Amazon related-account suspension appeals

What this notice means

A related-account deactivation usually means Amazon believes the account is connected to another account that was deactivated, or that one business is operating several accounts without a legitimate reason. The notice rarely names the other account, so the first step is to work out which link Amazon may have found.

Links can be innocent: a shared office, a former employee, a virtual assistant who worked for several sellers, a family member's account or a reused device. They can also be real business connections. The appeal has to describe the relationship accurately, explain why it exists and show how the accounts are separate, or, where they are not, what has been done about it.

Common causes

• A shared device, network, address or bank account with a deactivated account
• Staff, agencies or virtual assistants who access several seller accounts
• A previous account owned by the same person or business
• Family members or business partners operating separate accounts
• Reused business documents, phone numbers or email addresses

Evidence that carries weight

• A list of every Amazon account you, your business or your partners own or have owned
• Ownership and incorporation documents for each business
• Contracts with agencies, assistants or service providers who had access
• Evidence of separate premises, banking and inventory where accounts are separate
• User permission records where available

How we approach this case

1. Map the connectionsWe list every person, device, address, bank and service provider connected to the account.
2. Identify the likely linkWe work out which connection Amazon is most likely to have found.
3. Explain truthfullyWe describe the relationship accurately, with documents, whether it is innocent or real.
4. Prepare the appealA clear explanation and, where needed, the steps taken to separate or close accounts.

What we prepare

FAQs