Letter of Authorization From Walmart?
I received an email from Amazon. The subject line read "Your Seller Account"
After reading, I realized my seller account was now subject to a Section 3 Review. The reason is stated below...
"your account or related account may have been used to engage in deceptive or illegal activities that harm customers and our store"
To make a long story short, I spoke with the nice people at Amazon Account Health. As required, I scheduled an appointment for my video ID verification and was then asked to submit documents to verify my chain of custody.
These are the ASINs in question
ASIN(s): B0031U5MUY, B06XPQ4FMC
Brand(s): (Pentair) and (The Pioneer Woman Walmart)
The funds in my account are now being withheld and Amazon threatens to dispose of $3000 worth of my FBA inventory unless I submit letters of authorization from Walmart and Pentair, I'm hopeful that I can get a letter from Pentair but does anyone have knowledge of Walmart providing a Letter of Authorization? If so, how would I go about getting one from Walmart?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Letter of Authorization From Walmart?
I received an email from Amazon. The subject line read "Your Seller Account"
After reading, I realized my seller account was now subject to a Section 3 Review. The reason is stated below...
"your account or related account may have been used to engage in deceptive or illegal activities that harm customers and our store"
To make a long story short, I spoke with the nice people at Amazon Account Health. As required, I scheduled an appointment for my video ID verification and was then asked to submit documents to verify my chain of custody.
These are the ASINs in question
ASIN(s): B0031U5MUY, B06XPQ4FMC
Brand(s): (Pentair) and (The Pioneer Woman Walmart)
The funds in my account are now being withheld and Amazon threatens to dispose of $3000 worth of my FBA inventory unless I submit letters of authorization from Walmart and Pentair, I'm hopeful that I can get a letter from Pentair but does anyone have knowledge of Walmart providing a Letter of Authorization? If so, how would I go about getting one from Walmart?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
8 replies
Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6bl
You need to go through Seller University and pay special attention to sourcing.
Walmart is not an acceptable source. Amazon wants wholesale invoices. They may not always demand to see a letter of authorization, but when they do it must be from the brand itself -- not from a distributor and certainly not from a retailer.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
"Amazon threatens to dispose of $3000 worth of my FBA inventory unless I submit letters of authorization from Walmart and Pentair, "
@Seller_Hi7wbO2Kbo6blgave you the short version.
My template is a bit longer but any rookies out there reading your post need to pay attention --
THE AMAZON TWO STEP -- A NEW DANCE FOR SELLERS
More and more frequently Amazon is taking a TWO STEP approach and you are probably caught with not doing one of the steps (or either one!)
You are likely confusing AMAZON allowing you to list (or at least "ungate") an item or category and actually being APPROVED to sell a product. Amazon may have ungated you for a CATEGORY but there can be 100's of brands in the category and they ALL have their own restrictions.
AMAZON is only interested in FEES. They will allow a chimpanzee to list if it means they collect $$$$$.
Additionally, brands that you COULD sell yesterday may be restricted today or next week. Amazon is a moving target to deal with.
DO YOU have an LOA from the brand allowing you to sell on here?
If you have an LOA that specifically says you can sell on Amazon you MIGHT survive this. Is it POSSIBLE that the brand has sent Amazon a "whitelist" of approved sellers and did not have you on it? Contact your sales rep at the BRAND(S) involved and ask about their whitelist. (You DO have a rep at the brands, don't you?)
More and more brands are providing such 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.
I had one of my brands stop me because they CHANGED the company they hired to screen sellers. The NEW screener did not recognize my Amazon store name because I do all my purchases under a different LLC. It took a couple weeks to get straightened out and no problems since then.
DID YOU source from AUTHORIZED wholesale sources that your rep at the brand says are OK?
NOTE the verification is required from the brand that the source is legitimate and authorized, NOT from one of those touted on TikTok and YouTube as having "thousands of brands and products" that assures you that they are authorized.
If you have watched any YouTube or TikTok videos FORGET everything you saw there.
Spend hours/days on Seller U and read the Forum to see all the really creative ways rookies and experienced sellers find to get suspended by ignoring the advice above!
https://sell.amazon.com/learn
As for the "$3000 worth of my FBA inventory" , kiss it goodbye because you are NOT going to get it back.
You have no chain of custody and no proof of authenticity.
HINT #1 -- VACATION MODE -- NOW!
HINT #2 -- SELLER U -- NOW!
https://sell.amazon.com/learn
HINT #3 -- Start writing your "please help with my Section 3 suspension' letter NOW. It will save you time when you get it.
Pay attention to this recent story in the Amazon 'news' from September 25, 2024.
Sellers were given a 5 day warning that this was being put in place. Sellers have posted that LOAs are required in Europe, so you can see the handwriting on the walls -- this is coming for EVERYTHING on Amazon eventually!
"Updates to listing products with compliance requirements, effective September 30, 2024"
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/headlines.html?id=GTF566XNEPCPXKDM&ref=nslp_at_6_GTF566XNEPCPXKDM_en-US_ttl_rf_recent_news_7
