If you’ve just received a 72-hour deactivation notice from Amazon, time is not on your side. This type of warning means your seller account is at serious risk — and unless you take the right steps quickly, it may soon be suspended. In recent years, Amazon has stepped up enforcement of its policies, often issuing these short-term notices to sellers whose Account Health Rating has dropped below acceptable levels or who are flagged for serious violations.
But here’s the good news: if you act within the 72-hour window, you still have a chance to avoid account deactivation and keep your business running. In this article, we’ll walk you through exactly what this notice means, why it’s issued, and most importantly — what you need to do to respond effectively.
Let’s break it down step by step.
A 72-hour deactivation notice is an official warning from Amazon informing a seller about a critical issue with their account. It gives the seller 72 hours to submit a Plan of Action (POA) to resolve the issue. In simple terms, it’s an ultimatum: if you don’t take the necessary steps within three days, your seller account may be deactivated — either temporarily suspended or permanently disabled from selling.
This type of notice has become more common since Amazon introduced its Account Health Rating (AHR) system. Amazon is now more proactive in notifying sellers of potential deactivation risks, offering a short window (72 hours) to fix the issue. The goal is to give responsible sellers a fair chance to correct problems before account suspension is enforced.
The 72-hour notice — sent via email and visible in Seller Central, usually contains the following:
In short, Amazon is clear: without swift action, you risk losing your ability to sell on the platform.
Amazon typically sends a 72-hour deactivation notice in cases involving serious or repeated violations. These may include:
If you've received multiple buyer complaints (e.g., “used sold as new,” fake reviews, intellectual property claims) or repeatedly violated listing/content guidelines without resolving the issues, Amazon may escalate to a deactivation warning.
If your AHR drops into the red zone due to unresolved violations, your account is considered “At Risk.” Sellers with a high AHR (250+) are protected under the Account Health Assurance program and won't be suspended without warning. But once your rating drops, Amazon may trigger a 72-hour banner or notice requesting immediate action.
Serious offenses such as selling prohibited items, counterfeit goods, or engaging in fraudulent activity may prompt immediate suspension. However, Amazon often still provides a 72-hour window to respond—especially if your account was previously in good standing. For example, suspected dropshipping from unauthorized sources may trigger a 72-hour FBM suspension warning.
Amazon may issue a 72-hour notice if you fail to comply with laws like the INFORM Consumers Act (e.g., by not completing a verification questionnaire). In these cases, a prompt response is required to avoid deactivation.
⚠️ Important: The 72-hour timer starts from the moment the message is sent — not when you read it. Amazon typically delivers it via email and your Seller Central’s Performance Notifications. That’s why experienced sellers recommend checking your notifications and Account Health status daily to avoid missing a critical warning.
Receiving a 72-hour deactivation notice is not something to take lightly. It means your Amazon account is on the brink of deactivation — and without swift, proper action, you risk losing access to your selling privileges. Let’s break down the most serious consequences sellers may face:
If you fail to respond within the 72-hour window — or submit an unsatisfactory response — Amazon will deactivate your account. Your listings will be removed from the marketplace, you’ll lose access to Seller Central, and all sales activity will immediately stop. Funds from recent orders will be held in your account and won’t be disbursed until the issue is resolved.
In most cases, Amazon freezes disbursements for up to 90 days after serious violations. This is referred to as the “cooling off period”, during which they assess refund risks and potential claims. Be prepared — you likely won’t have access to any revenue from your recent sales until your appeal is approved or the holding period ends.
Every day your account is suspended means lost revenue, reduced Buy Box eligibility, and lower ranking in Amazon search results. Your existing customers may turn to competitors. For sellers with high daily volume, even a few days of downtime can result in significant financial losses — not just in revenue, but also in account performance metrics and buyer trust. If your suspension drags on for weeks or months, your business may suffer irreversible damage.
While the 72-hour notice gives you a chance to respond, failure to resolve the issue may lead to permanent deactivation. That means Amazon will terminate your selling relationship, and in severe cases — such as proven counterfeit sales, fraud, or repeated noncompliance — the platform may ban you from selling entirely. In those cases, reinstatement becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible, even with appeals or professional support.
