Amazon.com just closed my seller account. No warning, no details.

I’ve been selling used electronics on Amazon.com over the past week I started Nov 20th 2012. In less than a week I sold quiet a few sales.

Days later, I got this email from Amazon.com (which is the EXACT email sent to all the victims):

Date: Nov 27, 2012 5:54:33 PM PST

Hello from Amazon.

We are writing to let you know that we have removed your selling privileges, canceled your listings, and placed a temporary hold on any funds in your seller account.

We took this action because our records indicate that this account is related to another selling account that was closed by Amazon. Once selling privileges have been removed, sellers are not allowed to establish new accounts.

Due to the proprietary nature of our business, we do not provide detailed information on how we determine that accounts are related.

We encourage you to take appropriate steps to resolve any pending orders. Note that any amounts paid as a result of A-to-z Guarantee claims and chargebacks may be deducted from your seller account.

After 90 days, any remaining funds will be available per your settlement schedule. Once the hold has been removed, balance and settlement information will be available in the “Payments” section of your seller account. If you have questions about these funds, please write to payments-funds@amazon.com.

While we appreciate your interest in selling on Amazon.com, the closure of this account is a permanent action.

Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com

The tone of the email didn’t give me a lot of hope. It’s clear that Amazon is not willing to provide details on how they made this determination. I have never used another seller account on Amazon.com.

I logged into the seller account clicked on the appeal button and replied:

I have never had another seller account with Amazon.com. I can only assume that this was due to an automated false positive. Please review and reinstate my account.

Date: Nov 28, 2012 2:21:41 AM PST


Hello from Amazon.com.

Thank you for writing. We are unable to provide detailed information on how we link related accounts.

However, we have thoroughly reviewed our records and confirmed that we have significant evidence that your account is related to another previously blocked account.

Your seller account will remain accessible to you. Please take steps to resolve your pending sales.

Any remaining funds may be reserved for up to 90 days from the date the account was blocked. After 90 days, the funds will be disbursed, provided we do not receive charge-backs or A-to-z Guarantee claims against your sales. If you have further questions about your disbursement, please email payments-funds@amazon.com.

While we appreciate your interest in selling on Amazon.com, please understand that the closure of an account is a permanent action. Any subsequent selling accounts that are opened will be closed as well.

Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com

Date: Nov 28, 2012 10:29:55 AM PST


Hello from Amazon.

Thank you for writing. After a review of your account by an account specialist, we have decided not to reinstate your selling privileges.

We regret we are unable to provide further information on this situation. Further correspondence regarding the closure of your selling account may not be answered.

The closure of this account is a permanent action. Any subsequent accounts that are opened will be closed as well.

Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com 

Date: Nov 29, 2012 1:19:27 PM PST


Hello from Amazon.com.

Thank you for your email regarding your selling account.

Jeff Bezos received your correspondence and asked that I respond on his behalf.

We are unable to provide detailed information on how we link related accounts.

However, we have thoroughly reviewed our records and confirmed that we have significant evidence that your account is related to another previously blocked account.

Your funds are reserved for 90 days from the date the account was blocked, per section 5. h. of the Amazon.com Participation Agreement:

h. If we reasonably conclude based on information available to us that Sellers actions and/or performance in connection with the Services may result in a significant number of Buyer disputes, chargebacks or other claims, then we may, in our sole discretion, delay initiating any remittances and withhold any payments to be made or that are otherwise due to you in connection with the Services or this Agreement for the shorter of: (a) a period of 90 days following the initial date of suspension; or (b) completion of any investigation(s) regarding any Seller actions and/or performance in connection with this Agreement.

Additional questions regarding disbursements should be directed to payments-funds@amazon.com.

We regret we are unable to provide further information on this situation. Further correspondence regarding the closure of your selling account may not be answered.

The closure of this account is a permanent action. Any subsequent accounts that are opened will be closed as well.

Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com

I never violated any of amazon selling policy infact my account is in excellent standings... all orders shipped same day or next business day if comes in after hours on on weekend... all items delivered in 2 - 4 days I have all my tracking numbers..

After research, every one has the same EXACT issue, and even after 90 days... NO Money!!! 

See some of the thousands of complaining victims links.....

http://aaron.kavlie.net/2011/12/web/amazon-com-just-closed-my-seller-account-no-warning-no-details/comment-page-2/#comments

http://amazon.pissedconsumer.com/amazon-closed-my-seller-account-and-kept-my-3000-20080128111860.html

http://www.sueeasy.com/class_action_detail.php?case_id=270

http://albertmansour.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/amazon-com-closed-my-seller-account-and-gave-no-details/

and the list goes on and on and on......

I filed a complaint on Better Business Bureau, Internet Crime Complaint Center, 

Seattle News

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019705292_amazonseller18.html

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019705329_amazonsellerside.html

Some of the thousands Victims Complaints:
 
Victim: 1

1. Temporary cancellation and account suspension seems to be standard practice the vast majority are not justified.
2. Holding onto sellers funds for upto 90 days is widespread and there is a clear indication that they are making a profit from this process.
3. Volume supplers seems to be Amazon preferred supplier type and you dont see those types of organations having their account closed or suspended.
4. Communicating with the Seller Performance Team is like talking to a brick wall. They are not interested in what you got to say nor bothered that they may be wrong in their decision.
5. Deliberate bully and threaten smaller companies with suspension and ignores those companies IPR (especially when they want to sell the item themselves).

Victim 2: Amazon is very unethical and morally wrong in their business approach and I have now accepted that they are not the company I want to trade with. What Amazon seems to forget that eventually smaller companies will avoid trading on Amazon as the risk of not being paid by them is too great. Amazon is very short sighted in their approach and seem to forget that most innovation comes from smaller companies who have very long memories.

Victims 3: Amazon has a poorly trained fraud/security divison, Amazon, is scamming their third party vendors, by unreasonable closing their accounts, which then allows them to hold on to money that is not theirs to hold onto. Amazon, has plenty of sellers, in this economy so it's no loss to them, to close vendors down. I've have enough business background, to know that were talking serious money, when a company like Amazon, doesn't have to pay it's vendors for four months and of course when they do pay, i sure they won't be paying out interest on the money they hoarded from us. By doing this, to me, and thousands of other sellers. Amazon has created a huge cash reserve. It's a business plan it's unethical, but that what Amazon has done and is doing. I telling my story, to inform the public what really going on at amazon. 

HOW IS AMAZON ALLOWED BY LAW TO OPERATE LIKE THIS