Account deactivated -Due to documentation to Amazon which appears to be forged or manipulated.
I don't know where else to turn. I'm frustrated. I'm also a new seller, so this happening to me right at the beginning is discouraging.
I need feedback or someone from Amazon to tell me what exactly is needed to get my account reactivated. The "call me now" button does not work for me, so I can't speak to anyone live.
I'm going to paste my appeal below which pretty much sums up everything. I went the route of saying, "my account was deactivated in error" However my explanation and all my documentation was denied. They are requesting more information, but I don't know what else to give to them.
Should I just admit to something I didn't do? It looks like if I do that all I need to do is acknowledge I broke policy, understand if I break policy again my account will be deactivated permanently, acknowledge, that I have read, understood, and agree to comply with Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, and a few things like that.
It also states, "To reactivate your selling account, submit the following information:"
*Copies of final invoices or receipts from a new supplier.
*These documents should reflect at least 10 units of inventory.
*Include contact information for your new supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.
*You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible.
MY question is should I go this route or is this a trick and it involves more then just clicking a few boxes and submitting a new invoice from another vendor to get my account reactivated? Just sounds to easy.
Any help guidance would be helpful. Also if anyone knows a contact or how I could speak to someone live it would be super helpful. I already put too much in to this and would hate to lose everything.
This is my explanation I submitted to Amazon and I also submitted documentation to back it up:
Dear Amazon Seller Support,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to address the recent deactivation of my Amazon seller account and to provide a detailed explanation as to why I believe this deactivation should be reversed. I understand that you have found some concerns regarding the authenticity of the documentation I submitted, and I would like to clarify the situation.
Firstly, I would like to address the issue of the documentation provided. I acknowledge that there may have been a misunderstanding regarding the appearance of the documents, and I assure you that no forgery or manipulation was involved. The invoice submitted is indeed genuine and obtained from a reputable vendor, Walgreens, with whom I placed an order online on June 23, 2023.
To ensure clarity I highlighted the essential details required by Amazon, such as the date, order number, units ordered, and seller and buyer information, I used Adobe PDF to make these annotations on the invoice. These annotations were purely intended to facilitate the review process and provide a concise representation of the relevant information. I apologize if this led to any confusion or raised concerns.
Secondly, to be transparent on June 23, 2023, when I placed the order with Walgreens online, I intended to have the items shipped to me. However, later that day I decided to expedite the process and opted to pick up the products personally from one of their retail stores so I could get them out to Amazon immediately with the shipment I was going to start working on. I promptly contacted the vendor to request this change, and they agreed since the order had not yet been dispatched.
Unfortunately, the retail location only had seven units available. Walgreens adjusted my invoice and to fulfill the required quantity of 10 units for Amazon’s ungating process, I had to place an additional order on the same day for the remaining three units. Both orders were picked up on the evening of June 23, 2023, from the vendor’s local retail stores.
To support my explanation, I have attached the updated invoices that clearly indicate the total purchase of 10 units on June 23, 2023. Additionally, I initiated a chat conversation with Walgreens on July 6, 2023, which I have attached. This conversation serves as evidence that I placed the additional order June 23, 2023 and picked up a total of 10 units on the very same day.
Furthermore, I took the initiative to email Walgreens on July 6, 2023, requesting them to resend the updated invoices reflecting the purchase of 10 units. I have attached their response, as well as one of the various invoices used by Walgreens that indicate 10 units were purchased and picked up from them on June 23, 2023. I believe this further demonstrates my commitment to providing accurate and legitimate documentation.
Lastly, during the ungating process on July 2, 2023, I uploaded pictures to Amazon that clearly display 10 units of the product I purchased. These images serve to strengthen my claim, clarify any inconsistencies, and prove that I genuinely purchased 10 units on June 23, 2023, without any need to fabricate documentation.
I firmly believe that these explanations and supporting evidence should sufficiently address the concerns raised and demonstrate my compliance with Amazon’s policies. I remain fully committed to complying with Amazon's policies and guidelines and kindly request that you carefully review the provided information and consider reinstating my Amazon seller account.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I am available for any further inquiries or clarifications you may require. I look forward to your prompt response and the possibility of resuming my business on Amazon.
