What To Do When Amazon Delists Your Product

Amazon sales are rising year after year, and operating under the helm of the eCommerce giant continues to offer lucrative potential for retail sellers. According to Statista, third-party sellers facilitated 55% of Amazon purchases in the first quarter of 2021.

But these profits can slow to a halt if your store’s products get delisted on Amazon. Knowing what to do when Amazon delists your product can limit gaps in your revenue and maintain your store’s momentum on the world’s largest retail exchange.

Why Does Amazon Delist Products?

Access to Amazon’s marketplace requires compliance with its Seller Agreement. These terms include general policies and conditions -- but they also give Amazon control over its sellers’ inventories. If Amazon suspects your store violates its terms, you risk having products delisted on the platform. 

According to sellers, Amazon delisted products in their stores because of issues like: 

• Order defects
• Fulfillment errors or delays
• High rates of pre-fulfillment order cancellation 
• Complaints regarding product authenticity
• Copycats selling counterfeit products or competitors attacking with false reviews
• Concerns about product condition, like used or damaged products sold as new
• Restricted Product flags caused by innocent terminology within a listing
  
  

Why Delisting Errors Happen

Ultimately, Amazon’s policies are in place to protect its customers -- and it takes this responsibility seriously. But because of the sheer size of the marketplace, the company often takes a conservative approach to managing customer experience. This means that products can get flagged for almost any perceived violation of Seller Agreement terms. For example, if a customer logs a complaint about an item’s quality, Amazon may delist it until its service team can get more information about the issue. 

This process allows sellers to add context to the problem, like if a complaint is due to a customer’s error or conflicting expectations, while also shielding both the store and Amazon itself against additional complaints until an issue gets resolved. However, that security can come at the cost of revenue.

How To Get Your Delisted Product Back Online

If Amazon delisted your product in error, there are steps you can take to reinstate your selling privileges. Generally, sellers will receive an email notifying them that their product is being delisted on Amazon. This notice should offer details regarding your potential policy violation and instructions for disputing any action taken against your store, such as:

• Explaining the cause of the issue
• Identifying what actions you’ve taken to resolve the issue
• Laying out steps to prevent the issue from occurring again 
  
  

It should also contain instructions on how to visit your account health dashboard and use the "Call Me Now" button to get in touch with Amazon. It's important to respond to this notice promptly so you can demonstrate the steps you're taking to rectify the problem. The sooner you do this, the sooner Amazon will get your product back online.

Avoid Getting Delisted on Amazon 

Your plan of action to overcome a product delisting should reinforce your commitment to Amazon’s Seller Agreement and its product quality process. This starts with prioritizing best practices that can prevent products from coming under scrutiny. Here are some steps you can take:

• Monitor your performance targets
• Respond quickly to buyer messages
• Review listings for accuracy and compliance
• Delete or archive out-of-date listings
• Create a plan of action for your appeal
  
  

Still, as your Amazon-based business grows and becomes more successful, it can be a hassle to keep up with all those moving parts. It can also mean that having products delisted takes a greater toll. 

Selling your FBA business can be the most efficient way to capitalize on your efforts -- without the stress of meeting Amazon’s lofty seller expectations. Get in touch with our team at Boosted Commerce to see if your business is eligible.