Suspended Account for Related Account Review Manipulation
Hey Everyone, I need some advice or feedback. My account was suspended Friday 5/10/19 and had something to do with reviews. I have sent several emails back/forth with Amazon and they keep coming back with exact same response (below). I have absolutely no idea what this is related to as I’ve never paid anyone for any reviews nor do I have anyone related to my company who has left reviews on our products or competitors. But Amazon won’t listen. They keep sending same response like they’re looking for us to fess up to something, anything to re-activate our account. Not sure if we should make something up or keep a hard line.
Is there something we’re missing? We don’t ask for reviews on any of those except email and we don’t ask for 5 stars. I’ve never had any friends or acquaintances leave reviews!
How can I get a hold of them to sort this out? Right now they just keep replying with the email below.
Amazon Email:
We received your submission but you do not have enough information to reactivate your account at this time. Our review of your account found that your account is related to customers who have written Amazon customer reviews for products that you have a financial interest in, including products that you or your competitors sell. Sellers are not allowed to manipulate ratings, feedback, or customer reviews. Our policies state that family members or close friends of sellers on Amazon may not write reviews for seller’s items. Learn more about this policy in Seller Central Help (https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/200386250).
To reactivate your account, please send the following:
– A detailed description of all methods you used to post or obtain customer reviews that are prohibited by Amazon policies.
– Contact information (name, email address, website, etc.) for any third parties you engaged to obtain prohibited reviews or manipulate reviews.
– Identifying information for any customer accounts you or a third party used to post prohibited reviews.
– List of any prohibited reviews remaining on the Amazon site.
– A plan that explains how you will prevent product review manipulation in the future.
Thanks in advance for any guidance!
Jonny5
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Amazon is accusing you of paying for reviews. They want to know how you are obtaining your product reviews.
So… How are you? Discount codes, social media? Tell us.
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You might be interested in this very recent thread:
as well as this older thread:
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This is not the standard language commonly used. And everything about it says FACEBOOK to me. Amazon has mad skills at connecting accounts, buyer / seller, in any combination.
Recently there’s been a series of account suspensions reported, involving a service that created links with embedded code (sorry: dim grasp of the details ) … if that sounds remotely familiar, that’s what did it.
The thing is, to recover your selling privileges, you will need to figure out what you did, and then write an appeal convincing Amazon that you know what you did, why it was wrong, how it violated the TOU, and that you won’t repeat it. That is your only path.
Good luck
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So …
Took over?
As to the issue … Amazon seems to have given you a pretty detailed description of the issue. I bold the basics.
I’ve yet to see one of these where the seller was not guilty. Net ever.
Someones extra buyers accounts are leaving reviews …
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So I wanted to provide an update to everyone who was kind enough to provide feedback and guidance as well as those who may have the same issue in the future.
The problem boiled down to asking for reviews on deeply discounted sales. Using ZonMaster a popular feedback solution we did a follow up email sequence that asked for ‘un-biased’ reviews. We also ran a promotion that provided our products at discounts up to 80% off. The problem came when the people who purchased at the discount also received a follow up sequence asking for a review, if even asking for an honest un-biased review. In Amazons eyes (or anyones really) the person who got a deal is more likely to leave a positive review.
So, if you use any of the many approved or not approved apps for follow up emails make sure they have the functionality to not send to customers who may have purchased at a deep discount.
Thanks,
J5