PG
Account deactivated -Due to documentation to Amazon which appears to be forged or manipulated.
I don't know where else to turn. I'm frustrated. I'm also a new seller, so this happening to me right at the beginning is discouraging.
I need feedback or someone from Amazon to tell me what exactly is needed to get my account reactivated. The "call me now" button does not work for me, so I can't speak to anyone live.
I'm going to paste my appeal below which pretty much sums up everything. I went the route of saying, "my account was deactivated in error" However my explanation and all my documentation was denied. They are requesting more information, but I don't know what else to give to them.
Should I just admit to something I didn't do? It looks like if I do that all I need to do is acknowledge I broke policy, understand if I break policy again my account will be deactivated permanently, acknowledge, that I have read, understood, and agree to comply with Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, and a few things like that.
It also states, "To reactivate your selling account, submit the following information:"
*Copies of final invoices or receipts from a new supplier.
*These documents should reflect at least 10 units of inventory.
*Include contact information for your new supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.
*You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible.
MY question is should I go this route or is this a trick and it involves more then just clicking a few boxes and submitting a new invoice from another vendor to get my account reactivated? Just sounds to easy.
Any help guidance would be helpful. Also if anyone knows a contact or how I could speak to someone live it would be super helpful. I already put too much in to this and would hate to lose everything.
This is my explanation I submitted to Amazon and I also submitted documentation to back it up:
Dear Amazon Seller Support,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to address the recent deactivation of my Amazon seller account and to provide a detailed explanation as to why I believe this deactivation should be reversed. I understand that you have found some concerns regarding the authenticity of the documentation I submitted, and I would like to clarify the situation.
Firstly, I would like to address the issue of the documentation provided. I acknowledge that there may have been a misunderstanding regarding the appearance of the documents, and I assure you that no forgery or manipulation was involved. The invoice submitted is indeed genuine and obtained from a reputable vendor, Walgreens, with whom I placed an order online on June 23, 2023.
To ensure clarity I highlighted the essential details required by Amazon, such as the date, order number, units ordered, and seller and buyer information, I used Adobe PDF to make these annotations on the invoice. These annotations were purely intended to facilitate the review process and provide a concise representation of the relevant information. I apologize if this led to any confusion or raised concerns.
Secondly, to be transparent on June 23, 2023, when I placed the order with Walgreens online, I intended to have the items shipped to me. However, later that day I decided to expedite the process and opted to pick up the products personally from one of their retail stores so I could get them out to Amazon immediately with the shipment I was going to start working on. I promptly contacted the vendor to request this change, and they agreed since the order had not yet been dispatched.
Unfortunately, the retail location only had seven units available. Walgreens adjusted my invoice and to fulfill the required quantity of 10 units for Amazon’s ungating process, I had to place an additional order on the same day for the remaining three units. Both orders were picked up on the evening of June 23, 2023, from the vendor’s local retail stores.
To support my explanation, I have attached the updated invoices that clearly indicate the total purchase of 10 units on June 23, 2023. Additionally, I initiated a chat conversation with Walgreens on July 6, 2023, which I have attached. This conversation serves as evidence that I placed the additional order June 23, 2023 and picked up a total of 10 units on the very same day.
Furthermore, I took the initiative to email Walgreens on July 6, 2023, requesting them to resend the updated invoices reflecting the purchase of 10 units. I have attached their response, as well as one of the various invoices used by Walgreens that indicate 10 units were purchased and picked up from them on June 23, 2023. I believe this further demonstrates my commitment to providing accurate and legitimate documentation.
Lastly, during the ungating process on July 2, 2023, I uploaded pictures to Amazon that clearly display 10 units of the product I purchased. These images serve to strengthen my claim, clarify any inconsistencies, and prove that I genuinely purchased 10 units on June 23, 2023, without any need to fabricate documentation.
