A wave of sudden account suspensions has left countless Amazon sellers in distress, with exorbitant appeal fees forcing many to abandon their claims. Now, Amazon appears to have identified a new "business opportunity" by offering official account reinstatement services. But are these measures genuine safeguards for sellers, or does the e-commerce giant have ulterior motives?
This analysis examines Amazon's recently launched Account Health Assurance (AHA) program, facial recognition verification, and explores how sellers can leverage Amazon Attribution and the Brand Referral Bonus program to boost sales during peak seasons.
Account Health Assurance: Safety Net or Control Mechanism?
Amazon's U.S. marketplace recently announced the Account Health Assurance (AHA) program, designed to help sellers resolve issues that might lead to account deactivation without actually suspending accounts. Currently available only in the U.S. and Canada, the program claims to be free of charge and will expand to other markets in coming months.
Key Features of AHA:
- Eligibility: Sellers maintaining consistently high Account Health Ratings (AHR)
- Requirements: Minimum AHR score of 250 for at least six months (with no more than 10 days below this threshold) and a valid emergency contact number
- Benefits: Amazon specialists proactively contact sellers when issues arise, providing explanations and solutions. Accounts remain active if sellers respond within 72 hours and cooperate with resolution efforts
Potential Implications:
The introduction of AHA could significantly disrupt the existing third-party appeal services market. As Amazon extends its control from logistics to account management, sellers face both opportunities and challenges:
- Possible market consolidation for appeal services
- Increased Amazon dominance over seller ecosystems
- Heightened importance of maintaining account health metrics
Recommended Strategies:
- Monitor AHR scores vigilantly
- Maintain updated contact information
- Respond promptly to Amazon communications
- Diversify sales channels beyond Amazon
Facial Recognition Verification: New Hurdle for Multi-Account Sellers?
Beginning November 15, Amazon initiated testing of facial recognition technology for third-party seller verification. The process requires sellers to scan their faces via webcam, with machine learning algorithms comparing the images to registered identification documents.
Verification Process:
- Facial scan via webcam
- Real-time machine analysis
- Identity confirmation against registration documents
- Verification pending page
- Results delivered within days (with plans for instant approvals)
Privacy Considerations:
Amazon asserts compliance with biometric privacy laws (BIPA and CCPA), stating that facial data will only be used for verification purposes and will be encrypted. Sellers retain the option to choose video verification instead.
Potential Challenges:
- Complications for sellers operating multiple accounts
- Privacy concerns among some seller communities
Boosting Sales Through Amazon Attribution and Brand Referral Bonus
Amazon has introduced two programs to help sellers optimize advertising spend during peak seasons:
Amazon Attribution:
This analytics solution measures the impact of non-Amazon marketing channels (search engines, social media, email campaigns) on Amazon sales, enabling sellers to identify high-performing channels and allocate budgets accordingly.
Brand Referral Bonus Program:
An incentive initiative that rewards brands for driving sales through external channels. Sellers earn bonuses when customers purchase through their referral links.
Implementation Steps:
- Register for Amazon Attribution
- Create tracking links for external campaigns
- Monitor channel performance
- Optimize advertising budgets
- Enroll in the Brand Referral Bonus program
- Generate referral links for products
- Promote through external channels
- Collect bonus earnings
Success Story: Lumineux
The oral care brand achieved $1 million in sales during a promotional event by combining social media advertising with the referral bonus program. Their strategy not only improved cost efficiency but also boosted organic search rankings by 30,000 positions.
Conclusion
Amazon's new policies reflect the company's dual focus on platform security and revenue optimization during economic uncertainty. While the AHA program and facial verification may present challenges—particularly for multi-account operators—tools like Amazon Attribution and the Brand Referral Bonus offer valuable opportunities for sellers to enhance performance during critical sales periods.