Book Listings Inactive Over Fake Counterfeit Claim
Our book inventory of 10,000 listings was suspended today over one $10 book that was damaged in transit, repackaged by the post office and sent to the customer, and for some reason we received a COUNTERFEIT/INAUTHENTIC claim for this?!
We have emailed the seller support address we were given numerous times with a copy of the exact invoice, clearly showing that we ordered 10 new copies of the book on 2/23/23 from a publisher. Yet, the invoice was rejected because it was older than 12 months. The books were purchased in February of 2023. THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME?! We've purchased, listed and sold books for 20 years, so many of our legitimately new book listings were bought years ago.
How can we speak to a live person who can review our letter of explanation, the invoice, see that we've been selling books here for 20 years, have perfect feedback and account health? An email or a phone number? Otherwise it appears this is in a loop, where whatever we send is rejected by AI.
How is it POSSIBLE that because a $10 book was damaged and repackaged by the post office, our seller account is hit with a Counterfeit/Authenticiy complaint??
Why are we as long time sellers with Amazon receiving form letters of rejection repeatedly, when we follow directions, enclose proof that the book was new, ordered from a publisher? Yet the invoice is rejected multiple times?
Again, We could not prevent USPS from damaging the package, nor how they responded (repackaged and sent to the customer). The customer received the book within a week, it was still in new condition; we've emailed with her and she is fine. She realizes the delivery delay was not due to Amazon nor us as the 3rd party seller.
Yet here we find ourselves, with 10,000 deactivated new and used book listings.
I appreciate any insight!!
Book Listings Inactive Over Fake Counterfeit Claim
Our book inventory of 10,000 listings was suspended today over one $10 book that was damaged in transit, repackaged by the post office and sent to the customer, and for some reason we received a COUNTERFEIT/INAUTHENTIC claim for this?!
We have emailed the seller support address we were given numerous times with a copy of the exact invoice, clearly showing that we ordered 10 new copies of the book on 2/23/23 from a publisher. Yet, the invoice was rejected because it was older than 12 months. The books were purchased in February of 2023. THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE TO ME?! We've purchased, listed and sold books for 20 years, so many of our legitimately new book listings were bought years ago.
How can we speak to a live person who can review our letter of explanation, the invoice, see that we've been selling books here for 20 years, have perfect feedback and account health? An email or a phone number? Otherwise it appears this is in a loop, where whatever we send is rejected by AI.
How is it POSSIBLE that because a $10 book was damaged and repackaged by the post office, our seller account is hit with a Counterfeit/Authenticiy complaint??
Why are we as long time sellers with Amazon receiving form letters of rejection repeatedly, when we follow directions, enclose proof that the book was new, ordered from a publisher? Yet the invoice is rejected multiple times?
Again, We could not prevent USPS from damaging the package, nor how they responded (repackaged and sent to the customer). The customer received the book within a week, it was still in new condition; we've emailed with her and she is fine. She realizes the delivery delay was not due to Amazon nor us as the 3rd party seller.
Yet here we find ourselves, with 10,000 deactivated new and used book listings.
I appreciate any insight!!
54 replies
Seller_MJFm5Bd205WcB
I have been following this, just because you posted all the details. No information from me, but you do have my support/interest.
Seller_X5WsYxQEvinlm
My husband was banned for LIFE on a similar case 10 years ago. They would not let me open an account for five years because we had the same address. I was kicked off two years ago because I was selling Frankincense incense. Some bot had scanned an article that said Frankincense had relaxing properties like CBD so they suspended me. I had to write an exhaustive Mea Culpa letter and action plan detailing how I had mended my ways, confess my evil ways and a week later I was reinstated. I did a search and there were over 5000 Frankincense products for sale on Amazon but they suspended none of them.
I am so sorry you are going through this. It really stinks.
Stevie_Amazon
Hey there @Seller_Lxv57WhcjmRJQ,
I just wanted to let you know that I have seen your post and am currently engaging with another Community Manager to review your scenario further.
Stevie.
Seller_CRAHk6FHN1cLe
We are all just a bad day away from not selling on Amazon. Time to make a change and try something different for all of us. That is why there are so many TikTok Amazon gurus. They figured out they can make more posting videos for 30 minutes a day than they will ever make on Amazon.
Seller_uQYhLxx9lMcj4
I hope you get it all figured out! My account was deactivated for over a year for a similar reason, and getting help was nearly impossible. Eventually, it was reactivated but I felt alone and almost betrayed considering the amount of books I sold, along with a healthy account and good seller reviews, yet all it took was one mistake. Amazon should have some acknowledgments for specific sellers, like a tier system based on performance and duration. Additionally, It'd be nice if there were US-based customer reps to talk to over the phone. Wish you the best!
Seller_RHFv8huX5pyu2
Hi bookwoman111,
Please let us know if the forum moderators get this resolved for you.