I firmly believe that these explanations and supporting evidence should sufficiently address the concerns raised and demonstrate my compliance with Amazon’s policies. I remain fully committed to complying with Amazon's policies and guidelines and kindly request that you carefully review the provided information and consider reinstating my Amazon seller account.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I am available for any further inquiries or clarifications you may require. I look forward to your prompt response and the possibility of resuming my business on Amazon.
PG
16 replies
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
Find the suspension notice and POST THAT but remove all personal information first.
Anyone answering will need to see what wording they used and what they are asking for.
Since you mention it, I have to guess that you used a Virtual Assistant and they 'helped' you with paperwork and forged documents, right?
Also, for appeals (I'm NOT reading that novella) SHORT sentences, BULLET POINTS, small words for foreign speakers to understand across multiple languages.
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
This is way too long, but your first point was that you purchased online from a retailer. Walgreens is not going to give you an invoice, you will get a receipt. Your purchased items online as a consumer. If you do not have written consent from Walgreens as a legit vendor for any of the items you purchased (assuming the item(s) were branded), then you are out of luck.
Seller_aWrza8YvWVgM1
You should have received a message from Amazon explaining what you need to do to get your account reactivated. You can find this message under your Performance Notifications.
Buying from retail stores and selling on Amazon is not going to work You have a receipt, not an invoice.
You need to go thru Seller University to understand what Amazon expects from you as a seller.
If you have a Professional Account, I would go ahead and downgrade so you dont have to spend the $39.99/mo while you are figuring out if Amazon is going to be a viable platform for you and your business.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
Additional reply after reading this far "The invoice submitted is indeed genuine and obtained from a reputable vendor, Walgreens, with whom I placed an order online on June 23, 2023"
1. You do NOT have an INVOICE. You have a RECEIPT from a RETAIL STORE.
The SHORT answer is that you tried RA and the Amazon policy is as follows:
DOING RA IS NOT PERMITTED ON AMAZON. PERIOD,
Now, IF you ever get an account back (which is NOT likely) here is what you missed when you jumped in the river --
Since you appear to be brand new, I will expand and give you my freshman, Amazon Rookie lecture. Please read it.
You are confusing AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
You really need to go study Seller U instead of TikTok and YouTube before your account gets kicked to the curb permanently.
Since you don't appear to have done that PLEASE pay attention to the following:
The first question is -- Are you authorized IN WRITING by the BRAND to sell their items on Amazon? That means from the BRAND, not some random wholesale source that can NOT authorize anything – they only SELL.
More and more brands have provided a "whitelist" of their approved sellers and if YOU are NOT on the list you will be stopped in your tracks and probably hit with an IP violation.
The second (and probably more important) question is -- Where are you sourcing your products? Are you buying direct from the brand or through an AUTHORIZED wholesale source?
NOTE – DOING RA IS NOT PERMITTED ON AMAZON. PERIOD
There are a LOT of FAKE wholesalers out there ranging from places like Sam's Club, Costco, BJs Wholesale and others to all those Gray market providers touted on TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and other places. AND there are places like Ali#$#$ that sell counterfeits and knockoffs.
Any of the guys mentioned have resulted in so many account suspensions that it is impossible to count the number.
When Amazon says in Seller U to use an Authorized Reseller they mean an AUTHORIZED (by the BRAND) Wholesale Distributor – NOT some random wholesale distributor that has “thousands of brands” in stock but is NOT authorized by the brand.
Here is an Amazon MOD response to another post with similar issues. I share this because a FEW people don’t believe in needing permission to sell from the BRAND.
“Hello @Photo1,
My name is Dougal from the Community Manager Team. This can be a difficult topic to navigate so I appreciate you posting here in case others have the same or a similar question.
Thanks to @NEVERLAST and @Brigittefor providing assistance and I don't have much more to add other than restating that you need the Brand Owner's approval to sell their brand. I also want to provide you the help page on why a letter of authorization is needed and what should be included in it: Letter of Authorization.
Hope this helps and please let us know if you have any other questions.
