This was the remainder of this conversation as I feel that I should contribute to the community to show what Amazon Seller Performance Team could expect from you without you even knowing it.

For instance, I believe that they may well have accepted the POA that I sent in the first instance and only wanting to see the invoices (as the ones that I submitted originally did not conform to Amazon’s standards - clearly my fault) but the fact that each and every of their email requested an plan of action potentially duplication work that was never needed in the first place - Any views???

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Dear Seller Performance Team,

Many thanks for your email.

I understand that Amazon takes complaints about inauthenticity very seriously and I would like to share with you an updated plan of action with greater details as requested.

UPDATED PLAN OF ACTION

– What caused the complaints

We have carefully reviewed our seller account, all orders received for ASIN B01N4CBN4W, ASIN B079Z9PXWF and ASIN B07C11SB2T, reviewed our account health, read all seller feedbacks, product reviews, returns, and A-to-Z claims and we have determined that the complaints were caused because of the following reasons:

For ASIN B01N4CBN4W – Lack of manufacturer packaging when item was sent to customer which led the buyer to believe that the product was inauthentic. We sold a travel sized product which came as part of a free giftset from Estee Lauder. The product should not have been listed on Amazon as “NEW” but in fact it should have been listed as “Used – Like NEW”. This was our fault because we didn’t review listings properly and take full responsibility.

For ASIN B079Z9PXWF – Customer felt that the item purchased wasn’t genuine due to poor quality packaging.

Our listings did not include sufficient information about our products to confirm authenticity of those products to buyers.

– What has been done to resolve the complaints

We have deleted ASIN B01N4CBN4W and ASIN B079Z9PXWF along with additional ASINs that don’t conform to Amazon policies.

We have refunded all affected buyers that were unhappy with their products. We have also made contact with the buyer via Amazon message to alleviate their concern.

We have implemented a policy to only stock those products that are fit for resale. Our internal inventory management software has been restricted so that employees are not able to add new inventory unless it has been authorised by the director or a supervisor.

We have devised a very strict written policy which dictates that we would never sell free gifts which we have received from suppliers. In fact, we shall pass this on to the customer who make eligible purchases.

We have changed our packaging procedure, so products are always dispatched in their original packaging in a corrugated cardboard.

We have audited our inventory in the warehouse and have identified free gifts that we will refrain from listing on Amazon for sale anymore. We have also identified products with damage to the outer manufacturer packaging which we have discarded and updated our inventory accordingly.

We have implemented quality control at every step in the warehouse: receiving merchandise, shelving, and prior to shipping out to customers to check for inconsistencies between listing and actual product.

We have trained our internal customer service team to better address customer inauthentic/safety concerns by email.

– What will we do to prevent complaints in the future

We shall ensure that product listings match that of the actual product that is delivered to the customer. All listings will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Account health will also be viewed regularly and any violations will be addressed within 48 hours of it being raised.

We will never sell as NEW products that we have received as free gifts from our supplier. We shall ensure that such gifts are passed on to customers with eligible purchases.

We have trained our customer service department to understand and identify customers concerns at the very beginning and alleviate those concerns by either offering a no quibble refund or to explain the to them the process of return. All returns will be swiftly processed.

We shall ensure that all products are purchased directly from manufacturer and their local distributors to ensure that they conform to Amazon’s strict standards in order to avoid future complaints.

I trust the updated plan of action sufficiently address the issue and I am looking forward to have my seller account reinstated however please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information.

Yours faithfully,

I then received the following email from Amazon

Dear ,

Your Amazon Seller account has been temporarily deactivated and your listings are no longer active. Funds will not be transferred to you but will be held in your account while we work with you to address the following issue.

Why is this happening?

You have not sent us the information we requested in order to address the complaints we received about the authenticity of the items listed at the end of this email. In order to ensure that customers can shop with confidence on Amazon, we take “inauthentic” complaints seriously. The sale of counterfeit products on Amazon is strictly prohibited. You can learn more about Amazon’s policies regarding the sale of counterfeit items in Seller Central Help:

– Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting Policy (https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/201165970)

– Policies and Agreements (https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/521)

How do I reactivate my account?

