Amazon Policy News: Inauthentic Complaints
Inauthentic complaints are one of the most misunderstood causes of suspension for sellers on Amazon. Not only are many suspensions false, but they can also be the result of malicious reporting by other sellers hoping to eliminate their competition. In this blog, we walk through the causes and resolution of inauthentic suspensions on Amazon, including using Amazon Sellers Lawyer case data to show proven appeal strategies.
Inauthentic Versus Counterfeit Goods On Amazon
Despite what it sounds like, inauthentic suspensions are not the same as accusations of selling counterfeit goods. Although a product may be suspended for both counterfeit and inauthentic accusations, the latter relates to questions of how a seller sources their products. Generally, these suspensions arise from customer reports caused by inconsistent packaging or products from what is seen on your storefront. Amazon also uses automated systems to flag accounts for review when they see suspicious activity, typically requiring compliance in an investigation to avoid suspension.
One of the most common causes for inauthentic suspensions is making changes to the images seen on a product’s storefront. Any changes that could potentially create confusion among sellers should be closely assessed before being implemented, especially to images. Using manufacturer photos can help to reduce customer confusion and safeguard you against potential inauthentic suspensions.
Another major source of inauthentic suspensions is false reporting by competitors. Because Amazon does not want customer confusion on products, brands have been known to make use of reporting tools to falsely accuse other sellers of having discrepancies between the product that customers are receiving and what is shown on their storefront. These accusations often have little merit, but cause major hangups in your ability to sell and can cost your valuable time and money.
Amazon Inauthentic Suspension Appeals
Appealing inauthentic suspensions on Amazon requires gathering evidence and writing a Plan of Action (POA) appeal. These appeals are made up of three parts and supporting evidence to show why Amazon should reinstate your account.
- Root Cause Analysis: Addresses what activity on your account led to the suspension
- Immediate Corrective Actions: What did you do to address the activity that led to your suspension.
- Future Preventative Measures: Changes that you are making to avoid having the same issue come up again.
- Supporting Documentation: Evidence related to your case such as supply chain documentation, rights to use images, and communications with manufacturers.
Addressing your immediate corrective actions is one of the most important parts of your POA. Showing that you are doing everything to enhance the customer experience will greatly improve Amazon’s perception of you as a seller and build a strong case for your reinstatement. Offering customers refunds for genuine confusion shows the commitment to positive customer interactions that Amazon wants to see.
Amazon Sellers Lawyer Inauthentic Suspension Appeals
In this next section, we demonstrate a guide to creating appeals for inauthentic suspensions through two recent Amazon Sellers Lawyer cases. Our team was recently contacted by a client who had been suspended after changing the primary image on one of their products. Customers reported a discrepancy between the product shown and was received leading to his suspension. When the ASL team was contacted, we immediately identified the issue and began working on a POA which addressed what had created the confusion and how it would be avoided in the future. On first appeal, our client’s account was reinstated, only requiring reverting the changes made to their storefront.
In another case, we were contacted by a client who had been flagged and suspended by Amazon’s automated systems. Their initial attempts at appeals were unsuccessful, but after reaching out to ASL, we created a POA that displayed the root of their problem was a misunderstanding of storage capacity representation rather than the authenticity of their inventory. Amazon’s enforcement team approved our POA and swiftly had the client’s seller account restored.
Contact Amazon Sellers Lawyer Today
If your seller account is suspended on Amazon for inauthentic violations, it is important to act quickly to resolve the issue. The Amazon Sellers Lawyer team has been focused exclusively on helping sellers like you reinstate accounts since 2016 and knows how to get you back to business. Give us a call today at 212-256-1109 or fill out our online form here.
About the Author
CJ Rosenbaum, Esq.
CJ Rosenbaum is the founding partner of Amazon Sellers Lawyer. He’s been practicing law since 1995, and since 2016 his firm has focused exclusively on helping Amazon sellers deal with issues like suspensions, intellectual property disputes, and withheld funds.
CJ has written six books on Amazon seller legal issues including the Amazon Sellers’ Guide to Copyright Law. He has spoken at major industry events like the Prosper Show, Global Sources Summit, Retail Global. CJ also works with the Amazon Sellers Lawyer team to provide free content for Amazon sellers. This is available through their online blog and YouTube channel, frequently covering major Amazon updates and important topics relevant to the seller space.
Through BrandProtectionAmazon.com, the firm also supports brands in protecting their products. This gives the team the unique opportunity to learn from case wins on both sides of the fence, strengthening protection for both the sellers and brands that Rosenbaum & Segall P.C. represents.
Amazon repeatedly rejecting your Plan of Action? Amazon Sellers Lawyer handles suspension appeals and account reinstatement cases – including arbitration against Amazon when they’re withholding seller money. Contact us to discuss your situation and figure out the best path forward.