Amazon’s Business Solutions Agreement gives the company full authority to suspend or terminate accounts at its discretion in response to policy violations or legal concerns. So if you ignore repeated warnings or fail to take them seriously, permanent deactivation is a very real risk.
If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), your inventory becomes “frozen” upon account deactivation. You cannot sell those products, and Amazon may eventually require you to create a removal order to retrieve them. If you delay, additional long-term storage fees may apply. While suspended, you also lose access to advertising tools, which further impacts visibility and potential recovery.
If your account is deactivated, Amazon may use your withheld funds to cover customer refunds, A-to-Z Guarantee claims, or chargebacks. After the standard 90-day holding period, Amazon calculates the remaining balance and releases any eligible funds — minus deductions. In rare cases involving fraud or severe misconduct, Amazon may confiscate the balance entirely.
While your account is inactive, your brand reputation can suffer. If customers see your listings marked as “Currently unavailable,” it can erode trust in your brand. Competitors may take advantage of your absence. And if you have B2B clients or repeat buyers, they may shift to more reliable alternatives. A suspended account doesn’t just stop your sales — it weakens your brand equity.
In summary, a 72-hour deactivation notice is a critical alert. But it’s also a final opportunity. Amazon is giving you a window to fix the problem before pulling the plug. If you act fast and submit a strong, well-prepared Plan of Action, you can often avoid deactivation altogether. Many sellers have successfully navigated this situation and continued selling without disruption.
However, doing nothing or doing it wrong — can be fatal for your account.
When you receive a 72-hour deactivation notice, the most important thing is to stay calm and act fast. This is not the time to panic or guess — it’s time to take strategic, well-informed action. Here’s a step-by-step plan for experienced sellers to follow:
Start by reading every line of Amazon’s message — don’t skim it. Understand exactly what policy was violated, which ASINs are affected, and what Amazon is asking you to provide. The notice will often include links to specific policies and clear instructions on how to respond.
Your first goal is to understand the root cause of the violation. Was it a product complaint? A policy breach? Performance issues? Clarify exactly why Amazon sent the warning.
Log in to Seller Central and go to Performance → Account Health. Look at your current status — you may see a red banner warning that your account is “at risk of deactivation.” Review the Product Policy Compliance section to identify which issues triggered the notice.
Also check the Performance Notifications section — Amazon may have sent earlier warnings you missed. Resolving all outstanding issues will strengthen your case.
In some cases, the notice will mention that Amazon tried to contact you, or will offer a “Call me now” button. This connects you with Amazon’s Account Health Support team, a specialized department trained to walk sellers through account risks.
Take the opportunity to speak with them — they won’t reinstate your account themselves, but they can explain:
This insight can be invaluable as you prepare your appeal. Be polite, ask specific questions, and write down everything they tell you.
Before writing your Plan of Action, fix what you can right away. Amazon expects sellers to take immediate steps, even before submitting a formal response. For example:
If your notice is related to intellectual property or product authenticity, gather invoices from authorized suppliers or brand owners. If it’s related to late shipments or used items sold as new, take action to resolve logistics or quality control issues.
These steps show Amazon that you’re serious and proactive — and they form the foundation of your appeal.
Don’t jump into writing an appeal without a clear diagnosis. You must identify the root cause of the issue — what went wrong, and why. This is the first section Amazon expects in your Plan of Action.
Ask yourself:
Even if you believe the violation was a mistake, look for any contributing factors that could have triggered it. Amazon values sellers who acknowledge problems and take ownership — not those who deflect blame.
Write down a clear, neutral explanation of what happened. You’ll use this in your POA.
As you fix the issue, document everything:
Attach these later to your appeal. Amazon trusts evidence more than words.
Once you’ve done the work, it’s time to write your Plan of Action. It should include three clear sections:
Each section should be concise, factual, and easy to read. Avoid emotion, blame, or long explanations. Amazon reviewers prefer bullet points and clear formatting.
