You’ve received the dreaded suspension notification, and now you’re ready willing, and able to write a Plan of Action in the hopes of getting your account reinstated. To help give structure to your appeal, we’ve compiled a list of best practices – for every suspension type. So if you’re ready, let’s start!!
Consider that the reader receives MANY appeals daily:
- Your appeal needs to be straightforward
- Don’t spend time on crafting a piece of literature, rather you’re writing an appeal
- Follow grammar, punctuation and spelling conventions
- Focus on a linear presentation – with a beginning middle and end
- Concise, yet thorough
Make it VISUALLY APPEALING
- Use bullet points
- Numbers and lists
- Break up large paragraphs
Use a WRITER’S voice
- Be formal and polite
- Open and close with salutions (Dear…..To Whom it May Concern, Best Regards, etc.)
Format of your Appeal
Opening Paragraph – Root Causes
Be Brief. Be Brief. Outline of your business. Then, it’s time to acknowledge your mistake(s) – ask yourself, “why, why, why?” Be clear – don’t hide those root causes – write, “We have reviewed the (fill in the blank) customer complaints, feedback, performance notifications, etc. and we understand that the root cause of our account’s suspension is _____.
Identifying and acknowledging the errors that led to the account’s suspension may be the most challenging part of writing an appeal letter. Think of this as the key. If you can properly recognize the root causes, then you can probably implement plans to prevent a recurrence.
For every root cause, make sure you have an IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION
- Use bullet points
- Match your corrective actions to the root causes
- If your root cause is related to shipping, ensure that your corrective actions reflect improvements to that aspect of your business
Time for the FUTURE PREVENTATIVE steps
This is your opportunity to present a proposal for improvement. Make sure that you’re specific about the assurances that you provide. Include:
- Timeline
- Specific roles of employees
- Your future preventative actions need to be aligned with your immediate corrective actions. (If you’re root cause is poor packaging, your future actions should demonstrate how you will improve it!)
Concluding Paragraph / Salutation
Now it’s time to sum up. Thank the reader for their time. Restate your request for reinstatement and let Amazon know you’re committed to the changes you’ve listed.
Additional Documentation
- INVOICES
- Address sales volume from the past year
- Your company’s business entity must appear
- Supplier / Distributor / Manufacturer must be verifiable – count on Amazon trying to make contact to confirm that all invoices are authentic
- EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
- If part of your change is employee behavior, include a page from the handbook
- CHECKLISTS
- If your preventative actions outline processes and procedures to improving your performance, include them!! (These can range from supplier verification to outbound process checklists)
Final Word….
How to submit a Plan of Action? You’ll have to look at your performance notifications and your dashboard to find the “APPEAL” button. But if you’re still looking for it, you can click here for some more tips about where to upload your appeal.
Need help writing an effective Plan of Action for Amazon? We’re here to help sellers with all types of suspensions! Reach out for a FREE evaluation and audit of your account!