We are going through the same thing with Account Health, but for a DVD. A client mistakenly believed he had ordered a download from us instead of a real DVD. When he received the DVD he complained to AZ that it was inauthentic. This was in December 2023. It's now June 26th and we have gotten nowhere yet with Account Health. HOWEVER, Amazon has not deactived all our books, thank goodness. They have removed that DVD from our listings and there remains a policy violation on our Account Health page in spite of the fact that the DVD was authentic and purchased directly from the manufacturer just months before this happened. We sent them all the necessary information to no avail.
If you do manage to speak with someone at Amazon based in the USA please let me know how you managed it. Thanks! Jim
Seller_V5HlKCeFomff6
All the sellers, big or small, together we build this platform. However, smaller ones are usually thrown under the bus without any warning.
They and the bots can do whatever they want to do based on whatever reason, and we small business have to suffer the loss of entire listings we worked so hard to built.
Eventually, we are the ones that suffers the loss of revenue, stranded inventory, paying our employees, we helped build this platform, sadly, why don't we even has a say in this?
Seller_24FzucbyGtgZS
If its a formal compliant file a DMCA appeal.
If its Amazon's bot - file for arbitration and demand that the arbitrator rule for Amazon to cease and desist its use of bots and instead require formal written complaints sworn under the penalty of perjury (as eBay does) which give you the seller recourse against anyone making a false complaint.
Seller_IUhBk4EzVGwV0
please let us know how it goes and good luck.
I have just emailed jeff b. and andy j. ceo, and the executive team about these issues.
Seller_cdvV6T0o1sPlZ
I am fighting a very similar problem with my account and have been ghosted by Amazon for the last month. They have deactivated thousands of dollars' worth of inventory.
Here’s a timeline of the events.
05/09/2024:
• A bad acting buyer (located an address associated with Little Owl Prep), bought, returned, and claimed a book he received was counterfeit.
• Amazon subsequently deactivated the product in question and asked for proof of authenticity.
05/10/2024:
• I forwarded all invoices directly from the publisher which indicate that the product is authentic.
• Amazon responds with the following vague message: “We received your submission but do not have sufficient information to reactivate your listings.”
• I can only make assumptions at this point, and my guess is that the invoices were rejected because they fall just outside the 365-day window even though they clearly show proof of authenticity.
• Each of these invoices is outside the 365-day window because for the last year buyers have treated this product as a rental. They order the book and return it used within Amazon’s return policy. This is obvious from my sales/returns history.
05/14/2024:
• I received a return/refund question from the buyer.
• I attempted to resolve this issue with the buyer via Amazon messaging, but to no avail. I assisted and refunded the buyer.
• The buyer offered zero proof of counterfeiting (that’s because it’s an authentic product). He simply stated, “It's counterfeit. Hard to tell sometimes. Amazon approved the return/refund so you'll have the books soon. In answer to my request, I'm sending both counterfeit copies.”
05/17/2024:
• I had decided to move on from this particular product as it been nothing but problematic since first offering it to customers.
• I then received an email from Amazon – ‘Important information about Books listings.’ The email asked for store name, email address, and invoices.
• Since I had previously attempted to forward this information without any luck, I made the mistake of not responding to this email in a timely manner.
05/25/2024:
• I receive a follow up email from Amazon – ‘Important information about Book listings.’ The email asked for the same information. However, this time it also stated, “Your listings will remain removed and you will no longer be able to fulfill future orders with the listings.”
• When I checked my inventory, not only was the product in question deactivated, but 45+ listings were deactivated.
• I immediately started pulling together invoices of all the deactivated products and forwarded some of these to Amazon. At this point I was not sure which product(s) were desired.
05/29/2024:
• I receive an email from Amazon “Important message about your Amazon Seller account” stating, “We received your submission but do not have sufficient information to reactivate your listings.”
• At this point, I forward every invoice for every deactivated listing resulting in over 45 invoices.
05/31/2024:
• I receive an email from Amazon “Review of your Amazon.com seller account” stating that “We cannot accept this INVOICE, because it was not validated.,” and it again asks for store name, email address, and invoices.
• I then forward all of my information again and clearly highlight the deactivated listings on the invoices.
06/03/2024:
• I receive an email from Amazon “Important Information about Book listings” which is the exact same message which was received on 05/31/2024.
• The email state, “We're here to help. If you have questions about this policy or your account, you can contact us via email at pq-csm-agg-review@amazon.com"
• I then follow up with this email seeking clarification and offer my phone number for further discussion.
06/04/2024:
• I receive an email from pq-csm-agg-review@amazon.com which offers no clarification or assistance. It only repeats the exact same message which I received on 05/31 and 06/03.
06/05/2024 thru 06/25/24:
• I reached out to Amazon multiple times but have received zero response.
06/25/24:
• Amazon has begun returning my inactive FBA inventory since it has been inactive for over one month.
At this point I am at a loss for a path forward. I’ve offered high-quality products and top-notch customer service for over 5 years. My buyer feedback and seller metrics speak for themselves. If one shady buyer can wreak this much havoc, there is no point for me to continue selling here.
@Stevie_Amazon@Josh_Amazon
