Amazon Review Manipulation Leads to Suspension
Out of every type of seller account suspension, Amazon review manipulation is among the worst. Why is it taken so seriously by Seller Performance? It all ties into Amazon’s firm belief in customer service. The buyer experience is essentially how satisfied any particular customer is with the entire Amazon experience, from ordering, to delivery and actually using the product.
If you know anything about selling on Amazon, you’ve most certainly heard of (and probably cracked a few jokes about) the infamous Leadership Principle of Customer Obsession. The first Amazon leadership principle is worded as shown below:
“Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.”
So what does the urgency to appease each customer have to do with product reviews, ranking and sales? Why do reviews matter so much, and is it really true that review manipulation might lead to seller account termination?
First and foremost, yes, it is true that accounts that are proven to have engaged in manipulating the buyer experience may be eliminated from the marketplace. If Seller Performance can prove any marketplace seller has manipulated a product review on Amazon, that account may be either suspended or even terminated. A terminated account is no longer suspended. It’s completely shut down. A terminated account means that the seller no longer has the option to appeal their suspension. The decision to reinstate or deny an appeal plan has been marked as the final word.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds. To put it bluntly, you’ll never sell on the marketplace again without drastic measures. How do you know your account has been terminated? Simple — you won’t be able to log in. Last year, Amazon took major steps to remove all incentivized reviews from that marketplace. Next up? Eliminating all manipulated reviews.
Manipulating Reviews is Harmful to the Buyer Experience
Seller Performance considers a few types of of policy violations to be grounds for termination. Out of these deadly Amazon seller sins, manipulating the buyer experience in any way, shape or form is the worst. Still, review manipulation falls into this category. By altering product reviews for an Amazon listing, the overall perception of that particular product in the catalog may be misleading or skewed. Seller Performance is authorized to fully terminate any seller account if they have clear proof of review manipulation.
Of course, we know that the Seller Performance agents simply carry out the rules as laid out in the policies and procedures set forth by Amazon. So, as much as you want to despise that evil chat agent behind the screen, keep your cool and realize that their hands are tied much of the time. It’s the marketplace that should bear your wrath.
How to Avoid Review Manipulation Suspensions
This is an easy question to answer, but not so easy to carry out: Be a better seller. Work towards selling more efficiently and more in line with Amazon’s standards every single day. As a seller, you already know you cannot beat the powerhouse of a platform that Amazon.com has become — so, in order to succeed as a seller, you must abide by their rules.
Focus on customer service. This is something every Amazon seller knows is important, but few take sincere action to improve. Pay attention to more than just the 24-hour time frame and actually follow up — see if your buyers are happy.
Play by the rules. With the knowledge that manipulating reviews could lead to you losing your seller account, is it not the smarter decision to simply sell a product that will generate positive reviews instead of your liquidation of the week? We get it – it’s not that simple. But as Amazon moves towards brands, they want branded items, genuine products and 100% genuine reviews.
Have foresight. Understand that marketplace sellers may be eliminated completely so Amazon can achieve their short term goal of selling 100% branded items. How will you adapt?
