For many Amazon sellers, few emails spark more anxiety than the notification that their account is under review. Amazon account reviews are part of the platform’s routine and investigative processes aimed at ensuring seller compliance with policies, maintaining customer trust, and protecting the integrity of the marketplace. If you’ve received one of these notices, it’s critical to understand what’s happening behind the scenes—and what it means for your business.
What Is an Amazon Account Review?
An Amazon account review is an internal investigation triggered by the company when it detects potential issues with your account. This is not the same as a suspension, though it can lead to one. During a review, Amazon temporarily limits your ability to sell, access funds, or list new products while they assess your account’s activity, performance, and legitimacy.
Why Do Reviews Happen?
Amazon may place your account under review for several reasons, including:
- Unusual spikes in sales volume (especially for new accounts)
- High return or complaint rates
- Negative buyer feedback trends
- Changes to bank, tax, or identity information
- Document verification concerns
- Linked account behaviour
- IP or trademark complaints
In some cases, account reviews are triggered automatically by Amazon’s algorithms. Other times, they result from manual reports or customer complaints.
What to Expect During a Review
Once your account is flagged for review, Amazon may:
- Restrict Disbursements
Your available funds may be held temporarily while the review is ongoing. This is to ensure that Amazon can cover potential chargebacks, returns, or refunds. - Request Documentation
You may be asked to submit various documents such as invoices, tax ID information, utility bills, or identity verification (e.g., passport, business license). The requested documents will depend on the reason for the review. - Analyse Selling Behaviour
Amazon’s internal team will analyse your account history, customer interactions, listing compliance, fulfillment metrics, and order patterns to identify any violations or red flags. - Review Product Listings
Listings associated with complaints may be removed or temporarily suppressed. Amazon may also scrutinize specific ASINs linked to customer dissatisfaction or IP complaints.
Suspend or Reinstate
At the end of the review, Amazon may decide to either reinstate your account with no further action, require a Plan of Action (POA) if issues are found, or suspend the account if they determine policy violations have occurred.
How Long Does an Account Review Take?
The duration of an account review varies. Some reviews are resolved within 24-48 hours, while others may take several days or weeks, depending on the complexity of the case and the responsiveness of the seller in providing requested information.
An Amazon account review is a serious, but not always fatal event. It’s Amazon’s way of ensuring sellers meet the platform’s high standards. During the review, maintain open communication, respond promptly to requests, and avoid making major account changes. The more prepared and transparent you are, the higher your chances of a favourable outcome.
Need support in Account review? Contact our amazon suspension experts.
