Can Amazon Suspend You for Opening a Second Account?

Why Does Amazon Limit Sellers to One Account?

Amazon’s top priority is customer trust. To protect the shopping experience, Amazon enforces a strict “one account per seller” rule. The main reasons are:

• Preventing marketplace manipulation: If sellers could open unlimited accounts, they could manipulate rankings, flood listings with fake products, or avoid poor account health metrics by starting over.
• Ensuring accountability: By restricting sellers to one account, Amazon can easily track performance, order defect rates, and customer complaints.
• Maintaining fair competition: Multiple accounts without authorization could give some sellers an unfair advantage, while honest sellers follow the rules.

This policy means that, by default, you should operate only one Amazon Seller Central account for your business.

When Are Multiple Accounts Allowed?

Despite the strict rule, Amazon does recognize that some sellers may need more than one account. Opening multiple accounts is possible, but only with Amazon’s written approval.

Here are legitimate situations where Amazon may allow you to operate more than one account:

1. Different Product Categories
   If your business operates in vastly different categories, such as electronics and clothing, Amazon may allow separate accounts for easier management.
2. Multiple Distinct Brands
   Sellers who own multiple brands with unique identities, inventories, and marketing strategies might need separate accounts to keep operations organized.
3. Separate Business Entities
   If you operate more than one legal entity with different tax IDs, bank accounts, and operations, Amazon may approve multiple accounts.
   
   
4. International Expansion
   In some cases, sellers operating in different countries may require accounts registered to different business entities.

To be safe, always request approval before opening a second account. Attempting to bypass the rules can trigger serious consequences.

What Happens If You Open a Second Account Without Permission?

Opening a second Amazon seller account without approval is considered a policy violation. If Amazon detects this, you may face:

• Immediate Suspension: Both your original and new accounts can be suspended instantly.
  
• Frozen Funds: Any money in your seller balance can be withheld until the issue is resolved.
  
• Loss of Inventory (FBA Sellers): Products stored in Amazon fulfillment centers may be placed on hold, affecting your ability to sell.
  

Amazon’s detection systems are highly advanced. They track multiple data points to link accounts, including:

• IP addresses
  
• Business names and legal information
  
• Tax IDs and bank details
  
• Shipping addresses
• Even devices used to log in

This means trying to “sneak in” a second account rarely works—Amazon will almost always catch it.

What To Do If You’ve Already Opened a Second Account

1. Stop using the second account immediately.
   The longer you continue, the greater the risk of detection and suspension. 
2. Contact Amazon Seller Support.
   Be transparent about your mistake. Honesty works better than trying to hide it. 
3. Provide a business explanation.
   If you have a genuine reason for wanting two accounts, explain it clearly. 
4. Prepare a Plan of Action (POA).
   If the Amazon suspension happens, you’ll need to submit a detailed POA addressing what happened, why it happened, and what steps you’ll take to remain compliant in the future.
   
   
5. Seek professional help if needed.
   Suspension appeals can be complex. Many sellers choose to work with experts who specialize in Amazon reinstatement services.

How to Stay Compliant and Avoid Suspension

The best way to protect your Amazon business is to stay compliant. Here are some tips:

• Operate only one account unless Amazon has explicitly approved more.
  
• Document your business needs if you plan to request a second account.
  
• Use unique legal and banking details if Amazon approves another account.
  
• Keep communication open with Amazon. Transparency reduces risk.
  

Real-Life Example: The Risk of Second Accounts

Many sellers assume that opening a second account is a quick way to escape poor performance metrics, bad reviews, or suspensions. For example, if a seller receives too many late shipment complaints, they may try creating a new account to “start fresh.”

But Amazon quickly detects the connection between the two accounts. Instead of solving the problem, the seller now faces suspension of both accounts and potential permanent loss of selling privileges.

This shows that shortcuts rarely work with Amazon—compliance is always the better path.