Plan of Action for Copyright Infringement on Amazon
Introduction
If you’ve received a copyright infringement complaint on Amazon, your listings may have been removed — or worse, your entire account may be suspended. Sellers in this situation often search:
“How to write a Plan of Action for copyright complaint”
“Amazon account suspended for copyright — what now?”
“Sample POA for Amazon copyright issue”
As an Amazon seller attorney, I’ve helped hundreds of sellers respond to copyright complaints and draft successful Plans of Action (POAs) that lead to reinstatement. This guide explains what copyright infringement means on Amazon and how to write a clear, effective POA that meets Amazon’s strict requirements.
What Is Copyright Infringement on Amazon?
Copyright infringement occurs when a seller uses content — such as images, text, graphics, videos, or manuals — that is owned by someone else without permission. Common Amazon violations include:
Using product images from a brand’s website
Copying item descriptions or A+ Content
Uploading content provided by suppliers that wasn’t cleared for reuse
Reposting manufacturer instructions or marketing materials
Even if you didn’t knowingly infringe, Amazon treats copyright complaints seriously — and often removes listings immediately.
How Copyright Infringement Leads to Account Suspension
If you receive multiple copyright complaints, or a serious one from a rights holder with a registered copyright, Amazon may:
Deactivate your ASINs
Suspend your account
Freeze your disbursement funds
Require a Plan of Action to reinstate your account or listings
That’s why submitting the right POA is essential — and why generic templates often fail.
What Is a Plan of Action (POA)?
A Plan of Action is a written statement you submit to Amazon that addresses the complaint, outlines how the issue occurred, and explains the steps you’ve taken to fix and prevent it.
Your POA for a copyright complaint must be:
Clear and direct
Fact-based and specific
Backed by documents where possible
Free of excuses or vague language
How to Write a Plan of Action for Copyright Infringement
Here is the standard structure I recommend when drafting POAs for our clients at AmazonSellersLawyer.com:
1. Root Cause (What Happened)
Start by explaining how the copyrighted content ended up in your listing.
“The listing for ASIN B000123 was created using product images and descriptions provided by a third-party supplier. We did not realize at the time that these materials were copyrighted by the rights owner.”
Avoid denying responsibility or blaming Amazon — instead, take ownership and show you understand the mistake.
2. Immediate Corrective Actions (What You Did)
Explain what you did immediately after the complaint.
“Upon receiving the copyright complaint, we immediately removed the listing and all associated images and content. We reviewed other listings to ensure no additional materials from this source were used.”
Amazon wants to see that you acted quickly to address the issue.
3. Preventive Measures (What You’ll Do Going Forward)
This is the most important part of the POA. Show Amazon that the issue won’t happen again.
“We implemented a strict content policy requiring all images and descriptions to be created in-house or verified as copyright-cleared. All content must be approved by our compliance team before publishing. We also provide IP training to all employees who handle listing creation.”
Add documentation where possible (training materials, screenshots of audits, etc.) to strengthen your POA.
Sample Plan of Action for Amazon Copyright Complaint
ASIN: B000123
Root Cause:
We used images and text provided by a supplier without confirming the copyright ownership. This resulted in the use of copyrighted content.Corrective Actions:
We removed the listing and all associated content. We also checked other listings and removed any questionable content.Preventive Measures:
All future content will be developed internally or verified for copyright clearance.
A content compliance checklist has been created.
We trained staff on copyright and Amazon’s IP policy.
We respectfully request reinstatement of our listing and confirmation that the issue has been resolved.
Final Tips for Submitting Your Plan of Action
Use clear formatting: bullet points, bold headers, and short paragraphs
Stick to facts, not emotions
Be professional — not defensive
Submit through the Account Health dashboard or the appeal option on your performance notification
If you need help writing a POA or challenging a wrongful complaint, our team at AmazonSellersLawyer.com is ready to assist. We help Amazon sellers resolve copyright complaints and regain their selling privileges efficiently and legally.