Review-manipulation warning: root cause found in a third-party tool, account kept

The seller had never paid for a review. The warning cited "incentivised review requests". The cause was a third-party email tool sending post-purchase messages that offered a discount code alongside a review request.

• Audited every automated buyer message for the last 12 months and identified the exact template.
• Removed the tool, switched to Amazon's own Request a Review button, and documented both with dates.
• Plan of action acknowledged the message wording as the root cause, with the corrective steps and the new review policy attached.

Warning acknowledged and closed without enforcement. Review velocity dropped 20% for two months and recovered through Vine and the built-in request button; the account has had no policy warnings since.

Why it worked

The plan of action did not argue with the warning. It found the exact message that broke the rule, showed that the tool had been removed, and put a compliant process in its place. Reviewers close cases quickly when the cause is named and the fix can be checked.

What to check on your own store

• Read every automated message your tools send to buyers, word for word.
• A review request must be neutral. Never pair it with a discount, a gift or a refund.
• Do not ask only happy buyers, and do not steer unhappy ones elsewhere.
• The built-in Request a Review button is the safest route, and brand owners can also enrol new products in Vine.

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