Amazon Influencer Program – A Serious Threat to Seller Listings
I’m writing this post out of deep frustration and concern, hoping that other sellers and perhaps even someone from Amazon might pay attention.
One of our ASINs, which has been our best-selling product for months, was performing exceptionally well… until recently. Then bam—our sales took a nosedive almost overnight. After some digging, we discovered the root cause: a video review published by an Amazon Influencer under our listing. But here’s the kicker—the video had NOTHING to do with our product. The influencer didn’t even bother using or showing the actual product. They featured an entirely different item, misleading customers and creating massive confusion.
This is not just a small error. It’s a massive blow to our credibility and directly impacts our conversion rates. Prospective buyers assume we’re misrepresenting the product or being dishonest, all because someone Amazon decided to trust with content creation was allowed to attach irrelevant (and damaging) material to our listing.
Amazon constantly preaches about the customer experience, but what about the seller experience? We are the ones who build brands on this platform. We spend on PPC, manage inventory, deal with returns, provide customer service—and in one misstep from an unqualified Influencer, our entire product momentum can be destroyed.
We raised a ticket, of course—but the standard response doesn’t fix the damage already done. How long until this video is reviewed and removed (if ever)?
We’ve raised a ticket, but so far there’s been no meaningful response.
👉 If anyone knows how to get such a video removed quickly, please share.
👉 Is there any way to opt out of these influencer videos or this so-called “free” program? We never signed up for it, and yet it’s directly impacting our business in a negative way.
13 replies
Jim_Amazon
Hi there @Seller_wsZGSo0IQLaQo
I'd be happy to look into this! Could you please send me that case ID you opened so I can investigate personally?
Thank you!
Seller_oDXVaydIpi3Hi
It's common for influencers to put the wrong video on things in hopes of a quick buck. Hopefully Amazon will police that program better.
Seller_ycmSu0ud5O26v
We have a similar one. An influencer that has never purchased our product left a lengthy slanderous review on our top selling ASIN. The sole purpose is to drive people to her "recommendations" from others top posts. We also have one that dangerously lists our products contain ingredients they do not.
Support was no help. We finally got it escalated to the correct department, which took a lot to do, and they closed it after sitting on it for a couple months.
Very frustrating.
Seller_kBiQJcB36LEg0
I agree with your frustration and concern.
In essence, the Amazon Influencer Program sounds like a great idea, but it doesn't seem to be policed.
We've experienced an issue with an "influencer". A TikTok account with just 200 followers, gained by re-posting others' content, is now at liberty to post dreadful content that confuses and hinders customers.
We asked Seller Support how we could remove this unwanted content from OUR product listing, but just got the usual unhelpful standard responses.
Seller_24FzucbyGtgZS
Amazon does NOT care. And unless you file for arbitration and win will do nothing to help you.
Seller_8UYHnTIxJNqVK
if its TIK TOK you can report to tik tok and have the video taken down.
Seller_zSWez2Mzpdboa
It's amazing and horrifying to see, how every single department at Amazon is broken, and full of glitches.
It is quite evident, that management across all levels, have dropped the ball.
Seller_1Q3hNwblGUD9X
Beyond terrible that this has occurred to you and others! We live in a sometimes mean and descrutive business world! Hoping you get this fixed!!!
Seller_V1LjZsxFKdwOA
We need a platform that caters to sellers and buyer. At this point no online marketplaces care about either. They are taking private info from buyers contsantly bombarding them with ads for items they do not even want or need. They can not directly search for a specific item they want, they get suggestions of what the platform or Bots think, would be better for them. Sellers are bombarder with restrictions at every angle. Price, picture, approval, you can not even sell a pencil at this point without haveing it tested for safetly compliance or warning for possibly causing cancer. On top of 15% fees, with no control of pricing and who or what people return. Current Platforms are for shareholders and CEO'S.