How to Avoid Suspensions on Amazon, Part II
To keep growing your Amazon business, you must pay attention to your account health. This requires discipline and intention, as Seller Performance is constantly monitoring all sellers. As a successful Amazon seller and adviser in this game, I want to give you the best possible advice I can from my experience so you can avoid interruptions and setbacks.
Here are a few quick tips when it comes to INVOICES that will help you avoid suspension:
Make certain the information on your invoices matches the information on your seller account. Attention to detail is key here. If your address on file in your seller dashboard does not exactly match your invoices, Amazon could reject your invoices when you use them to appeal. What does this mean? Do not use your warehouse address with sourcing vendors if your office address is what is listed in Seller Central. This also means every period, dash, abbreviation, and even your middle name (or lack thereof) should match exactly between the two. A little extra effort to make certain every jot and tittle is accounted for could save you hours of hassle later on down the road! If you need more help with invoices or you aren’t sure if you’re doing it right, I created a helpful tip sheet you can find here. It walks you through what to do and how to do it. You have to be systematic in your approach to invoices.
When purchasing, use the card on file in your seller account whenever possible. Many sellers have employees who make purchases on behalf of the business. While this isn’t a problem in and of itself, it can be a source of problems when you aren’t using the card that is on file in your Amazon account. It’s a lot easier on sellers to use one card for all purchases because attempting to explain to Seller Performance that your employee used a card that is not on file (or easily traced back to you) can be a headache.
Develop a system to quickly locate invoices. This may seem obvious, but I’ve seen many sellers with account issues who have never taken the time do this. The likelihood of Amazon asking for invoices at some point in the future is high, so you should plan for it. Keep invoices dating back at least one calendar year, and keep them in an organized file where you can quickly and easily find them. I remember one call in particular when a seller received a Performance Notification while he was on vacation. He didn’t have anybody left behind in the office and he was really the only one who could find a receipt or invoice in his disorganized system anyway. He had no way to comply by providing a response within 48 hours because he couldn’t supply the invoice they were requesting. Don’t get stuck in this type of situation.
If Amazon asks to see your invoices, notate them by hand. Never digitally alter an invoice, as it is one of the surest ways to get them rejected. Circle your business address and clearly mark this as your company. With your supplier information, clearly identify it as well. Note the ASIN in question, circle it, then write the ASIN next to it. Use a legible pen.
A little planning can save you hours of time, and potentially, hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in lost revenue. The healthiest Amazon accounts practice prevention with intention! If you need assistance with your Plan of Action or any other account health related issues, please contact me. We have a ninety-five percent success rate with POA submissions!
