Why Is My Amazon Account Showing “Account Under Review”? Explained
Seeing an “Account Under Review” notice on your Amazon seller account can be stressful-it often leads to frozen funds, paused listings, or limited access. But it doesn’t always mean severe problems. In many cases, it’s temporary and fixable if you act quickly and provide what Amazon needs.
This guide explains why this happens, what Amazon looks at, what you should do, and how to speed up recovery.
1. What “Account Under Review” Means
When Amazon places a seller account under review, it is temporarily restricted or paused while Amazon verifies certain information or investigates a concern. Some common effects include:
- Listings might be deactivated
- Disbursements or payouts may be held or delayed
- New product uploads or inventory edits could be blocked
- Support requests might require extra documentation
It’s a safeguard Amazon uses to protect the marketplace, buyers, and also honest sellers.
2. Common Triggers for “Account Under Review”
Understanding the triggers helps you prevent or respond better. Some usual reasons include:
| Trigger | What Amazon Is Checking |
|---|---|
| Identity or verification issues | Mismatched names or addresses, banks, or ID documents needed to confirm your identity. |
| Performance metrics | High rates of order defects, late shipments, cancellations, or negative feedback. |
| Sudden spike in orders | New accounts or unexpected sales growth often prompt extra checks (“velocity review”) to ensure you can fulfill. |
| Compliance or policy violations | Listings flagged for restricted products, safety, verbatim claims, or trademark issues. |
| Missing or insufficient documentation | Proof of invoice, supply chain, product authenticity, or proof of dispatch / shipping documentation. |
3. What Amazon Asks From You During Review
To lift the “under review” status, Amazon typically requests specific evidence or fixes. Some common requests are:
- Valid identity proof, address proof, bank statements
- Invoices or supply source documents for your products
- Shipping or fulfillment proofs (tracking, dispatch)
- Images or certificates to show product safety or compliance
Always check your Account Health or Performance Notifications in your Seller Central dashboard-they usually list what’s required.
4. How to Respond Effectively
Here are steps to handle the review fast and properly:
- Gather the required documents carefully. Make sure names/addresses match across documents; avoid blurry or expired ones.
- Respond promptly when Amazon sends a request. Time matters.
- Be clear, factual, and professional in your response to Amazon. Show evidence, dates, tracking info.
- Temporarily pause risky uploads or new inventory so nothing adds to the issue.
- Monitor your metrics and fix root issues (late shipping, order defects) to avoid recurring reviews.
5. How Long Does It Take & What to Expect
- Most reviews are resolved in several days to a few weeks, depending on complexity and how fast you provide the requested info.
- For cases involving compliance (e.g. restricted items, trademark) or identity verification, it may take longer.
- Amazon usually keeps you updated via email or via Seller Central, with which documents are still needed.
6. Preventive Measures to Avoid Future Reviews
To reduce likelihood of being flagged again:
- Maintain excellent seller metrics (on-time delivery, low returns, good feedback).
- Use reliable shipment & tracking; make sure the buyer can see valid tracking info.
- Keep product authenticity and supply chain clean; have proper invoices and certificates.
- Match names & addresses across bank, identity, tax documents.
- Scale gradually-avoid sudden massive sales increases without logistics and inventory capacity to support them.
Final Thoughts
“Account Under Review” is serious, but it is often a temporary roadblock-not a dead end. With quick response, thorough documentation, and fixing performance gaps, most sellers can restore full account status. Take the requests seriously, act quickly, and use the opportunity to strengthen your operations.