A Strategic Guide to Amazon Appeals During Peak Sales Events

What should you do if you experience an Amazon suspension right before Prime Day or another major sales event? Chris McCabe shares his expertise on emergency Amazon appeals in this guest article.

No one wants to cope with a suspension during Prime Day, Amazon’s mid-year sales boost.

Most brand owners feel the exact same type of pressure to rectify ASIN or account takedowns as they would in Q4 – and some of that angst could lead to appeals errors which may undermine their chances of reinstatement.

If Amazon suspends your top-selling product ASIN or, even worse, the entire account right before Prime Day hits, a natural if hasty reaction is to start submitting a Plan of Action (POA) whether or not it’s been asked for, or whether or not you have the right info to go into it.

Typically, any rushed appeal results in a rejection, with Amazon telling you that you haven’t submitted “sufficient information” to reactivate the ASIN or account, without offering any degree of detail as to why. Remember, Amazon only needs one solid reason to deny an appeal, and a poorly written document provides easy opportunities for it to do so.

Since that mistake is pretty common among all of our potential clients, and since this could happen to just about anyone, I’m offering tips on how to manage emergency appeals during Prime Day and other peak sales seasons. Keep reading to learn more.

Appealing Amazon Suspension During Prime Day or Q4

Major selling events like Prime Day or Q4 can turn your Amazon appeal into an emergency for your business. Here's what you should know:

1. Understand the Common Causes

Prime Day may exacerbate typical causes for account suspensions, including sudden spikes in order volume, increases in quantities of buyer complaints, and intensified scrutiny of compliance violations. Knowing these triggers can help you proactively mitigate risks or even craft appeals early if you’ve had past problems. Being prepared is essential here.

According to Amazon's policy page, common suspensions include policy violations, poor performance metrics, and issues with product authenticity.

2. Be Ready to Submit an Amazon Appeal Plan of Action (POA)

A compelling POA is the cornerstone of a successful appeal – IF Amazon requires one and specifically requests it.

If you’re only going to resolve the matter by submitting an appeal that has a POA, it should clearly identify and analyze each root cause of the suspension. This means not just telling a story about “what went wrong” – that’s not enough.

Outline specifically what operational oversights or failures occurred, and at what level. When you lay out the corrective actions then implemented, demonstrate how you’ve executed these solutions and explain why and how they’ll work. Be thorough when you explain how you’ve addressed it because otherwise, Amazon won’t be convinced that it won’t happen again. If that's the case, your POA will be denied.

3. Write Unique, Custom Content! No Templates!

Amazon's Seller Performance Team reviews appeals and looks for specific actions taken to rectify problems and/or proof of compliance with Amazon's policies.

When your account or ASIN is suspended, focus on presenting a concise, factual, and solution-oriented appeal. If you cite a highlight reel of the three top measures you’ve taken to rectify the situation and prevent a recurrence, use bulleted points that are unambiguous – if your info fails to address the real reasons for Amazon’s action, the team won’t bother reading it.

4. Only Escalate an Amazon Appeal for a Good Reason

Not all escalations are created equal. Avoid the temptation to spam Amazon senior management with “help us” emails that don’t add value, and that all sound and look like each other. Instead, be strategic by requesting a review from a senior investigator or Seller Performance manager. If you’re emailing an Amazon exec, ask for a “direct report” to do it.

This can help ensure that your revised appeal receives the attention it deserves without being dismissed summarily.

Refer to Amazon's escalation process to understand when and how to properly escalate an appeal. Escalating isn’t the same as it was in previous years. It’s a moving target.

Consider using an approach like:

“Dear Amazon Marketplace Management,

We ask that you confirm the receipt of our appeal, as we have received no update on the progress of our account reinstatement.

We are losing $$ per day that this continues and have completed all procedures as designated by your teams, without seeing any sign that our appeal will be responded to in days, not weeks. We’d like to escalate this to a manager or executive seller relations team lead for further action. Thank you.”

Include the highlights of the proactive measures you’ve implemented, showing how they are already working well and have demonstrated improvement.

5. Documentation and Proof

No appeal that lacks a strong supply chain or compliance documentation will succeed. Provide clear evidence of your supplier’s website and proof that they manufacture the types of items you sell, ideally with examples of such items on the site itself. Accurate and detailed documentation backs up your appeal and reassures Amazon that you are committed to maintaining a high standard of operations.

Ensure all documentation adheres to Amazon's invoice requirements and includes necessary details like supplier information, product descriptions, and quantities.

Need More Help?

Involve someone who knows this stuff, backward and forwards. Don’t hire a dabbler or occasional visitor to the Amazon appeals strategy space. If a suspension event occurs just before, or during, Prime Day, you don’t have time to risk that.

Steer clear of common mistakes like copying and pasting generic appeal templates or overloading your appeal with unnecessary information. Each Amazon appeal should be tailored to the specific situation, focusing on the most relevant details. Ensure your appeal is well-organized and easy to read, as clarity can significantly impact its effectiveness.

Amazon emphasizes the importance of customizing your appeal to address specific issues and ensuring that all information is relevant and clearly presented.

If you're unsure about your appeal status or even the whole escalation process, investing in expert help is a solid decision.

Emergency listing or account suspensions that occur anytime around or during Prime Day require a blend of preparedness, strategic thinking, and clear communication. By following these tips, you can protect your business during Prime Day, while maximizing sales opportunities and minimizing risks. A perfect balance makes each peak sales period easier!