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The big question: Amazon gift cards

October 28, 2020 Leave a Comment

Discounted gift cards – even legitimate ones – are risky business

By: Lesley Hensell

Discounted gift cards. What’s not to like?

Everything. Because if you’re relying on discounted gift cards to buy your Amazon inventory you can find yourself in a risky situation. In this article we will discuss what is making discounted gift cards such a risky way to buy your inventory.

What makes gift cards risky

Discounted gift cards can come with lots of risks:

  1. Gift cards could be used for money laundering. Which makes them unappealing to Amazon.
  2. Sites can offer cards from members of the public. However, there is no way to ensure the validity of these cards, nor their provenance.
  3. Products that are bought with gift cards rather than a bank card or credit card, the seller cannot give proof of purchase.

Amazon gift cards

Operate like a legitimate business

If you’re addicted to this habit, stop for a moment and think about how large businesses operate.

They pay invoices using debit or credit cards, checks and wire transfers. They do not get inventory using discounted gift cards bought from strangers online.

Amazon doesn’t exist to allow wheeler-dealers to flip stuff. They want third-party sellers to operate like legitimate businesses. With excellent record-keeping, reasonable standards for invoices, payments, and bank accounts.

However it is equally dangerous for third-party sellers to purchase them with a buyer account that is potentially linked to their seller account.

Amazon’s risk management operations see this as a risky behavior that can be related to fraud or, worse, money laundering.

A better way to play with margins

So, instead of risking a seller account for a 2% or 3% discount, look for other ways to game the system and enjoy your selling account. Perhaps the best of these options is to purchase inventory with a debit card or credit card that offers rewards. Some business accounts provide 1% or more cash back. Others offer points for travel rewards, merchandise and more.

In conclusion

Purchasing discounted gift card may sound like a great way to save money. But they really can damage your credibility with Amazon!

Keep you account healthy. Need help? Ask Riverbend Consulting. or give us a call! 877-289-1017


Lesley Hensell

Lesley is co-founder and co-owner of Riverbend Consulting, where she oversees the firm’s client services team. She has personally helped hundreds of third-party sellers get their accounts and ASINs back up and running. Lesley leverages two decades as a small business consultant to advise clients on profitability and operational performance. She has been an Amazon seller for almost a decade, thanks to her boys (18 and 12) who do most of the heavy lifting.

Filed Under: Account Health, Amazon, Amazon Appeal, Amazon seller, Amazon Seller Central, Appeal, Customer Serivce, General, Linked Account, Seller Central, Seller Fulfilled, Seller Performance, Seller Support Tagged With: Account Suspension, Amazon, Amazon account, Amazon appeal, Amazon seller, Amazon Seller Central, Gift cards, Risk Management

Amazon is refusing to release funds for some suspended sellers!

December 18, 2017 1 Comment

Amazon is refusing to release funds, they are permanently holding funds for some suspended sellers

By Lesley Hensell

Amazon appears to have made a recent policy change, where it will permanently attached the funds of some suspended sellers. Yes, Amazon is refusing to release funds.

This has happened in the past in cases of counterfeit or fraud. But now, Amazon is going after sellers who it deems have engaged in a pattern of repeatedly breaking Amazon’s rules.

For example, a client was selling products that Amazon deems “prohibited” for sale on the platform, even though they are legal in all 50 states. Amazon didn’t like the way our client listed the products. Instead of simply suspending him, they also attached the nearly $20,000 in his account – and say they will never give it back.

We are working to get the funds released and will keep the community updated.

The moral of the story? Don’t engage in a pattern of breaking Amazon’s rules. They will figure it out. And now, they might just be a lot more aggressive about ensuring you never do it again.

Lesley is Partner at Riverbend Consulting, she offers practical know-how to improve retail performance. Lesley’s experience with Amazon compliance gets accounts back up fast. Check out more of Lesley’s videos, here.

Filed Under: Amazon Tagged With: Account Reinstatement, Account Suspension, Amazon, Amazon Account Reinstatement, Amazon Seller Account, Related accounts

Emergency: I can’t log in to my amazon account!

December 15, 2017 Leave a Comment

By Lesley Hensell

For Amazon sellers, it’s a nightmare scenario. They try to log in to their seller account, but just can’t. The error might say something like, “You don’t have permission to access this account,” or worse, “This email address is not associated with an Amazon seller account.”

What’s a seller to do?

First and most importantly, take these steps to protect yourself:

  1. Make sure two people in your company have the user name and password for your Amazon seller account. This creates redundancy in case someone is sick, on vacation, gets fired or leaves.
  2. Beyond those two people, don’t spread around your primary user name and password. Keep it safe.
  3. For other users, create sub-user accounts. Give each person appropriate permissions – and only the permissions that they need.

If you are locked out of your account, contact Seller Support. If they can’t help, ask them to escalate to engineering.

If you’re still stuck can’t log in to your Amazon account, contact us at Riverbend Consulting. More videos are available on our YouTube channel.


Lesley is Partner at Riverbend Consulting, she offers practical know-how to improve retail performance. Lesley’s experience with Amazon compliance gets accounts back up fast.

Filed Under: Amazon Tagged With: Account Suspension, Amazon, Amazon reinstatement, ASIN suspension, Invoices, Related accounts

Amazon Seller account problems? Honesty is the best policy.

December 14, 2017 Leave a Comment

Amazon Seller account problems

By Lesley Hensell

When Amazon Seller account problems arise, it’s tempting to tell Amazon what you think they want to hear. Unfortunately, this can mean fake invoices, doctored documents and false statements.

This short-term solution can destroy your account. If Amazon detects falsified invoices or documentation, they will suspend you – and it can be nearly impossible to come back from this kind of suspension.

On the flip side, telling the truth just might get what you want from Seller Performance. In a recent case, one of our clients had multiple major problems with his accounts. Brutal honesty resulted in a super-fast reinstatement.

Here are a few tips:

  1. Don’t rush. Yes, it’s faster and easier to doctor an invoice. Instead, take the time to get the real – and right – documentation.
  2. Be clear. Sometimes, the reason you’re in a pickle is a good and valid one. Explain it briefly, with any evidence you can provide to back your story.
  3. Don’t give in. It is so tempting to lie because you need your products to sell – right now. It’s better to see lower, slower revenue numbers than to take actions that might kill your account.

You can trust us. Need call us 877-289-1017 or check out our website Riverbend Consulting.

Lesley is Partner at Riverbend Consulting, she offers practical know-how to improve retail performance. Lesley’s experience with Amazon compliance gets accounts back up fast. Check out more of Lesley’s videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here.

Filed Under: Amazon Tagged With: Account Suspension, Amazon, Amazon reinstatement, ASIN suspension, Invoices, Related accounts

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