To reactivate your account, please send us the following information:

1. Copies of invoices or receipts from your supplier issued in the last 365 days for the ASINs listed below

–These documents should reflect your sales volume during the last 365 days.

–Please include contact information for your supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.

–You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASIN(s) under review.

2. A plan of action that explains:

– The root cause(s) that led to the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– The actions you have taken to resolve the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– The steps you have taken to prevent future complaints about the authenticity of your items.

Here are a few things to consider as you create your plan:

–Sourcing: Are you sourcing the product from a trusted supplier?

–Listing: Is the product accurately described on Amazon? Have you ensured that there is no ambiguity and the customer is well informed?

–Packaging: Is the product in its original packaging as listed on Amazon?

– Shipping: Have you taken all appropriate steps and quality checks to ensure that the product is stored, packed, and shipped appropriately?

–Review your communications from buyers to better understand the issues.

–Be as specific as possible in your plan.

–Do not limit your plan to issues with specific orders.

You can only send .pdf, .jpg, .png, or .gif files. These documents must be authentic and unaltered.

How do I send the required information?

Please submit this information by clicking the Appeal button next to this message on the Performance Notifications page in Seller Central (https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-experience/perf-notifications.html).

What happens if I do not send the requested information?

If we do not receive the requested information within 17 days, or after two unsuccessful appeals (whichever occurs sooner), your account will be permanently deactivated. Failure to successfully appeal this decision may result in funds being withheld and any FBA inventory of the items that caused “inauthentic” complaints in Amazon European fulfillment centers may be destroyed at your expense.

We’re here to help

The Account Health Support team is available 7 days a week to address your concerns in detail. To request a call from the Account Health Support team between 09:00 – 17:00 (UK) use this link: {Moderator Edit (Jessica) Link removed} or between 9:00 to 5:00 China Standard Time use this link: {Moderator Edit (Jessica) Link removed}. Additionally, please find assistance creating a plan of action at (https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/201623610). You can see your balance and settlement information in the Payments section of Seller Central. If you have questions about those, please write to payments-funds@amazon.co.uk.

You can view your account performance at (https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/performance/dashboard?ref=ah_em_pq) or select Account Health on the home screen of the Amazon Seller app on your iOS or Android device. Your Account Health shows how well your account is performing against the performance metrics and policies required to sell on Amazon.

– Download iOS App at (https://itunes.apple.com/uk/app/amazon-seller/id794141485)

– Download Android App at (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.sellermobile.android&hl)

Complaint type: INAUTHENTIC

ASIN: B01N4CBN4W

ASIN: B079Z9PXWF

Sincerely,

Seller Performance Team

I then appealed against this decision and submitted the invoices again along with a new plan of action with invoices again for the above 2 ASINS.

The root cause of the issue

1. The product was sent to the customer without the original packaging which led the customer to believe that the product was inauthentic.
2. Our account was restricted because customers questioned the authenticity of the products, they received from us.
3. We feel the complaints came from customers getting items that didn’t match the listing – title, product description, pictures, and specifically packaging.
4. We listed an item for sale which came as part of the free gift set from our supplier
5. This was our fault because we didn’t review listings properly and take full responsibility.

The supplier’s details are as follows:

XXXXXXXX

The actions that you have taken to resolve the issue

1. We have deleted the listing for this ASIN as well as all other ASINs that came as free travel size gifts from suppliers.
2. We have updated our policy to ensure that free gifts received from suppliers should never enter our inventory.
3. We have updated our policy to customers a no quibble refund if they suspect an item to be inauthentic.
4. We have reviewed our suppliers to ensure that their supply chain adhere to Amazon’s policies.
5. We have reviewed all our listings to make sure they are correct.
6. We have formulated a policy to regularly review our account health (everyday) and address any complaints that have been received immediately.

