What Not to Say in Your POA



When Amazon sellers write a plan of action for their suspended account, it is often difficult to understand what to write in a POA — and what to avoid at all costs. Naturally, the best strategy for an Amazon suspension is to avoid it in the first place. But unfortunately, in 2018, there is no foolproof method of avoiding an account suspension.

Sellers aren’t expected to master the art of an Amazon appeal. No matter how many proactive measures and policies are in place, it’s always best to be prepared and understand what should and should not be included if you need to submit a POA to Seller Performance.

Amazon sellers, take note of these points. Maybe they seem like common sense, but you’d be shocked what can happen under the pressure of an account suspension. If you do receive the dreaded notice of suspension from Amazon, stay calm, and remember these 7 reinstatement killers before you write your appeal plan.

Suspension Sins: Top Reasons for Failed Appeals



Wordiness. Yes, Seller Performance is human and it is indeed a person reading your appeal plan. Hundreds of thousands of Amazon sellers around the world submit suspension appeals on a daily basis. So, skip the sob story and get to the point. How did the violation happen, and how will you avoid it in the future?

Conflicting Information. Submitted a plan of action already? Make sure your consultant knows what it said — especially if you submitted documents pertaining to the appeal, like invoices. Conflicting information could very well kill your case for reinstatement right off the bat. Whether you are writing your appeal plan on your own or hiring someone else to do it for you, make sure your information lines up.

Unclear Prevention Methods. Amazon Seller Performance needs to hear a few things in your plan of action: specifically, how you will keep your issues away from their marketplace at all costs. Solid prevention methods in your appeal plan are great — but those methods also need to make sense when applied to your specific account suspension. This is why so many seller consultants continue to fail at reinstatements. You can’t use a template POA. It doesn’t work. If it does, you got lucky.

Wrong Account Email. Yes, we have seen this happen. Sellers who operate multiple unauthorized Amazon accounts may accidentally submit their appeal plan from an associated email for a different seller account, or accidentally place the wrong store name in the appeal plan. This is a fatal error — the accounts will be linked, and both will be done.

Failure to State the Root Cause. Noting a clear reason why your account was suspended is just as essential as identifying how you will prevent it in the future. Think logically: if a seller cannot pinpoint why they were suspended, how should Seller Performance be expected to believe that you will be able to prevent it in the future? Keep this in mind when writing your appeal plan.

TMI. Too much information is actually more likely to kill your account for good than too little. In the past, we heard varying opinions: some experts said to address every possible issue right off the bat, while others recommended holding back until the response asked for it. The correct approach is the latter. Think logically: if a seller puts every issue out on the table in the first POA, it only gives more wiggle room for Seller Performance to deny a reinstatement, ask more questions, or request more information. Don’t air it all out: address the issue at hand and only the issue at hand, at least in the beginning. If multiple appeal plans are requested, this is the time to provide more information.

Failure to State Your Solution. This is where many sellers tend to stray and go towards the infamous “sob story” POA — the bulk of your appeal needs to outline your precise plan moving forward. What does this mean? The strategies used to resolve any and all issues on your seller account. Be as concise as possible within reason (refer to point 2, conflicting information in your POA) – make sure you remember the specifics in case you need to submit again.