Best,
Dougal”
NOTE -- I AM NOT DOUGAL. I am quoting what he responded to on a different post regarding the same type issue.
Seller_MyXY4Myx9zVcR
Walgreens is a retailer. You received a receipt, not an invoice.
You need written permission from the manufacturer of the brand of items you are selling, also known as a letter of authorization, saying, among other things, that the brand is allowing you to sell on Amazon.
Stevie_Amazon
Greetings @Taurusworks
I went the route of saying, "my account was deactivated in error" However my explanation and all my documentation was denied. They are requesting more information, but I don't know what else to give to them.
I hope this finds you well! I understand you need some assistance in reactivating your account and you have provided dispute information. I would like to provide some helpful resources here to assist while you are reactivating your account.
I would like to address the issue of the documentation provided. I acknowledge that there may have been a misunderstanding regarding the appearance of the documents, and I assure you that no forgery or manipulation was involved. The invoice submitted is indeed genuine and obtained from a reputable vendor, Walgreens, with whom I placed an order online on June 23, 2023.
With this information, this conveys your account was deactivated for submitting something that was questionable, looked to be manipulated, or possible an inauthentic document. Is this correct?
Walgreens adjusted my invoice and to fulfill the required quantity of 10 units for Amazon’s ungating process,
Was the adjustment made after you already submitted your receipt from them once?
I ask these questions in order to better understand the situation that led to the deactivation of your account. From what you have already posted, there has been a violation of the brand name policy and the business solutions agreement.
@NEVERLAST @TVOI50 @SmallThings have great points here. If you could please provide the original notification you received, it would enable the forums community and myself to better assist here.
I look forward to your reply,
Stevie
Seller_jkU8bO7JaRC6A
As you wrote....
"Should I just admit to something I didn't do? It looks like if I do that all I need to do is acknowledge I broke policy, understand if I break policy again my account will be deactivated permanently, acknowledge, that I have read, understood, and agree to comply with Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, and a few things like that."
.... you have to admit, apologize, ask for forgiveness, and promise to never do it again, to what they say you did no matter the reality of the situation. The truth doesn't matter to them as they are not capable of discerning it. They also don't know an invoice when they see it. I submitted invoices from our open vendor accounts and they rejected them because they didn't have paid stamps on them like a retail receipt would have. Idiocy. We have been through this twice including a customer return fraud instance where rather than seeing the truth of how the customer stole our item and returned destroyed garbage to us, they deactivated us for selling used as new instead. I wrote a truthful appeal with all required documentation and pictures explaining how their action was an error and none of that mattered in the least.
Even worse than that first experience, the next one wasn't resolved until I wrote a last ditch appeal to the CEO of amazon. None of the responses, letters, appeals that they advised us to submit worked. Nothing was accepted. It was all a total exercise in futility. 4 months, and millions is sales lost. Apparently, there is no one on the other end with critical thinking ability, or at least the power to exercise it, other than the CEO.
Good luck to you. Hopefully, the Maya-culpa approach will work for you.
Seller_WtOwWhtSrFjva
Your first mistake was ordering from Walgreens on line. You are not authorized to sell these products.
Your appeal is way to long. I went to asleep just reading it. You are also treating the CSA like they are stupid. You are the one who is not so smart. You did not take the time to read and understand the rules.
Seller_X22lAr6MYYCHO
All of this. They tell you exactly what to send them. You can't send something from another vendor because the date has to be before you placed your products on the listing. Provide the original receipts for 10 items, even if on two different receipts. Actually copy and paste their words in your response and then respond. I think you should be able to get this solved. Good luck.
Should I just admit to something I didn't do? It looks like if I do that all I need to do is acknowledge I broke policy, understand if I break policy again my account will be deactivated permanently, acknowledge, that I have read, understood, and agree to comply with Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, and a few things like that.
It also states, "To reactivate your selling account, submit the following information:"
*Copies of final invoices or receipts from a new supplier.
*These documents should reflect at least 10 units of inventory.
*Include contact information for your new supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.
*You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible.