The steps that you have taken to prevent the issue going forward

1. We shall ensure that product listings match that of the actual product that is delivered to the customer.
2. We have trained our staff to ensure that no free gift sets are listed to ensure no further complaints are received…
3. We have implemented strict quality control at every step in the warehouse: from receiving merchandise, shelving, and prior to shipping out to customers.
4. We have updated our process to check all our listings regularly on Amazon to ensure the information is accurate and up to date: product title, description, pictures.
5. Corrugated cardboard containers with crush proof packing materials are used when shipped to protect box contents.
6. We have trained our customer service department to understand and identify the root cause of the concern and answer in detail.
7. We shall ensure that all products are purchased directly from manufacturer or their local distributors to ensure that they conform to Amazon’s strict standards.
8. Every step taken will alleviate customer concerns about authenticity. In the event they are not satisfied, we will offer 100% refund with no questions asked and without additional steps.

Amazon then requested the following information:

Dear ,

We received your submission but do not have enough information to reactivate your account at this time.

Please send the following information:

1. Copies of invoices or receipts from your supplier issued in the last 365 days for the following ASINs: B01N4CBN4W

–These documents should reflect your sales volume during the last 365 days.

–Please include contact information for your supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.

– These documents should include buyer information, including name, phone number, address, and website.

–You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASIN(s) under review.

2. An updated plan of action that explains:

– Greater detail on the root cause(s) that led to the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– Greater detail on the actions you have taken to resolve the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– Greater detail on the steps you have taken to prevent future complaints about the authenticity of your items.

You can only send .pdf, .jpg, .png, or .gif files. These documents must be authentic and unaltered.

How do I send the required information?

Please submit this information by clicking the Appeal button next to this message on the Performance Notifications page in Seller Central (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/customer-experience/perf-notifications.html).

What happens if I do not send the requested information?

If we do not receive the requested information your account may be deactivated.

We’re here to help

You can get help creating your plan in Seller Central Help (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/200370560).

You can view your account’s performance at (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/performance/dashboard?ref=ah_em_pq) or select Account Health on the home screen of the Amazon Seller app on your iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/amazon-seller/id794141485?mt=8) or Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.sellermobile.android&hl=en_GB) device. The Account Health dashboard shows how well your account is performing against the performance metrics and policies required to sell on Amazon.

Sincerely,

Seller Performance Team

By this time I felt confident that Amazon has accepted the invoices for 2 ASINS and now require the invoices and an updated plan of action for just one ASIN B01N4CBN4W. I spoke to the Account Health Specialist Team and they confirmed that two of the invoices have been accepted.

I also checked my account health and there were no inauthenticity complaints whereas there were two originally for other two ASINs for which Amazon had accepted the invoices. I then submitted the invoices for the last ASIN (as you can imagine that this was a struggle) explaining Amazon that the product I sold came within a giftset of 6 products.

This was my most recent submission:

Dear Seller Performance Team,

Many thanks for your email.

Having spoken to the Account Health Specialist department today, I have been advised to submit the invoices for ASIN B01N4CBN4W and an updated plan of action.

I have attached invoices FN41526378 and FN41539330 from my supplier XXXXX Limited. Their contact details in accordance with Amazon’s policies are listed on the invoice.

For the sake of clarity, please note that these invoices contain an "Estee Lauder Spring Set - Free Gift" which is a travel size gift set that I had received from the supplier as part of a promotion that they were offering in February 2020. This gift set contain the following Estee Lauder products:

1. ASIN B01N4CBN4W - Revitalizing Supreme+ Global Anti Aging Cell Power Creme 15ml
2. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
3. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
4. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
6. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I had listed and sold the first product on the above list which is the ASIN B01N4CBN4W - Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Global Anti Aging Cell Power Creme, 0.5 oz / 15 ml. I have also attached photographs of the gift set and its content that I received from my supplier.

We had sold two of these units over the last 365 days.

