Amazon is a good, reliable choice for making a purchase. With its guarantee and excellent customer service, you can trust the product’s quality.
However, problems arise, and your order can go wrong. You may receive a product different from the one you ordered, or it may be counterfeited. There are also a lot of phishing scams and fake products sold on Amazon.
How to report a seller on Amazon when you face these issues, and when should you do it?
I am here to give you all the answers. Let's begin with the basics!
The third-party sellers are bound by Amazon's Code of Conduct, and if they behave in a way that goes against Amazon's policies, then the seller will be liable for it.
In these cases where you experience misconduct, you should raise an issue with the seller to Amazon. You can try reporting them on various grounds, including violating Amazon guidelines, inaccurate product descriptions, inferior quality products, etc.
On Amazon, both buyers and sellers can report a violation. The platform has policies on the Code of Conduct is very strict and prohibits unfair practices on the platform.
In this article, I will tell you how to report a seller on Amazon and discuss its aspects.
When can you report a seller?
Before we begin with the process of reporting a seller on Amazon, we should know when we can do that.
When the seller refuses a return and Refund for it:
A mere dissatisfaction with service or product quality is insufficient to report a seller on Amazon. It needs to be more than that.
If you report an Amazon seller, they should be liable for a specific violation. This can include giving incorrect product information, making fraudulent sales, manipulating customer feedback and rating, miscommunicating with the customer, etc.
If the item you ordered did not meet your expectation or was of inferior quality, you can claim a return or replacement.
However, in case the seller refuses to make a refund or reimburse you for inferior quality even after reasonable grounds for the same, you can contact Customer Service for help.
Violating the Code of Conduct
You must inform Amazon about a violation when an Amazon seller does something that goes against the platform's policies.
The platform has “Selling Policies and Code of Conduct” that the merchants on Amazon are supposed to follow, and you can report a violation.
Such suspicious activities by the seller can include the following:
- Listing a product with an inaccurate description or posting it under an incorrect category
- Misusing Amazon’s features for sellers
- Attempting to slander or defame another seller or their listing or customer feedback
- Violating competitive pricing laws
- Trying to avoiding or manipulating Amazon’s sale process
- Selling through multiple Seller Accounts under the same category without a reason
- Contacting customers for non-business purposes that do not come under the scope of Buyer-Seller communication
These are only a few broad categories of violations that you can use as a ground for reporting a seller. You may have a different issue that can be a valid ground to report a seller on amazon and we will discuss all the different types later in the article.
We must know the specific issue and violations that an amazon seller has committed before discussing how to report a seller on amazon.
Specifying the violation is essential while reporting a seller. You cannot report a seller on trivial or unreasonable grounds. You are reporting third-party sellers on the platform for violations of amazon's Code of Conduct and policies.
Therefore, you must review these policies and codes before reporting a seller.
Defaming other Amazon Sellers
Apart from buyers having the right to report a seller, it is important to note that even Amazon Sellers raise an issue with other sellers. Many times, some merchants write false, derogatory, and defamatory reviews on the detail page of other Amazon sellers to gain an unfair advantage over them.
If a seller is defaming or attempting to defame other Amazon sellers, then reporting this as a violation to Amazon would be the right thing to do.
How to report a seller on amazon?
To report the seller, you need certain documents and information. These work as proof for your case and help Amazon take appropriate action. Amazon encourages customers to keep reporting any abuse or misconduct on the part of the seller on amazon
Checking and specifying the violation
If you are reporting a seller, you need to specify what violation the seller has committed. You must check the sellers' Amazon Policy and Code of Conduct to determine the offense.
Here, you can read detailed provisions and select the one that matches the committed violation.
Documentation to report a violation
To report the seller, you need to show a document of proof. This way, Amazon will know that your claims are legitimate and can further investigate the matter.
You will need to answer a few questions to Amazon that prove there was a violation on the seller’s side.
