Overview

Amazon has published a comprehensive reference guide outlining how sellers should evaluate and vet potential suppliers before establishing business relationships. The guide covers everything from verifying legal registration to checking brand authorization and monitoring ongoing performance. For sellers who source products through wholesale, retail arbitrage, or private label channels, following a structured due diligence process can help avoid costly compliance issues, counterfeit claims, and account suspensions.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Supplier vetting is a risk management essential — Thoroughly evaluating vendors before committing to a business relationship helps minimize risks related to product quality, authenticity, and regulatory compliance.
• No single checklist item is mandatory — Amazon acknowledges that not every supplier will meet every criterion listed, so sellers should prioritize the factors most relevant to their specific business model.
• Brand authorization is heavily emphasized — The guide places significant weight on verifying whether a supplier is an authorized distributor or reseller and whether they can provide documentation proving product provenance.
• Invoice documentation matters for appeals — Proper invoices with complete supplier details, buyer information, issue dates, product descriptions, and quantities are critical if you ever need to appeal a policy violation.
• Ongoing monitoring is expected — Vetting is not a one-time event. Amazon recommends establishing systems to continuously evaluate supplier performance, quality, and compliance over time.

Verifying Legal Standing and Business Registration

The first area Amazon recommends evaluating is whether a supplier has proper business registration, licenses, and permits. Sellers should use government business lookup tools, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other public databases to confirm a supplier's legitimacy. Checking how long a supplier has been operating — based on their registration date — provides useful context about their stability. Additionally, reviewing the supplier's online presence, including their website and social media accounts, can reveal important information about their credibility and track record. Amazon also suggests confirming whether the supplier carries a Certificate of Insurance (COI) covering their products.