rate (LSR) under 4%. Additionally, you must maintain an On Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) of 90% or higher and a Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) of 95% or higher.
Failure to meet these metrics may result in the suspension of your account.
Improper Drop Shipping Practices
Amazon permits dropshipping on the condition that you identify as the seller of record on all packaging, invoices, and packing slips.
Using a third party to ship products to a customer without disclosing you as the seller is prohibited and can trigger a hold.
How to Fix an Amazon Account on Hold Step by Step
Once you understand the reason your account is on hold, you can fix it faster.
Here is a practical step-by-step guide for your Amazon seller account reinstatement:
1. Check Your Amazon Notifications
Check for any email or text from Amazon titled ‘account on hold.’
Amazon usually sends detailed messages explaining the hold and the action required to resolve it.
2. Contact Amazon Customer Service
You can reach out to Amazon’s customer service directly through email, help pages, or specific phone numbers for account issues to initiate the resolution process.
3. Provide Your Identity Verification
The customer service representative may require you to confirm that you are the actual account holder.
Provide your account details, including your name and billing address. You may also be required to provide copies of your ID or passport.
4. Submit the Necessary Documents
Submit the requested documents and any other information required to resolve the hold. These details vary depending on the reason behind the hold.
You may have to submit payment details to verify transaction activity or to explain a suspicious activity.
5. Wait for Review
Amazon will review your account and respond within 24 hours. If you don’t receive a response, you can follow up with customer care and reference your previous communication.
If you’re overwhelmed by these steps and what you should do (and not do) while your account is on hold, consider Amazon account reinstatement services to avoid complicating the resolution.
What You Can and Can't Do While Your Account Is on Hold
As you work to regain access to your account on hold, it’s important to know what you can and cannot do while it is under review.
We’ve broken this down below:
| What You Can Do | What You Can’t Do |
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How to Avoid Future Amazon Account Holds
You can keep your account in good standing and avoid account suspension with these steps:
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Use Valid Payment Methods: Amazon monitors your payment, and flags accounts with missing, expired, or mismatched details. To avoid this, use a verified payment method linked to your account and ensure the details match your billing information.
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Enabling Two-factor Authentication (2FA): Add a second verification step to prevent unauthorized access to your account. This reduces the risk of your account being used for unusual activity.
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Maintain Account Health Rating (AHR): You should maintain and improve your Amazon account health rating within Amazon’s healthy score range of 200-1000. A lower AHR triggers more scrutiny on your account. Watch for any violations listed on your account's health page and fix them early before Amazon intervenes.
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Address Customer Concerns: Amazon monitors customer feedback in real-time and records negative feedback against your Order Defect Rate. When you resolve these complaints before they escalate, you keep the ODR below 1% and keep your account safe.
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Stay Current on Policy Updates: Amazon regularly updates its policies, and staying informed helps maintain a healthy, compliant account. Check the news feeds on Seller Central for announcements, and check seller forums for changes flagged by other sellers. You should also subscribe to email notifications for your categories.
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Respond to Notifications within 24 hours: Treat every Amazon notification as a pre-suspension warning. Some notifications, such as buyer complaints, listing issues, and product safety concerns, require immediate response.
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Use Verified and Traceable Suppliers: Amazon requires brands and resellers selling products on Amazon to prove the authenticity of their sourcing channels. So, you should use verified suppliers and ensure all invoices issued include the supplier name, address, product description, quantities, and dates.
Don't let the fear of ‘account on hold’ cripple you. If you need help to implement the above strategies, partner with Amazon reinstatement professionals.
At Seller Candy, we provide specialist support for Amazon operations, optimizing your listings, handling reimbursements, and ensuring your account remains healthy. Each of your cases is handled by our experts, who have deep Amazon Seller Central experience.
Contact us today and get end-to-end support across your Amazon operations and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Let’s look at some of the questions most sellers ask after their accounts are placed on hold:
How Long Will My Amazon Account Be on Hold?
The duration varies depending on what triggered the hold and how fast and accurately you respond.
Typically, Amazon reviews your account and responds within 24 hours.
Can I Still Use My Amazon Account While It Is on Hold?
Yes, but partially.
You can log in to your account and view your performance metrics, submit the requested documents, and respond to your customers' messages. However, you cannot sell or receive your disbursements until your account is fully reinstated.
Can My Amazon Account Be Terminated When on Hold?
Yes, a hold can escalate to suspension or termination if:
- After investigations, Amazon concludes that the account has been used for illegal, fraudulent, or deceptive activity.
- You fail to respond to notifications within the required timeframe.
- Your use of the account has caused harm to customers, other sellers, or Amazon’s legitimate interests.
- The account health rating is repeatedly flagged as unhealthy: the score falls below 99.
How Many Times Can I Appeal an Amazon Account Hold?
There is no limit to the number of appeals you can submit.
However, submitting multiple unsuccessful appeals is a signal that you’ve not identified the underlying cause for the hold or suspension.
Therefore, you should have an Amazon policy violations appeal checklist and seek professional help with reinstatement.
Get Professional Help for Your Amazon Account Hold
There are numerous reasons your Amazon account can be put on hold. However, with a well-structured approach, you can increase the chances of reinstatement.
If you want to implement the best strategies, it may be worth considering professional assistance.
Seller Candy provides end-to-end support in resolving your Amazon account hold. We identify the exact cause of your hold, craft a tailored POA, reach out to Amazon Seller Support directly, and follow up to improve your chances of reinstatement.
Schedule a free consultation today, and let’s discuss how we can help you get back to selling as quickly as possible.