I have also attached email confirmation of both orders which shows the photographs of the Estee Lauder Spring Gift Set.

PLAN OF ACTION

– What caused the complaints

We have carefully reviewed our seller account, all orders received for ASIN B01N4CBN4W, reviewed our account health, read all seller feedbacks, product reviews, returns, and A-to-Z claims and we have determined that the complaint was caused because of the following reasons:

There was a lack of manufacturer packaging when item was sent to customer which led the buyer to believe that the product was inauthentic.

We had listed item on Amazon for sale and found ourselves in a position where we could not prove authenticity of the product without a valid invoice as the ASIN B01N4CBN4W was not separately listed on the invoices that we have produced.

We sold a travel sized product which came as part of a larger giftset. The product should not have been listed separately on Amazon as “NEW” but in fact it should have been listed as “Used – Like NEW”. We had therefore incorrectly described the product on the listing.

– What has been done to resolve the complaints

We have reviewed all out listings in accordance with Amazon’s policies listed on https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/G202010130?language=en_US. We have developed our internal operating procedure in line with the policy by carrying out the following:

We have deleted ASIN B01N4CBN4W along with additional ASINs that don’t conform to Amazon policies. We have also discarded the product from our warehouse. We have also discarded items with damaged packaging.

We have refunded all affected buyers that were unhappy with their products. We have also contacted the concerned buyer via Amazon message to alleviate their concern and provide a full refund.

We will continue to adhere to our policy to only stock and list products that are fit for resale. By this we mean that we shall not list any items for which we are unable to produce an invoice. We have achieved this by comparing our inventory against the invoices that we have received from our suppliers. This will ensure that we are able produce invoices when requested.

Our internal inventory management software has been restricted so that employees are not able to add new inventory unless it has been authorised by the director or a supervisor.

We have devised a very strict written policy which dictates that we would never sell free gifts which we have received from suppliers. In fact, we shall pass this on to the customer who make eligible purchases.

We have changed our packaging procedure, so products are always dispatched in their original packaging in a corrugated cardboard.

We have implemented quality control at every step in the warehouse: from receiving merchandise, shelving, and prior to shipping out to customers to check for any inconsistencies between listings and actual products sent out.

We have trained our customer service department to understand and identify customers concerns at the very beginning and alleviate those concerns by either offering a no quibble refund or to explain the to them the process of return. All returns will be swiftly processed.

– What will we do to prevent complaints in the future

No unboxed items will ever be listed for sale on Amazon in the future.

We shall ensure that all products are purchased directly from manufacturers and/or their local distributors to ensure that they conform to Amazon’s strict authenticity standards in order to avoid future complaints.

We shall ensure that product listings match that of the actual product that is delivered to the customer. All listings will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Account health will also be reviewed regularly, and any violations will be addressed within 48 hours of it being raised.

We will never sell as NEW products that we have received as free gifts from our supplier and particularly ones for which we are unable to validate authenticity. We shall ensure that such gifts are passed on to customers with eligible purchases.

We shall ensure that we retain invoices and that the products listed conform to the strict policies set by Amazon. We shall achieve this by comparing product details on the invoices against the ASINs that which we intend to list.

I trust the updated plan of action sufficiently addresses the issue and I am looking forward to having my seller account reinstated however please do not hesitate to contact me if you require further information.

Kind regards,

Amazon then deactivated my account today and sent me the following email:

Dear,

Your Amazon Seller account has been deactivated and your listings have been removed.

Funds available in your account will be withheld. If you have FBA inventory of the items causing “inauthentic” complaints in Amazon European fulfillment centers, they are currently ineligible for removal. A list of these items is at the end of this email.

Why is this happening?

You have not sent us the information we requested in order to address the complaints we received about the authenticity of the items listed at the end of this email. In order to ensure that customers can shop with confidence on Amazon, we take “inauthentic” complaints seriously. The sale of counterfeit products on Amazon is strictly prohibited.

