Related-account suspension lifted in 9 days, inventory unfrozen

The deactivation notice cited Section 3: an account "related to" one that had been previously enforced. The seller had never operated another store. Their first two appeals said exactly that, and both were rejected within hours with the same template.

Meanwhile $38,000 of FBA inventory was frozen in the middle of Q4, and disbursements were on hold.

We started with the link itself, not the appeal. A review of the account's history showed a former virtual assistant had logged in from the same device and network they used for another client, and that client's account had been enforced two years earlier.

• Documented the relationship with dates, the VA's contract end, device and access removal, and new 2FA on every login.
• Wrote a plan of action in Amazon's three-part structure (root cause, corrective action, preventive measures) with evidence attached, not assertions.
• Escalated through the Account Health Specialist call after the written appeal, with the same facts.

The account was reinstated on day nine. Inventory was released the following day and disbursements resumed within the week. The seller kept the December sales window with a two-week loss instead of a lost quarter.

Access controls we set up remain in place: named logins, 2FA, and a rule that no contractor ever shares a device with another client.

Why it worked

Related-account cases are decided on one question: can the seller explain the link the system found? Saying "I have no other store" does not answer it, which is why the first two appeals failed. Naming the shared device, the dates and the person involved gave the reviewer something to verify.

What to check on your own store

• List everyone who has ever signed in, including past freelancers, and remove the ones who no longer need access.
• Ask any contractor which other sellers they work for, and whether they use a separate browser profile or device for each.
• Turn on two-step verification for every user, not only the owner.
• Keep contracts and access-removal dates on file. They are the evidence if a link is ever alleged.