Beat Section 3 on Amazon: A Seller Action Plan

Introduction

When a notice lands in Account Health that cites Section 3 and removes your selling privileges, there is no time to guess. You need an Amazon Section 3 appeal plan that is clear, fast, and supported by proof. Section 3 of the Business Solutions Agreement covers term and termination. It gives Amazon wide discretion to restrict, suspend, or end your selling privileges when the company believes your store threatens buyers or the marketplace. Your response must show facts, not feelings. It must address the trigger, present documents, and set controls that prevent repeat issues.

Reference: Amazon Seller Central

This guide is written for experienced Amazon sellers. You will learn what Section 3 means in practice, why accounts get linked, how to write a strong appeal, and when to escalate. We will use primary Amazon resources so your plan cites policy, not opinion. We also include practical checklists you can reuse in your cases.

Section 3 in Plain Language

Section 3 is titled Term and Termination. It lets Amazon suspend or terminate a seller with limited notice if it believes there was a breach, fraud, risk to customers, or conduct that harms the marketplace. In some scenarios, Amazon provides a notice window. In others, it may act at once. These choices sit inside the contract that every seller accepts at registration.

If you received a Section 3 message, your goal is simple. Prove that your store is compliant, independent, and safe to reinstate. That is what a strong Amazon Section 3 appeal plan does. It replaces guesswork with evidence and simple controls.

Why Accounts Get Flagged Under Section 3

Amazon uses a mix of signals to protect buyers and the platform. Some are obvious. Others are not. The most common drivers are below.

• Related account signals such as shared devices, IP addresses, bank accounts, mail addresses, or staff who log in to more than one store
• Identity or verification gaps, such as mismatched names or addresses across government ID, bank statements, and account details
• Policy breaches on restricted products, safety documents, or prohibited claims
• Performance risk such as spikes in Order Defect Rate or chargebacks
• Fraud indicators like fake tracking or abusive buyer refunds

You will see the first clues in Performance Notifications and the Account Health dashboard. Start there and note exactly which policy and metric the notice references.

Reference:  Amazon Seller Central

First Hour Triage: Stabilize and Collect Facts

Speed helps. Structure helps more. Use this first-hour checklist to set up your Amazon Section 3 appeal plan.

1. Capture the record
   Download every Performance Notification as a PDF. Screenshot Account Health with timestamps. Note the case ID. Amazon explains Account Health and the Account Health Rating in its help pages, which you can cite in your appeal. (Amazon Seller Central)
2. Map the trigger
   Classify the case as related accounts, identity, policy, performance, or fraud. Write one sentence that states the problem in neutral terms.
3. Freeze risky activity
   Stop listing edits on flagged ASINs. Pause ad campaigns for affected items. Halt inbound FBA on products tied to the notice.
4. Start your document pack
   Open a folder for identity, banking, leases, utilities, invoices, safety reports, and brand authorizations. Clean, full-page scans only.
5. Set owners and deadlines
   Put names next to each document and set a same-day deadline. Fast wins depend on clear roles.

Build A Document Pack That Answers The Notice

Investigators need proof. Provide only what supports your case. Use legible color scans with edges visible. Label files with clear names and dates.

Identity and entity

• Government ID, business registration, tax ID letter, recent utility bill that matches the business address

Finance

• Bank account letter, recent statement, payment processor agreement with the legal name on file

Operations

• Office lease, warehouse lease, photos of signage, returns address proof, ISP contract or static IP confirmation

Supply chain and safety

• Supplier invoices from the last 365 days, authorization letters, Certificates of Conformity, test reports, COAs, FDA facility listing, and EPA registration labels when relevant. Amazon describes these obligations in its IP and policy help.

References: Amazon Seller Central, abilityone.gov

Separation evidence for related account cases

• Device inventory with serial numbers, contractor termination letters, VPN or ISP statements, HR rosters that show separate staff, and emails that revoke access

Keep the pack short. Five to ten files win faster than fifty.