To prove your claim, you may need documents like:
- Name of the seller on Amazon
- Store or business name
- Order ID or ASIN/ISBN of the order in issue
- Screenshots of proof of misconduct
- Receipt or invoice
- Pictures of the Product listings
- Any URL that may be relevant to your claim
There can be other documents of proof that you can use for your claim. If you do not have any evidence records or you fail to present them, then Amazon may not be able to take action against them.
If you want to report a seller for any violation on Amazon successfully, the more evidence you get, your claim gets stronger against them.
Once Amazon accepts your claim, then the seller will face action for it. In case you received a counterfeited product or did not receive your product at all, you would be eligible to get a refund.
The refund policy depends on case to case basis. But, if you can prove that there was a serious issue with the product quality, you can get a full refund for it.
Things to consider before you report a seller
If you are trying to decide whether you should report the seller or cannot specify the violation, there are some things you can consider before initiating the process.
Contacting the store directly
Sometimes, it is a faster and easier option to contact the brand or store directly to resolve the issue with an order. It is not always preferable that you report the seller unless there is a grave violation on his part that cannot be resolved just by contacting the store.
You can look at our guide on how to contact a seller on amazon.
Most sellers are genuine and trying to get better products and services. They agree to solve any issue that buyers have from their end immediately. So, if your issue can be resolved by reaching out, try it before you report the seller to Amazon.
Reporting when necessary
Unfortunately, not every one of them would agree to comply. Sometimes, even after constant efforts from the buyers, the brand or store do not agree on a resolution. There can be instances where the store would not even respond to communications sent by buyers. So, if you have tried your best to resolve the issue in vain, you can report the misconduct.
You can contact them through Amazon’s Buyer-Seller Messaging service. If you want your issue to be resolved quickly, you can message them and try to get a resolution out of it.
Sellers are generally very prompt in replying to customers about any question or issue they may have with their product. However, if your problem persists or there is misconduct, you can take this matter to Amazon and report the seller.
You can even attach screenshots of your communication with the seller for proof that they have indeed committed the violation. The screenshots will further serve as proof to show Amazon that you have tried to resolve this issue from your end. This documentation are an essential requirement to report a seller on amazon.
Contacting Amazon Customer Helpline
If your issue is resolved by contacting the brand store or the merchant, you still need help figuring out the specific violation. You can get the Customer Support Team of Amazon before reporting.
You can contact Customer Services to inquire about your specific case and whether it falls under the category of a violation. The team will assist you in the entire process, and in case you don’t have proof, you can find a resolution to make your claim legitimate.
How to report a seller on Amazon
Sometimes, resolving the issue directly with the store does not work as expected. This is where you contact Amazon and report them along with proper documentation.
After reviewing the policy and code of conduct for sellers, it is time to report the violation if you think there is server misconduct.
In this section, I will discuss how you can report a seller on Amazon.
If you are a buyer:
Suppose you are a buyer and want to report a seller for fraudulent activities or misconduct. In that case, you can report them directly on the Customer Service Page.
You can do this easily by going to the seller’s customer service page and reporting it from your Amazon Account. This is an easy way to report some basic issues like wrong shipment, problems with a return, delayed delivery, etc.
If you have a more severe issue to report, you can contact the Amazon Customer Service Team on their number or through the online chat feature. You can tell the Customer Service Executive about your issue and try to get a resolution out. Alternatively, you can write to Amazon Customers Service via their email at cs-reply@amazon.com with an explanation of the violation.
If you still need help finding a resolution to your problem or have trouble reporting, I will discuss the steps on how to report a seller on Amazon later in this article.
How to Report a Seller on Amazon from the Website
To report a seller using the Amazon Website, follow the steps below:
- Log in to your account on the Amazon website.
- Select the more options icon, three stacked lines in the website's upper left corner.
- Scroll down to find the “Heath and Settings” option and select “Customers Service” under this.
- You will be directed to another page where you can select the issue or the nature of your problem. You can scroll down to select “All help topics” and select the one that applies to your case.
