I’ve been selling on Amazon for around 10 years now. I just went through the video supply chain verification interview. I was asked for and supplied many invoices, etc. My seller account was just disabled because of what the CS rep in India took an hour and a half on the phone to find 3 issues:
They required written permission from the publisher to sell a used book I sold a few month before. (I have gotten their permission surprisingly)
They required written permission from a company that does not exist for an item that I personally make. I hope I can win this on appeal based on the absurdity of it.
They required written permission from a brewery because I used one of their beer tap handles in one of the photos of one of my products (used to display collectible tap handles). I have contacted the brewery a couple of times and have gotten no response.
I want to have the best appeal chances possible, obviously and I think I’ve taken the best course of action.
10 years and this is what you get, brutal. Sorry you’re dealing with this.
for issue 2 (item you personally make): this is your strongest angle. Prepare documentation showing YOU are the manufacturer, business registration, photos of production process, raw material invoices, anything proving you make it yourself. Write a clear statement explaining you are the original manufacturer and there is no third party to get permission from. Amazon reps often don’t understand handmade/self-manufactured products, so spell it out simply.
for issue 3 (tap handle in photo): honestly easiest fix might be to just remove that image entirely and commit to not using third-party branded items in photos going forward. In your appeal, acknowledge the issue and explain you’ve removed all images containing third-party branding. Sometimes showing you’ve fixed the problem matters more than fighting it.
for the appeal itself: keep it factual, not emotional. No “10 years of perfect selling”, they don’t care. Structure it as:
You and I think very much alike. I suggested your fix of just removing those photos for issue 3 and the rep (a very poorly trained rep in India who had to ask for help from supervisors 4 times during our call) said they probably would not accept it. If the brewery just won’t help at all, which is a little surprising for a Buddha branded company, (if you know craft beer you know the brewery. They’re kind of funky) then I’ll go that route. I’m giving them until Tuesday before making any actual decisions on the matter. Good call on the Amazon suspension company, it would indeed be worth hiring pros.
Yeah, those reps often have no idea what they’re actually allowed to accept. What they say on the call and what the appeal team actually approves are two different things.
And waiting until Tuesday makes sense. If the brewery ghosts you, I’d still submit the appeal with the photo removal + commitment to not use third-party branding. Worst case they reject and you try again, but sometimes a well-written appeal goes to someone more competent than whoever you got on the phone.
But fingers crossed the brewery comes through. Keep us posted on how it goes.
You need to address each requested permission with evidence, explain the impossibility where applicable, attach all supporting documents, stay factual and professional, and submit a concise Plan of Action showing how you’ll prevent future issues.