Write A Plan Of Action That Matches Amazon’s Process

Your Plan of Action should fit on one to two pages. It must cover root cause, corrective actions, and preventive measures. This structure aligns with how Amazon trains investigators and how sellers are asked to appeal decisions.

References: Amazon Seller Central

Root Cause

Explain what happened and why. Use measured language and simple data. Examples:

• A contractor logged in from a laptop also used by another seller in 2024. That device created a link even though the businesses are unrelated.
• Bank mail went to a shared office suite. The overlap matched a separate seller in the building.
• A product was listed with a claim that required documentation we did not hold. It triggered a safety or policy review.

Corrective Actions

List what you changed in the last seventy-two hours.

• Ended the shared access and revoked permissions across all profiles
• Replaced the router, enabled two-factor authentication on all users, and obtained a static IP letter from the ISP
• Removed claims from the product detail page and uploaded missing safety reports

Preventive Measures

Describe durable controls with owners and dates.

• Contractor policy that requires dedicated hardware and unique profiles
• Device inventory with serial numbers and a quarterly audit
• Compliance checklist for regulated products before listing, including FDA, EPA, and CPSC documents where required. Link to primary agency pages for reference.

Use short sentences. Avoid emotion. End with a sentence that invites the reviewer to ask for anything else.

Template: Amazon Section 3 Appeal Plan You Can Adapt

Subject: Appeal for Section 3 decision, request to reinstate selling privileges

Body:

“Hello Amazon Team,

We operate [Your Legal Business Name]. We received a Section 3 notice on [date]. Please find our Amazon Section 3 appeal plan below.

Root cause
On April 6, a part-time contractor accessed our account from a laptop used for other clients. That device created a link to an unrelated store. We learned of this overlap when we received the notice.

Corrective actions
We ended the contractor relationship. We changed all passwords. We enabled two-factor authentication for each user. We replaced our router and obtained a static IP from our ISP, documented in the attached letter. We removed staff who no longer require access.

Preventive measures
We created a contractor policy that requires dedicated hardware and unique profiles. We maintain an asset log with device serial numbers and assigned owners. We will run a user access audit on the first Monday of each quarter. For regulated products, we now require safety or regulatory documents before listing.

Attachments

1. Contractor termination letter dated April 7
2. ISP static IP confirmation
3. Device asset log with serial numbers
4. Business registration and tax ID letter
5. Lease and utility bill for our office address

We appreciate your review and are ready to provide any additional documents.”

This template is a starting point. Replace each item with your facts and files.

Proving Independence From Another Seller

When Amazon believes your store is related to a problem account, side-by-side clarity helps. Include a one-page table in your PDF that shows the separation.

A single page like this reduces reading time and makes differences obvious.

What Not To Do In A Section 3 Case

• Do not submit multiple cases for the same issue
• Do not upload fifty pages of unrelated files
• Do not reuse a generic template without your data
• Do not attack the other seller or the investigator
• Do not edit flagged listings while the case is open

Keep your process simple. Investigators can tell when a seller understands the system.

Policy Pages Worth Citing In Your Appeal

Use primary sources in your message so the reviewer can click and confirm. These links show the process and standards.

• Amazon help on Account Health and the Account Health Rating (Amazon Seller Central)
• Amazon Seller Code of Conduct for baseline obligations (Amazon Seller Central)
• Amazon Appeal a Decision guidance for format and steps (Amazon Seller Central)
• Amazon Multiple Selling Accounts policy for operating more than one store correctly (Amazon Seller Central)

When relevant, cite the FDA and EPA compliance hubs for regulated products. Doing so shows that your controls reference the right laws and not only forum advice.

Escalation Paths That Respect The Process

Most Section 3 cases resolve when the first submission has clear facts and proof. If the stated response window passes with no movement, call the Account Health team and ask for a status check. Have the case ID, a one-sentence summary, and a list of documents you sent. Be polite and precise.

