Amazon product authenticity and quality

Ensuring product authenticity and quality

Customers trust that they can always buy with confidence on Amazon. As a seller, it's important to understand Amazon's guidelines on product quality and authenticity.

Reviewing and complying with the guidelines below will help you keep your account in good health. For additional information, see Best Practices for Listing Quality Improvements, Product Listing Guidelines, Condition Guidelines, and Preventing product condition issues.

Types of violations

Amazon enforces sellers who violate our selling policies. Violations related to product authenticity are categorized as intellectual property violations. Issues with the overall product quality, including products that do not match their descriptions, can be categorized as product condition violations.

• Intellectual property violation:

  Amazon respects the intellectual property rights of others. As a seller, you are responsible for ensuring that the products you sell on Amazon comply with all applicable laws and regulations are authorized for sale or re-sale and that they do not violate intellectual property rights such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and rights of publicity. To learn more about intellectual property violations, see Amazon's Intellectual Property Policy for Sellers.

• Product condition violations:

  The product you list and ship must exactly match the description, pictures, and all other information on the product detail page. Items must be delivered to the buyer in the condition described on the product detail page without any damage or defects.

  Products that are subject to expiration must be labeled with an expiration date as required by applicable laws and the buyer must receive an item with adequate time to use the product fully prior to the expiration date.

  Examples of product condition violations include:

  • Shipping a product that is listed in “New” condition but arrives used, opened, or with minor damage or imperfections. Products listed in “New” condition are expected to arrive in brand new, unopened condition with no signs of damage or wear. Customers may perceive an item as used if the product has been opened, contains previous user data, or shows other signs of use such as physical imperfections (for example, scratches or scuffs). For more information on how to assign the correct condition to your product, see Amazon’s Condition guidelines.
  • Shipping a product that does not match the description on the product detail page. This includes differences in color, pattern, texture, size, and quantity, or shipping the wrong item entirely. The product’s language, country version, model, or edition must match the description on the page.
  • Shipping a product that is damaged, defective, misclassified, misrepresented, or missing any of its parts. This includes products that do not function as stated on the Product Detail page or do not meet reasonable expectations of how the product should function.
  • Shipping a product that is past its expiration date or will be past its expiration date by the time it is received by the customer. This includes shipping products without adequate time for the customer to use the product before it expires.

    Review and update your listings to confirm your products are accurately described. Learn more about Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct.

Enforcement

Based on the severity of a policy violation, Amazon may take the following actions:

• Remove your listings
• Limit, suspend, or block your ability to list and sell
• Remove or dispose of your FBA inventory
• Withhold your payments

Additionally, we have implemented listing restrictions for certain brands, ASINs, and categories. Approval is required to list under brands, ASINs, or categories with listing restrictions.