Selling on Giants: Amazon Account Threats and How to Prevent Them with John Cavendish

In this episode of Selling on Giants, we dive into Amazon account health with John Cavendish, CEO of Seller Candy. 

From unexpected suspensions to policy violations, we cover what you NEED to know to keep your account safe!

Key Takeaways:
✅ Know Your Metrics – Monitor shipment times, defect rates & customer feedback 
✅ Avoid Suspensions – Stay compliant with Amazon’s policies & address reviews proactively 
✅ Fix Issues Fast – Use John’s 3-step process for quick listing reinstatement 
✅ Think Long-Term – Build a strong foundation to prevent future account health risks 

Maintaining Amazon Account Health

• Account health is crucial for Amazon sellers as it affects business operations and profitability. Key metrics for account health include shipment times, customer feedback, defect rates, and the voice of the customer.
• Consistently monitoring these KPIs through the account health dashboard helps sellers catch potential issues early before they escalate.
• Common causes of account suspension include policy violations (such as unauthorized drop shipping), poor customer reviews, and high return rates. Sellers must ensure compliance with Amazon guidelines, proactively address customer feedback, and maintain clean product listings to avoid suspensions.
• A three-step process for reinstating suspended listings: open a case to document the issue, sanitize the listing using the category listing report, and only escalate once the underlying issues are resolved. This method helps shorten resolution times significantly.

Common Threats to Amazon Account Health

• Amazon account health can decline due to various factors, leading to potential account suspensions, listing suppression, and negative impacts on business continuity.
• The deterioration of account health can lead to long-term consequences, with suspension being the worst-case scenario, though sellers might also experience suppressed listings and loss of business opportunities.

Prevention Strategies for Account Suspension

• Sellers should avoid any activity that violates Amazon's Terms of Service, such as unauthorized drop shipping, which can trigger account suspensions.
• Ensuring product quality and managing customer feedback are key components; issues like high return rates and negative reviews can also impact account and product statuses.
• Sellers need to monitor their metrics closely, especially if they deal with multiple brands, as complaints from any one brand could affect their overall account health.
• Proactively checking the voice of the customer and ensuring compliance with Amazon guidelines can minimize risks associated with account health.

Best Practices for Resolving Account Health Issues

• Documentation is critical when navigating account health issues. Organized records of compliance documents, product specifications, and interactions with Amazon can streamline the resolution process.
• A systematic approach for handling product suppression: first, obtain a case number from seller support, then enable the category listing report to sanitize listings, and finally, follow up persistently to achieve resolution.
• Utilizing case management efficiently can shorten response and resolution times—especially in time-consuming cases of listing suppression.
• Continuous communication and establishing effective documentation practices are essential to tackle challenges presented by Amazon Seller Support.

Want to keep your Amazon business running smoothly? 
Listen to the full episode now!