If you gain new proof, such as a fresh ISP letter or a signed statement from a former contractor, add a single follow-up that includes only the new item. Avoid daily notes that repeat the same story. If the case remains stalled or if funds remain held after a strong submission, consider counsel. An Amazon Seller Lawyer or Amazon Seller Attorney can add structure and help with higher-level paths when the facts support it.

Special Cases And How To Handle Them

Family Households

Two sellers in one home can create overlaps. Use separate PCs and separate routers. Place the accounts in separate rooms or offices if possible. In your appeal, include clear photos and a simple network diagram. This shows you understand the risk and took steps to reduce it.

Coworking and Shared Offices

Coworking IP ranges often link stores. A corporate VPN with a fixed egress IP or a dedicated office line helps. Attach an ISP or VPN letter with dates and IP ranges. This one-page proof often resolves the issue.

Third Party Agencies and VAs

Agencies serve many clients. Require dedicated hardware and unique profiles for your store. Collect a signed statement that names the specific staff who may access your account. Include that page in your Plan of Action.

Mergers and Asset Purchases

If you purchased inventory or a brand from another seller, that history can create signals. Include the purchase agreement, the date of the transfer, and a note that the accounts remain separate. Tables help here as well.

Performance and Policy Triggers That Often Sit Behind Section 3

Sometimes the Section 3 header masks a policy or performance risk that started the chain. Fix the root signal while you appeal.

• Order Defect Rate above target
• Late Shipment Rate spikes during a carrier change
• Restricted claims on product pages that require FDA or EPA documents
• Counterfeit allegations or authenticity gaps that require invoices and brand authorizations

Amazon’s help articles on Account Health and enforcement are the best references to include alongside your data. (Amazon Seller Central)

Turn Your Appeal Into A Repeatable Internal Process

Winning once is good. Never needing a second case is better. Build a simple binder that your team can reuse.

• Plan of Action template with the three core sections
• Checklist of required identity and business documents
• Supplier invoice requirements with an example that matches your legal name
• Device and network policy for staff and contractors
• A quarterly user access audit calendar entry
• A one-page sheet that explains Section 3 and what to do in the first hour

When your people know the drill, you respond in hours, not days. That speed protects revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Section 3 notice mean
This means that Amazon is using the Term and Termination clause in the Business Solutions Agreement to restrict or end your selling privileges. The company will do this when it believes your store presents a risk. Your job is to show independence, compliance, and buyer safety.

Can I open a new account while I appeal
No. Doing so can create more links and damage your case. Focus on a clean submission for the current store. Amazon’s forum guidance and policy pages stress this point across many threads. (Amazon Seller Central)

How fast can a strong Amazon Section 3 appeal plan work
Simple cases can be resolved in days when the first submission has the right documents. Complex cases take longer, especially when identity or safety proof is missing.

Do I need to name the other store if I do not know it
If you are not certain, do not guess. Focus on your facts. Show your separation and the controls you put in place. That is enough for many cases.

Where can I read the rules I should cite
Start with Amazon’s Account Health help, the Seller Code of Conduct, and the Appeal guidance. For product compliance, use the FDA and EPA hubs. These are credible and current sources. (Amazon Seller Central)

What if funds remain on hold after reinstatement
Follow up on the case with dates and amounts. Provide any requested invoices or delivery proofs. Keep tone neutral and concise.

Conclusion: Facts, Documents, Controls

A Section 3 decision feels final. It is not always the end. Sellers win when they act fast and present a clean, factual Amazon Section 3 appeal plan. Diagnose the trigger. Build a tight document pack. Write a short Plan of Action that shows root cause, corrective actions, and preventive measures. Provide only what helps. Escalate with respect for the process. Most of all, set controls that stop the problem from returning.

If your case is time sensitive or if funds are at risk, do not wait. Do you need help? Submit your case now!