You can learn more about Amazon’s policies regarding the sale of counterfeit items in Seller Central Help:

– Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting Policy (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/201165970)

– Policies and Agreements (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/521)

How do I reactivate my account?

To reactivate your selling account, please send us the following information:

1. Copies of invoices or receipts from your supplier issued in the last 365 days for the ASINs listed below

–These documents should reflect your sales volume during the last 365 days.

–Please include contact information for your supplier, including name, phone number, address, and website. We may contact your supplier to verify the documents. We will maintain the confidentiality of your supplier contact information.

–You may remove pricing information, but the rest of the document must be visible. For ease of our review, you may highlight or circle the ASIN(s) under review.

2. A plan of action that explains:

– The issue(s) that you believe caused the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– The actions you have taken to resolve the issue(s) that caused the complaints about the authenticity of your items.

– The steps you have taken to prevent future complaints about the authenticity of your items.

You can only send .pdf, .jpg, .png, or .gif files. These documents must be authentic and unaltered.

How do I send the required information?

Please submit this information by clicking the Appeal button next to this message on the Performance Notifications page in Seller Central (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/customer-experience/perf-notifications.html).

What happens if I do not send the requested information?

If we do not receive the requested information within 90 days, funds will be withheld. If you have FBA inventory of these items in Amazon European fulfillment centers, they will be destroyed at your expense.

We’re here to help

You can get help creating your plan in Seller Central Help (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/help/200370560).

Has your account been deactivated in error?

If you believe the complaints about the authenticity of your items are unjustified or received in error, please explain how you identified this issue and we will investigate your concern (for example, a complaint created by a competing Amazon seller).

You can view your account’s performance at (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/performance/dashboard?ref=ah_em_pq) or select Account Health on the home screen of the Amazon Seller app on your iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/amazon-seller/id794141485?mt=8) or Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.sellermobile.android&hl=en_GB) device. The Account Health dashboard shows how well your account is performing against the performance metrics and policies required to sell on Amazon.

Thank you,

Amazon

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ASIN: B01N4CBN4W B079Z9PXWF B07C11SB2T

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Sincerely,

Seller Performance Team

I have today managed to get an email confirmation from my supplier who have very kindly listed down the products within the gift set. I wish to appeal but before doing so I wanted to get some advice from experienced members as to where I am at fault. I have a huge sum of money stuck and I am falling behind on payments to my suppliers as a result of this suspension (let alone the loss of revenue).

I would really appreciate if anybody could guide me in the right direction!!!

Many thanks and apologies once again for this lengthy post.

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Hi Adrian

My account was reinstated and here is the notice that I received from Amazon.

Your Amazon account is now reactivated while still under review. A reserve equal to your gross sales amount for the preceding 14 days will apply while your account is under review. What are the details of the funds reserve? Based on your order volume, the amount of the reserve may change daily. This reserve amount shows as your Unavailable Balance in your Payments Report in Seller Central. When your account balance exceeds this reserve amount, you will be able to transfer funds based on your settlement schedule. You can view the details on the Payments page in the Reports section of Seller Central at https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/gp/payments-account/settlement-summary. What’s next? Please continue to ship orders and only list items that you can send by the expected ship date. We will send you an email when our review is complete. You can view your account’s performance at (https://sellercentral-europe.amazon.com/performance/dashboard?ref=ah_em_pq) or select Account Health on the home screen of the Amazon Seller app on your iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/amazon-seller/id794141485?mt=8) or Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.sellermobile.android&hl…) device. The Account Health dashboard shows how well your account is performing against the performance metrics and policies required to sell on Amazon.
Sincerely, Seller Performance Team https://www.amazon.co.uk

Now I do have confirmation but I am reluctant to turn off holiday mode as funds are unavailable pending review and with such huge amount of money already withheld from me, wouldn’t I be making it worse by adding more to the unavailable funds?

I am seriously behind payments to my suppliers and I am not sure how to deal with it.

I emailed the seller verification team yesterday and now waiting for their response.