Overview

Amazon maintains a comprehensive policy outlining activities and actions that sellers are strictly prohibited from engaging in on its marketplace. This policy sits at the core of Amazon's Selling Policies and Seller Code of Conduct, and violations can result in consequences ranging from listing removal to permanent account suspension. Every Amazon seller should understand these rules thoroughly, as even unintentional violations can jeopardize an otherwise healthy selling account.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Policy scope is broad — Amazon's prohibited activities list covers everything from review manipulation and dishonest behavior to misuse of customer information, and it applies to all sellers regardless of size or tenure.
• Consequences are severe — Violations can trigger listing suppression, funds withholding, or permanent account deactivation, often with limited opportunity for appeal.
• Multiple account restrictions — Operating more than one selling account without Amazon's explicit approval is prohibited, and Amazon actively detects linked accounts through various signals.
• Customer data is protected — Using buyer information for any purpose outside of fulfilling Amazon orders is a direct violation that Amazon treats with zero tolerance.
• Review integrity is non-negotiable — Any attempt to influence customer reviews, ratings, or feedback through incentives, manipulation, or fake accounts is strictly forbidden.
• Pricing fairness required — Sellers must not engage in price gouging or set prices that significantly exceed recent comparable prices, especially during emergencies or high-demand events.

Prohibited Activities in Detail

Amazon's policy prohibits a wide range of seller behaviors designed to create an unfair advantage or harm the customer experience. These include providing misleading information about products, manipulating search rankings through keyword stuffing or other deceptive techniques, and creating variation relationships between unrelated products. Sellers are also forbidden from diverting customers away from Amazon through unauthorized external links, marketing inserts that solicit off-Amazon transactions, or any communication that attempts to circumvent Amazon's buying process. Additionally, sellers may not attempt to damage another seller's business through false abuse reports, purchasing and returning their inventory, or other anti-competitive tactics.