Are you interested in learning more about the top Amazon seller policies that you should know about? Then in this article, you’ll find the basics of the rules and conditions that Amazon wants its sellers to follow.
We’ll simplify the long list of selling policies and seller code of conduct, so you can understand the main restrictions when selling on the platform. This will help you avoid losing your account or facing suspensions that grind your sales velocity to a halt.
Amazon General Policies
Let’s start by taking a look at the Amazon general policies so you can get an overview of the top rules you must follow. Here is a list of the top 10 that you should follow.
- You’re not allowed to send buyers to other websites or complete payment via email.
- You’re not allowed to include product inserts with promotions or invites taking users off Amazon.
- When buyers try to contact you directly, you need to direct them to the Buyer-Seller Messaging Tool.
- Don’t influence customers with coupons, freebies, special offers, and commissions.
- You cannot ask customers for a positive review.
- You’re not allowed to review your own products or ask anyone in your social circle to do the same.
- You cannot manipulate the customer review score of your competitors.
- You cannot hijack, attack, or sabotage other product listings on Amazon.
- Customer information is only allowed to be used for fulfilling orders, and you must delete any stored information once it’s complete.
- You are not allowed to include forbidden items in the package as an extra.
What Happens When You Break Amazon Policies?
The severity of your punishment varies for breaking Amazon policies. Firstly, it depends on the severity of the offense. For example, if you accidentally send customers to another website because of a link you accidentally left in an email, then the punishment might be small.
However, if you engage in a widespread campaign to leave negative reviews of every competitor, and pay for services that meet this objective, then the punishment might be more severe.
Also, you may be able to make your case to have the punishment reduced if you feel they have made a mistake. However, Amazon deals with many sellers per day, and they make their decisions based on collected evidence.
Setting Up Your Business For Amazon
Did you know that registering your Amazon venture as a business can help you avoid trouble when not adhering to Amazon policies? You’ll still receive warnings and suspension, but the punishments might be more lenient because Amazon will see that you’re operating as a serious business.
Therefore, by taking the time to register your Amazon business, you may be looked more favorably on by customer support. However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to follow Amazon Seller Policies. That’s always important, no matter how your business is set up.
Seller Central Account Health Section
Amazon Seller Central is the dashboard that you use when logging into your account as a seller. Within the dashboard, you can navigate to the Account Health section, where you can see important metrics relating to your performance. This includes things like the refund rate and customer review scores.
When these metrics fall outside of the accepted Amazon guidelines, you may get an inquiry from Amazon support staff. They may provide tips and support to help you improve different aspects of an Amazon FBA business. However, if some products perform too poorly, then you may be forced to make significant changes before you can continue selling.
Furthermore, if there is a suspension of a product listing on your account, the Account Health page is where you should go to find out more. You’ll discover the reason for the suspension. Also, the page has a dedicated customer support button that’s fairly responsive.
Intellectual Property Rights and Trademark
Intellectual property rights relate to the protection of brand assets. This also applies to Amazon, so you must abide by the IP rights on the e-commerce platforms, the same as elsewhere on the internet.
For example, you cannot copy the logo of a brand on your packaging or product. Also, you cannot copy trademarked names, so you’ll need to know what’s happening in your industry before you accidentally make a mistake.
Furthermore, you can take advantage of Brand Registry at Amazon to get protection on the platform. For example, when you choose Brand Registry, it ensures that no other sellers can fight for the Buy Box on your product listings.
Who Has To Abide By Amazon Seller Policies?
Everyone who wants to open an Amazon Seller Central account will be asked to sign an agreement. This agreement includes ticking a box that states you’ll abide by the Amazon Seller Policies or your account may be permanently terminated.
Amazon updates constantly updates their seller policies, which means you’ll need to know the most up-to-date ones. Therefore, read them during the account creation process to ensure you are not working with outdated information.
Also, when Amazon updates its policies, you’ll typically receive an email and see updates through other channels. This ensures that you don’t miss important updates on how to set up your business on Amazon.
Amazon Seller Policies: Are They Important?
Amazon seller policies are an important aspect of becoming a successful seller on the platform. In conclusion, it’s essential to be aware of the latest policies so that you don’t break any rules. Furthermore, keep checking the email you’ve assigned to your Amazon account.
Overall, the seller policies on Amazon are easy to follow and fair. They ensure that sellers and customers are protected from bad actors. If you’re not happy with any of the rules, you can always choose a different e-commerce website to sell on.
Finally, don’t forget to make it official and register your Amazon business here on Business Anywhere. You’ll have multiple advantages that make the cost more than worthwhile.