(We’ll cover how to write a winning POA in detail in the next section.)
Most of the time, you’ll submit your POA through Account Health, next to the violation in question. Click “Appeal” or “Submit Plan,” paste your text, and attach any files Amazon requested.
Follow the instructions in your notice exactly. If the message includes a specific link or email address (such as seller-performance@amazon.com), use that channel.
Amazon usually responds within 48–72 hours, though it can take longer. Don’t send multiple follow-ups unless requested — be patient, but check back after 3–5 days if there’s no update.
If they request more info, respond within 3 days. If your appeal is rejected, don’t panic — revise your POA based on their feedback and resubmit.
Your Plan of Action (POA) is your one chance to show Amazon that you understand the issue, have taken it seriously, and are fully committed to long-term compliance. A well-written POA can mean the difference between reinstatement and permanent account deactivation.
Here’s how to build a clear, persuasive, and effective response that meets Amazon’s expectations.
Amazon expects your POA to include three key sections:
Let’s break these down in detail.
Start with a short, specific explanation of what went wrong and why. Be honest and objective. Even if you feel the suspension was unfair or triggered by a buyer mistake, Amazon still expects you to identify any contributing factorwithin your control.
Good examples:
Avoid blaming Amazon, buyers, or other external factors. Amazon is looking for ownership — even in gray areas.
In this section, list the specific actions you’ve already taken to fix the problem — before submitting your appeal.
Examples:
This section proves you’re not just promising — you’re already acting. Keep it short and structured with bullet points or short paragraphs.
If Amazon asked for documents (e.g., invoices, shipping confirmation, certifications), mention them here and attach them.
This is where you convince Amazon that the problem won’t happen again. List long-term changes you’re making to your processes, tools, or policies.
Examples:
Think in terms of system-level improvements — not just “we’ll try to be more careful.”
Dear Amazon Seller Performance Team,
Account: [Store Name or Seller ID]
1. Root Cause:
After investigating, we identified that the listing for ASIN [XXX] did not reflect the updated product packaging. This led to several customers receiving items that appeared different from the images and caused confusion. We take full responsibility for not updating the listing promptly.
2. Immediate Corrective Actions:
– The ASIN in question was immediately removed from our catalog.
– We contacted all affected buyers, offered refunds or replacements, and apologized for the issue.
– We updated internal SOPs to flag packaging updates before reordering stock.
– We reviewed all active listings to ensure descriptions and images match the physical product.
– We obtained invoices from our supplier to verify product authenticity and have attached them to this appeal.
3. Preventive Measures:
– We created a new compliance checklist for all listings, reviewed weekly.
– Our product team is now required to verify physical inventory before listings go live.
– We assigned a dedicated team member to monitor Amazon policy updates.
– We implemented quarterly training for staff on product presentation and listing standards.
We sincerely apologize for the oversight and appreciate the opportunity to correct this issue. We are fully committed to complying with Amazon’s policies and ensuring a high-quality customer experience moving forward.
Sincerely,
[Your Name],
[Business Name]
There’s no one-size-fits-all template for every situation. Your POA must be personalized to your specific case. Amazon easily recognizes copy-paste content from the internet — if many sellers submit the same phrases, it raises red flags.
For example, a once-popular template that began with “We are writing to sincerely apologize… and appreciate the opportunity…” eventually became less effective because Amazon saw it as a generic script.
So, use other examples only as a reference for tone and structure, but write in your own words and stick to the facts of your case.
Even experienced sellers can make mistakes when drafting a Plan of Action (POA). Experts who handle account reinstatements frequently highlight several common reasons why Amazon denies appeals. Make sure your POA doesn’t include any of the following issues:
In other words, you failed to respond directly to the question Amazon is asking.
For example, if Amazon asks, “Why did the buyer claim the product was inauthentic?” and you respond by praising your products in general – without directly explaining the specific situation – you’ll likely be rejected.
Always go back to the question “Why is this happening?” from the Amazon notification and make sure your response clearly answers it.
Sometimes sellers honestly say, “Yes, we made a mistake,” but fail to explain what they’ve done to fix it.
