My Amazon Account Was Closed: What Does It Mean and What Should I Do?

“My Amazon account was closed” can describe several different situations in practice. To take the right step, you first need to understand which situation you are in. In this article we explain what “closed” can mean and what to do in the first days.

What can “my account was closed” mean?

• Selling privileges removed (suspension): You can log in to the account but cannot sell. Amazon states the reason in the notice and, if applicable, the documents it asks from you. Most sellers mean this situation when they say “my account was closed”.
• Product or category restriction: Only certain products (ASINs) or a category are closed to sales; the rest of your account is open.
• Account Review: The account is restricted while Amazon's review is ongoing. (Account Review)
• Identity verification problem: A newly opened account failed verification. (Opening suspension)
• Selling privileges permanently removed: In some cases Amazon may notify you that your selling privileges have been permanently removed. In this case the options are limited and the file needs to be reviewed individually.

The text of the email from Amazon and the Account Health screen in Seller Central show which situation you are in. For the general framework, see also What is an Amazon suspension?

What to do first

1. Read the notice from start to finish and keep a screenshot. If the reason and scope (the whole account or specific products) are misread, the appeal ends up addressing the wrong issue.
2. Check the Account Health screen. Note the list of warnings and affected products.
3. Collect documents that fit the reason. Invoices, supplier information, brand authorization documents, tracking records and the like.
4. Identify the root cause honestly and prepare a Plan of Action. See How to write a Plan of Action for details.
5. Check your open orders, inventory and balance. Depending on the account status, these may be affected.

What not to do

• Do not open a new account. An unauthorized second account creates a linking risk and can make it harder to get the existing account back.
• Do not send a hasty, emotional appeal. Accusatory language does not help the outcome.
• Do not send repeated appeals before a reply arrives. A few unprepared attempts usually produce a worse result than one well-prepared appeal.
• Do not submit fake or altered documents. Documents that cannot be verified can make the situation worse.

What happens to my balance?

Depending on the account status, payments may be paused for a while. Note your current balance and the conditions stated in the notice. Recovering the balance left in the account may require a separate process; our Fund Recovery Service supports you with this.

Can a closed account be reopened?

This depends on the type and reason of the closure. In many cases Amazon re-evaluates the appeal when a convincing Plan of Action and supporting documents are submitted; however, every case is different and the outcome cannot be guaranteed. To see how long the process may take, read How long does an Amazon suspension take?

Is your account suspended?

Let us review your situation together. You can browse our suspension services, book a one-to-one session or message us on WhatsApp.