Suspended from Selling on Walmart, TikTok Shop, or Etsy? How These Platforms Differ from Amazon
When a seller is suspended from any e-commerce platform, understanding that platform’s specific rules is key to reinstating their account. Windows for creating appeals, what those appeals look like, and each platform’s additional enforcement actions can all differ greatly from what a seller coming from Amazon is used to. In this blog, we walk through the most important information for appealing seller suspensions on Walmart, TikTok Shop and Etsy.
Walmart Seller Suspension Appeals
If you are suspended from Walmart, you will be notified via email of the reason for your suspension and whether or not it is a “termination” or a “suspension.” If you have been “terminated,” your account cannot be normally appealed, while “suspensions” follow a standard appeals process through the creation of a Business Plan of Action (POA).
Similar to Amazon POAs, appeals on Walmart require the completion of a document which includes evidence and written sections. These written sections typically are composed of a Root Cause Analysis, Immediate Corrective Actions, and Future Preventative Measures for your case. Walmart may additionally request specific information depending on the type of suspension.
Once submitted, appeals will be reviewed by Walmart’s enforcement team. If your appeal is rejected, you do have the opportunity to create additional appeals, or take escalated actions to seek reinstatement on their platform.
TikTok Seller Suspension Appeals
Handling suspensions immediately is key for TikTok sellers. Unlike platforms like Amazon, there is an extremely strict deadline of 30 days from when you were suspended to create an appeal. Additionally, if your initial appeal is denied for an issue, you only have one additional chance to appeal before your account is permanently suspended. Though you may use things like legal escalation letters to appeal your suspension after this limit of two, it is key to have structured and focused first appeals.
Additionally, some suspensions can be “corrected” rather than appealed. This means that TikTok’s enforcement team has outlined actions that can be taken in order to fix the issues with your account that can lead to its reinstatement. This is available for some suspensions and can be seen in your Seller Center dashboard. Importantly, correcting a suspension acknowledges some form of wrongdoing on your part but does well to keep your account in good standing with TikTok.
Etsy Seller Suspension Appeals
Suspensions on Etsy are broken into temporary and permanent enforcement actions. For the former, Etsy’s enforcement team may, via email communication, request that you respond in order to correct an issue with your account – typically lifting your temporary suspension.
For permanent suspensions, creating an appeal is necessary to get back to selling. These appeals must be created within 60 days of being suspended on Etsy, and you are limited to one appeal only before your account is permanently deactivated. It is vital that this appeal is created after resolving any other outstanding issues and that it is written in clear, evidenced based language to support your case for reinstatement.
Contact Amazon Sellers Lawyer Today!
Whether you are facing suspension on Walmart, TikTok Shop, Etsy, or Amazon, the team at Amazon Sellers Lawyer is here to help you navigate the challenges of being in e-commerce. Our team has been focused exclusively on helping sellers since 2016 and are experienced in helping sellers get reinstated on all of these platforms. Give us a call today at 212-256-1109 or fill out our online form linked 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.