Amazon isn’t looking for apologies – they need a clear action plan.
For instance, saying “We used an unreliable shipping carrier, sorry” is not enough. You need to follow up with: “...so we’ve switched to a new tracked courier service with guaranteed delivery within X days.”
Every problem you acknowledge must be followed by a concrete corrective step. Otherwise, Amazon will assume you haven’t fully addressed the issue.
Overly detailed or wordy POAs can backfire. You don’t need to explain your brand history or list your entire team. Avoid irrelevant details and bureaucratic language. Keep it simple, clear, and focused.
If your POA runs longer than one page, it’s less likely to get read carefully. As a general rule:
✅ 1 page is ideal
✅ 2 pages max (if evidence is essential)
Cut anything that doesn’t add value to your case.
When the issue requires proof – like product authenticity, technical fixes, or buyer communications – statements alone aren’t enough. Amazon expects documentation.
Example: if you claim “The product is authentic – we buy directly from the manufacturer,” include invoices (dated within the last 365 days, showing supplier name and purchase quantity consistent with your sales volume). Or if you say, “We fixed the website error,” provide a screenshot or log of what exactly was changed.
If you don’t have invoices, you can still submit photos showing serial numbers or branded packaging. Anything that gives weight to your words.
Even if Amazon doesn’t explicitly request documents, submitting real, relevant evidence strengthens your appeal.
A common mistake is addressing the issue too narrowly.
Let’s say the warning is about 3 specific ASINs, and you only write about them: “These ASINs are authentic – here’s proof.” But Amazon wants more than just defense. They want to know how you manage your account overall.
For example, did the issue result from poor supplier vetting or unclear product listings?
Your POA should show that you understand and fixed the underlying process issue – not just the immediate complaint.
Only skip this if Amazon explicitly asks for documentation on one ASIN. Even then, it's smart to mention that you applied the fix account-wide.
If there’s something you could’ve fixed before submitting the appeal – but didn’t – Amazon will view that negatively.
For instance, if you have 21 open A-to-Z claims and your POA says “We will try to resolve them,” your chances are slim. Instead, resolve them first – contact the buyers, offer refunds or returns. Then write in your POA: “All cases have been addressed and closed.”
Always show that you took proactive steps before submitting your plan.
One of the worst mistakes is creating a new account while the original is suspended – or threatening Amazon instead of responding professionally.
In panic, some sellers try to “bypass” the suspension by opening a second account. Amazon quickly detects linked accounts via shared IPs, business data, etc. – and may block you again with no chance of appeal.
Also, don’t mention or admit to managing multiple accounts – it’s extremely risky.
Another mistake: emotional or aggressive messages, or escalating too early (e.g., emailing Jeff Bezos or blasting Amazon on social media during the 72-hour window).
By avoiding these mistakes and crafting a POA that is direct, customized, and evidence-based — you significantly increase your chances of success.
Writing a strong appeal on Amazon isn’t just about explaining what happened — it’s about knowing how Amazon thinks.
Amazon’s internal teams review thousands of appeals every week. They expect precision, structure, and evidence. One vague sentence or missing document can result in instant rejection. If your account is at risk, you can’t afford to guess.
That’s where a professional appeal expert comes in.
When you partner with Mr. Jeff, you’re not just getting an appeal — you're getting a full reinstatement strategy tailored to your specific case.
Here's what our clients receive:
✅ Free initial consultation to assess your chances of reinstatement
✅ Detailed case review to identify the real reason behind your suspension
✅ A custom-written Plan of Action that follows Amazon’s internal standards
✅ Unlimited revisions until your appeal is accepted
✅ Personal account manager guiding you through every step
✅ Full documentation support — we help you prepare and format all required invoices, certificates, and proof
✅ Ongoing support
We’ve successfully reinstated 500+ Amazon accounts — yours could be next.
Join our Referral Program and start earning money with Mr. Jeff!
Recommend us and get $50 for each client who purchases any of our products.
Amazon seller can use your referral code to get 10% OFF our services.