- Once you select the issue, you will be redirected to the Customers Service page, where you can either talk to a Customers Service Executive on-call or online.
- An explanation of the violation, along with necessary details of the issue according to Amazon Policy, is essential. Additionally, you can send them relevant documentation and evidence of the violation at this stage, and they will further investigate the matter.
How to Report a Seller on the Amazon App
To report a seller using the Amazon Mobile app, follow the steps mentioned below:
- Log in to your Amazon account on the app.
- Select the more options icon of three stacked lines on the upper left corner of the screen.
- Scroll down on the list to find the “Customers Service” option.
- Under this, select “ Need more help” and click “Contact Us.”
- You can describe your issue or complaint to an Amazon Customers Service representative or arrange a call.
How to report if you are a seller?
Amazon is a competitive marketplace. It has millions of sellers trying to get ahead of one another. However, there are instances where the Amazon merchant uses unfair practices to botch the other sellers.
If sellers are malpractices, like posting negative feedback on other sellers, making fraudulent sales, and even trying to hijack other sellers’ listings.
If you notice a seller getting involved in such malpractices, you can report them on Amazon. To do this, you must go to the Seller Central Amazon portal and select the “Report Abuse” tab.
To do this, follow the steps mentioned below:
- On the Amazon Seller Central Portal, go to the “Report Abuse” Page.
- You will see a list of violations that you can report. Select the one that suits your case.
- Type in the Order ID or ASIN/ISBN, whichever is applicable.
- Now, you need to describe your issue. Here, you must mention the following details:
- Name of the seller or store against whom you are reporting
- The ASIN/ISBN of the product and title of the product listing.
- Marketplace or category where the seller has committed a violation
- Explanation of the breach according to the Amazon Policy
- Documents of proof, including screenshots, receipts, order numbers, etc.
5. Click on Submit.
Ensure you enter all the information that is true to your knowledge and that you are not making any false complaints against any of the sellers.
The seller's “Report Abuse” page is only for severe allegations, and you need to be very careful while reporting a seller here. So, be sure that whoever you are reporting has committed grave violations.
Other Amazon Seller Violations
Intellectual Property Rights Violations
An intellectual property right violation occurs when a merchant sells counterfeit products with authenticity problems.
This is especially common with big brands where some sellers can easily replicate products and sell them as originals.
Amazon's mandatory guideline is that all sellers should be appropriately authorized to sell and must comply with the relevant regulations in re-selling. They will be liable for the infringement in case of copyright, patent, or trademark violations.
If you observe such activity from any of the sellers or receive a counterfeited product, you can try reporting them to Amazon.
Product quality/ Consumer rights violations
If sellers infringe the fundamental consumer rights with their products or services, you can try reporting them to Amazon.
This includes shipping damaged or inferior quality products, product listing with inaccurate information, selling counterfeit, or violating any guideline that violates the customer's interests.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I report a suspicious seller on Amazon?
You can go to the Customers Service page of the Amazon app or website and select your issue. You can talk to a Customers Service Executive and report such sellers.
You can report a seller for suspicious activities, including fraudulent transactions, counterfeiting, misconduct, etc.
Can you block an Amazon seller?
You cannot block sellers on Amazon. However, you can report them on Amazon for any severe violation.
Alternatively, you can block the sellers on the debarment list on Amazon.
Can you get blocked from Amazon?
Yes, Amazon can block you, but it happens only when you have an unusually more number of returns and suspicious activities from your Amazon Account.
Can Amazon ban a buyer?
Yes, Amazon can ban a buyer from its platform.
Can you get scammed on Amazon?
Generally, Amazon is a trusted platform. However, it is not free of dubious merchants who can scam you. It is better to be aware of red flags and only buy from verified sellers.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you get all the information about reporting a seller. If you have any queries, feedback, or suggestions, feel free to write to us!
Samrudha Salvi ‧ Author
With more than 5 years on selling on amazon, and helping 100s to get started on Amazon.
