Addressing Suppressed and Restricted Listings
April 8, 2022
Selling on Amazon can be an exceptionally profitable business if properly set up and well managed. Many mistakenly believe that once you set up an Amazon product listing, you can simply rake in the profits without having to adjust or maintain it. However, a wide variety of potential issues can arise for various reasons including listing suppressions, restrictions and violations. Many of these issues arise as a result of policy changes, Amazon bots flagging prohibited words or phrases, or account issues. This article covers the most common errors affecting listings, as well as potential causes and solutions.
Suppressed Amazon Listings
What is a Search Suppressed Listing?
If sellers are in violation of any of Amazon’s program policies or TOS (Terms of Service), Amazon may suppress or hide their product listing from search results.
Identifying if an Amazon Listing Is Suppressed
To check if a listing has been suppressed, log in to Seller Central, select “Inventory”, click “Manage Inventory”, and check the status of each ASIN. When a listing is suppressed, you will see “Suppressed” or “Search Suppressed” under the Status column.
Understanding Why an Amazon Listing Is Suppressed
A variety of issues may cause suppression, including but not limited to: exceeding character count, using prohibited keywords or promotional terms, improper use of images, customer complaints, selling counterfeit or expired products, or prohibited account activity.
How To Fix a Suppressed Amazon Listing
The first step for fixing a listing suppression issue is to discover the root problem. Under the Status tab in Manage Inventory, find the affected listing and click on “Search Suppressed”. Amazon will direct you to the “Fix Your Products” page. You should see columns with Product Details, Reason, and Issue Description. Pay attention to the Reason and Issue Description sections that relate to the product in question. These sections should give you insight into why the Suppression issue is occurring. Take action to correct the problem appropriately. If addressed properly, the listing should become Active again within 24 hours.
While many times these steps will resolve a suppression, other times the answer is not so straightforward. For example, Amazon may be flagging keywords or phrases that are not immediately obvious due to recent category or policy updates. Exact details are not always provided, and sometimes the resulting Reason or Issue Descriptions can be vague. When this occurs, a good next step is to contact Seller Support. Request additional information regarding the issue to help gain clarity on the specific action that must be taken.
Blocked & Removed Listings
What is a Blocked or Removed Listing?
A Blocked or Removed listing means that Amazon has restricted your product from being sold on its site. This can be permanent or temporary depending on the nature of the violation in question. While a suppression typically resolves by a quick listing edit or revision, blocked and removed listings can require a much more involved process for reinstatement.
Identifying if an Amazon Listing Is Blocked or Removed
Similar to a suppression issue, you’ll see if a listing has been blocked by visiting the “Manage Inventory” page in Seller Central, and checking the status column. When a listing has been blocked or removed, you will see “Blocked” or “Detail Page Removed” under the Status column.
Understanding Why an Amazon Listing Is Blocked or Removed
A listing restriction or removal can occur for a variety of reasons. Some common triggers include: possible property rights violations, selling potentially expired products, selling used products on a listing categorized as new, or using keywords that inadvertently classify your product as a pesticide or dangerous good. It’s a good idea to be familiar with Amazon’s Restricted Products help pages for a full list of safety and compliance policies that must be followed.
How To Fix a Blocked or Removed Amazon Listing
Fixing a blocked or removed Amazon Listing can be a lengthy, frustrating process depending on the nature of the problem. In some cases, similarly to suppression issues, a removal of a particular keyword, image, or claim may solve the issue. Other times, you may have to submit detailed appeals to the Product Reinstatement team within Seller Support in order to protest the restriction and demonstrate the steps you will take to ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future. Still other times, it may simply not be possible to get a product reinstated if the violation is serious enough.
Checking the “Fix Your Products” page by clicking on the status of the affected listing is always a good place to start when trying to understand the nature of the removal or blockage. The Reason or Issue Description sections may give you enough insight to accurately diagnose and take action on to solve the problem on your own. An additional place to review for information on potential policy violations is the Account Health page located under the “Performance” tab in Seller Central. The Policy Compliance section offers insight into the rating of your overall account health, and also lists any policy violations.
In many cases, blocked or removed listings will require case creation with Seller Support in order to try to resolve or understand the issue. They may ask for documentation, a revised process, or proof of compliance in order to consider reinstatement.
The ZQUARED Advantage
Dealing with listing suppressions, blockages and removals can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. Having the expertise and skills to navigate these issues when they occur is vital to maintaining a successful Amazon account. ZQUARED can help create and optimize your listings to ensure they follow Amazon’s guidelines and policies, reducing the likelihood of problems occurring. Additionally, ZQUARED has a team of experts well-versed in addressing suppressions, restrictions and blockages when they occur.
Our services also include end-to-end solutions that focus on growing our clients’ businesses through advanced brand optimization and marketing, strategy execution, proprietary technology, forecasting tools, logistical support, product distribution, and more.
To learn how ZQUARED can help you stay ahead in the Amazon game, request a comprehensive assessment of your Amazon channel from our Amazon Investment Partnership Team. You will receive audit results focused on your listings, category, competitors, reseller landscape and more with an individually-tailored strategic plan designed to capitalize on opportunities.
About ZQUARED
ZQUARED invests in brands who sell on Amazon and are poised and ready for growth. Born from a service mindset, our passion is partnering with your team to help you navigate the online retail space in a way never imagined. With more than a decade of industry-leading experience selling on Amazon, we form relationships rooted in collaboration to maximize value and achieve results.
Our Amazon Investment Partnership Team will perform a comprehensive audit of your Amazon channel strengths and weaknesses. You will receive audit results focused on your listings, category, competitors, reseller landscape and more with an individually-tailored strategic plan designed to capitalize on opportunities.
For more information about how ZQUARED can enhance your Amazon selling capabilities, request an assessment of your Amazon channel, or send an email to partners@zquared.com.