3 Key Amazon Seller Policies: What You Need to Know to Stay Compliant

Selling on Amazon comes with opportunity, but also a strict set of rules. If you do not follow Amazon’s seller policies, you could face warnings, account suspension, or even permanent removal.

This guide breaks down 3 important parts of Amazon policies that third-party sellers need to understand to stay compliant and avoid costly mistakes.

Always refer to Amazon’s official Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct for the most current and complete information.

Why Amazon Policies Matter

Amazon enforces a wide range of policies to govern how sellers operate on its marketplace. These cover everything from how you list products to how you handle shipping, returns, and customer messages.

Violating Amazon’s sale policies, even by accident, can result in:

• Listing suppression: Your products disappear from search results, so no one can buy them.
• Account suspension: You lose the ability to sell entirely until the issue is resolved.
• Withheld funds: Amazon may freeze your payouts while it investigates a violation.
• Negative seller metrics: Poor performance can push you out of the Buy Box or affect your eligibility for Prime.

Each of these penalties can cause serious damage to your revenue, reputation, and ability to grow on the platform. In some cases, a single policy violation can cost sellers thousands in lost sales or make recovery nearly impossible.

3 Key Amazon Policies You Should Know

Amazon’s rulebook is long, but a few areas tend to cause the most issues for sellers. These are some of the policies that are likely to trigger warnings, listing removals, or account flags if ignored. Know them well and audit your operations against them regularly.

1. Product Listing Compliance

Your product listings are the foundation of your Amazon presence. If they are inaccurate, misleading, or violate formatting rules, Amazon can remove the listing or penalize your account.

Key things to watch for:

• Misleading claims: One of the most common and serious violations is making claims you cannot legally support. This is especially common in supplements, cosmetics, household goods, and electronics.

Examples of risky language:

• “Clinically proven” (without citing actual studies)
• “Safe for all ages”
• “Cures,” “heals,” “prevents,” or “treats” any medical condition
• “100% safe,” “guaranteed results,” or “side effect free”
• “FDA approved” (unless your product is actually approved — not just registered)
• Words like instant, guaranteed, cure, detox, all-natural, and doctor recommended

• Improper brand use: Mentioning another brand (especially a competitor) in your title, bullets, or backend keywords is a common trigger for intellectual property complaints.
  
• Inaccurate categorization: Placing your product in the wrong category to boost visibility violates policy and can lead to delisting.

Why it matters: Amazon uses strict listing rules to protect customer trust and maintain consistency across the marketplace. Violations here are often flagged by automated systems and can result in instant action, sometimes without warning.

What to do:
Before publishing or updating any listing, check it against Amazon’s official product detail page rules. Build a process to review listings regularly, especially if multiple people manage your catalog.

2. Order Fulfillment Standards

Whether you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or fulfill orders yourself (FBM), Amazon holds all sellers to strict shipping and delivery expectations. Fast and accurate fulfillment is one of the core metrics Amazon uses to measure seller performance.

If you fall short, even slightly, your listings may lose the Buy Box, and your account health can be affected.

Here’s what Amazon expects:

• On-time shipping: Orders must be shipped by the date you promised. Late shipments reduce buyer trust and increase your risk of penalties.
• Tracking information: For every FBM order, you must upload valid tracking numbers. This is how Amazon verifies delivery and resolves disputes. Failing to provide tracking counts against your performance.
• Low cancellation rate: Orders canceled because of stockouts or fulfillment issues reflect poor planning. Amazon expects this rate to stay below 2.5 percent.
• Low late shipment rate: Your rate must stay below 4 percent. Just a few late orders can push you over the limit and trigger warnings or suspensions.

What about FBA vs. FBM?

• With FBA, Amazon handles delivery and tracking. You are still responsible for labeling, prep, and sending inventory to Amazon on time.
• With FBM, you manage everything. If shipping is delayed or tracking is missing, your account takes the hit.

Why this matters:
Poor fulfillment affects more than your metrics. It lowers your chances of winning the Buy Box, can make you ineligible for programs like Seller-Fulfilled Prime, and increases your chances of account review or restriction.

What to do:
Set realistic handling times and monitor performance metrics weekly inside Seller Central. Fix problems quickly before they become policy violations.

3. Customer Communication Rules

Amazon closely monitors how sellers communicate with buyers. All messages must follow strict guidelines that are designed to protect the customer experience and prevent abuse.

What you are not allowed to do:

• Send marketing messages. You cannot promote other products, direct customers to your website, or include any upsell attempts.
• Request positive reviews. Any message that encourages a favorable rating, offers an incentive, or steers the buyer toward leaving a certain type of review violates policy.
• Share external links. Amazon prohibits linking to any website outside of Amazon, even for tracking or support purposes.
  

What you are allowed to do:

You may contact customers only when it directly relates to their order. This includes:

• Resolving product or delivery issues
• Confirming specific order details
• Sending important updates related to fulfillment
• Requesting a product review or seller feedback, but only under strict rules

Amazon specifically allows one request for a review per order, either via:

• The “Request a Review” button in Seller Central, which sends an Amazon-generated message, or
• A custom message through Buyer-Seller Messaging, as long as it follows the Customer Product Reviews Policy and the Communication Guidelines

Best practices:

• Stick to neutral, professional language. Do not suggest what kind of review to leave.
• Do not send multiple review requests or repeat follow-ups.
• Always use Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging system, which logs all communication and protects you in case of disputes.

Why this matters:
Violating Amazon’s communication rules can result in a restriction on your messaging privileges or, in serious cases, a full account suspension. Amazon treats customer contact as a high-risk area, especially when reviews are involved.

What to do:
Train your team to use only pre-approved language. Limit review requests to one per order, and consider using Amazon’s built-in tool for added safety. Check your account regularly for flagged messages and review any changes to communication policy

How to Stay Compliant

1. Review Amazon’s Selling Policies Regularly
Amazon updates its policies without notice, and even small changes can impact how you list or fulfill products. What was acceptable last quarter might be a violation today.

• Bookmark Amazon’s Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct page.
• Review it at least once a month.
• Sign up for policy update alerts and follow trusted seller blogs or forums.

2. Train Your Entire Team
Compliance is not just a job for the account owner. Anyone touching listings, customer service, or shipping must understand Amazon’s rules.

• Create standard operating procedures (SOPs) based on current policy.
• Run regular training or audits for internal and outsourced staff.
• Document workflows to help your team catch and flag violations early.

3. Use Tools That Help Flag Violations
Manual checks are not enough. Use software to monitor listings, keywords, pricing, and account health.

• Tools like SellerAssistant, Helium 10, or ChannelAdvisor help catch issues early.
• Set alerts for suppressed listings, keyword violations, or IP complaints.
• Audit your listings often to stay ahead of compliance problems.

4. Respond Immediately to Violations
If Amazon issues a warning, something already triggered their system. Fast action can prevent bigger issues.

• Read the violation notice carefully.
• Fix the issue immediately, even if you disagree.
• Submit a clear, professional appeal with a plan to prevent it going forward.

5. Monitor Your Account Health Dashboard
The Account Health page shows key performance and violation data. It’s often the first place problems appear.

• Check your account health at least once a week.
• Address performance drops or warnings right away.
• Watch for shifts in complaint rate, delivery issues, or policy flags.

Final Thoughts

Don’t assume you are in the clear because you have not been flagged yet. Amazon’s enforcement systems can act without warning, and minor issues can stack up fast. A proactive compliance routine is the best protection you have.