The 2 Most Overlooked Policies That Could Make or Break Your Business
When you’re focused on growing your Amazon business — listing optimization, PPC, FBA fees, and everything in between — it’s easy to overlook one silent killer:
Your Account Health Rating (AHR).
Amazon’s AHR is not just a “compliance score” — it’s your business’s lifeline.
A drop in your Account Health Rating can lead to suspended listings, blocked payouts, or worse — an account shutdown.
Luckily, there’s good news:
Understanding and proactively following Amazon’s policies can protect your AHR and keep your business on the path to long-term success.
Today, let’s highlight two crucial (but often ignored) policies that can trip you up — and how to stay compliant without slowing down your sales.
1. The Anti-Counterfeiting Policy: Proof Matters
Amazon is obsessed with customer trust — and that means every product sold must be 100% authentic.
To enforce this, Amazon has a strict Anti-Counterfeiting Policy. And it’s serious business.
🚨 Violations Include:
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Selling non-genuine or altered products
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Failing to provide acceptable proof of supply chain authenticity
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Listing branded items without valid sourcing documents
Even if you think your products are legit, Amazon wants proof.
✅ How to Stay Compliant:
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Keep all invoices: Make sure they are dated within the last 365 days, show full product details, and match your listings.
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Maintain supplier relationships: Know your distributors. Amazon may contact them to verify authenticity.
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Avoid gray-market or unauthorized suppliers: Even “genuine” products from unofficial channels can trigger policy violations.
🧠 Pro Tip: Create a digital folder for each SKU with all supplier docs. When Amazon asks, you’ll be ready within minutes.
💬 2. The Customer Product Review Policy: Don’t Touch the Feedback
It might seem harmless — you message a customer who left a 2-star review and offer a refund or discount to “make it right.”
Unfortunately, this violates Amazon’s Customer Product Review Policy.
Amazon takes review integrity very seriously because it directly affects buyer trust and product rankings.
🚫 What NOT to Do:
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Don’t offer refunds, freebies, or discounts in exchange for reviews
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Don’t use third-party services to manipulate or gather reviews
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Don’t ask customers to change or remove negative feedback
These actions may be well-intentioned, but Amazon sees them as review tampering — and your Account Health Rating will pay the price.
✅ Best Practices Instead:
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Respond to reviews publicly and professionally
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Use feedback constructively to improve your product or service
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Let your customer service speak for itself — organically
🧠 Pro Tip: Ask for feedback only through Amazon’s official “Request a Review” button in Seller Central. It’s safe and compliant.
🛡️ Why This Matters: Your AHR Is Your Safety Net
Amazon is tightening policy enforcement more than ever before. A healthy AHR means:
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Your listings stay live
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Your disbursements aren’t delayed
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Your chances of winning the Buy Box increase
A poor AHR can lead to:
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Sudden listing suspensions
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Permanent account closure
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A long, painful appeals process
By understanding and respecting the policies above, you’re not just avoiding trouble — you’re creating a stronger, more resilient business.
Final Thoughts: Policy is Power
You don’t need to memorize every line of Amazon’s policy docs.
But you do need to respect the rules that matter most — and these two are key.
Your Account Health Rating is Amazon’s way of measuring how seriously you take their ecosystem.
When you stay compliant, you protect your brand, your profits, and your peace of mind.
So don’t wait for a policy violation to land in your inbox — get proactive.
Start monitoring your documentation and review practices today, and your business will thank you tomorrow.
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