Case Study: Account Suspension Reversed in 14 Days

The Problem

This beauty brand woke up to an email no seller wants to see. Full account deactivation. All 38 ASINs gone. All FBA inventory frozen. Daily revenue of $8,700 dropped to zero overnight.

The reason: “Product condition” complaints. Amazon flagged the account for customer reports that products arrived damaged or not as described. The brand’s first reaction was to submit an appeal within hours. It was denied within 24 hours.

They submitted a second appeal, this time with more detail. Denied again. Two failed appeals in five days. Revenue bleeding at nearly $9,000 per day. That’s when they called us.

What We Found

The brand’s first two appeals failed for a common reason. They were generic. They acknowledged the complaints but didn’t identify the specific root cause. They promised to “do better” without showing Amazon exactly what changed.

We dug into the data. The “product condition” complaints weren’t about the products themselves. They were about packaging. Three SKUs shipped in poly bags that didn’t protect the outer carton during FBA fulfillment. Products arrived at customers with dented boxes and torn labels. The products inside were fine, but the customer experience wasn’t.

We also found that 60% of the complaints came from a single FBA warehouse. The brand had no idea.

What We Did

Day 1: Root cause analysis. We reviewed every customer complaint, mapped them to specific ASINs and fulfillment centers, and identified the packaging issue as the root cause. We documented everything with data.

Day 2-3: Process changes. We worked with the brand to implement immediate changes. New packaging specs with rigid mailers instead of poly bags for the three affected SKUs. Updated prep instructions for FBA inbound shipments. Quality check photos added to the inbound workflow.

Day 4-5: Plan of Action. We wrote a POA that Amazon’s team could act on. Three sections. Root cause with specific data showing which ASINs, which complaints, and which fulfillment center. Corrective action showing the new packaging specs, updated prep instructions, and evidence of implementation. Preventive measures showing the ongoing quality monitoring process and monthly complaint tracking system.

We attached photos of the old packaging versus new packaging. We included the updated FBA prep instructions. We provided a spreadsheet showing complaint rates by ASIN with the fix timeline.

Day 6: Submission. We submitted through the proper appeal channel. Not through Seller Support. Through the dedicated appeal pathway with all supporting documentation attached.

Day 14: Reinstatement. Amazon reviewed the appeal, verified the documentation, and reactivated the account. All 38 ASINs went live. FBA inventory was released. Revenue resumed that same day.

The Results

• Account reinstated in 14 days from our first engagement. Total downtime was 19 days including the brand’s initial failed attempts.
• $320K in revenue recovered over the following month as all ASINs came back to full rank and velocity.
• Zero repeat complaints on the three affected SKUs after the packaging change.
• Account health returned to “Healthy” within 30 days of reinstatement.

The brand lost approximately $165K in revenue during the 19 days of suspension. Every day of the brand’s initial DIY attempts cost them $8,700. Fast, expert response isn’t optional when your entire account is on the line.

Key Takeaways

Failed appeals make reinstatement harder. Every generic POA that gets denied goes on your record. Amazon’s review team sees that you’ve already tried and failed, which raises the bar for the next attempt.

The brand’s first two appeals weren’t wrong in intent. They just lacked specifics. Amazon doesn’t want promises. They want evidence that you found the exact problem, fixed it, and built systems to prevent it from happening again.

That’s what compliance and reinstatement from Altus Commerce delivers. Specific root cause analysis, documented fixes, and POAs that get results.