The internet has changed people’s everyday lives, and that change is very apparent for people that practice e-commerce.
The ability to do business online has made it possible for some people to expand overseas or reach customers they would never have been able to in the past.
E-commerce isn’t just for big businesses, plenty of people have had a lot of luck selling things online.
For some people, this goes beyond a hobby. You can make a lot of money selling things online. For a lot of people, their Etsy shops and Ebay accounts are their careers.
That’s why seeing the phrase “account suspended” can send people into a panic.
Decoding the account suspended message
The situation may be stressful and a bit scary, but the important thing above all else is to stay calm if you receive an account suspended message.
It’s important to understand the message that you’re receiving. A lot of websites have seller accounts use very specific language in these matters.
If you received a message that your account is banned, it’s time to worry. A ban usually only occurs after the seller site has reviewed your appeal and it has been denied.
Outright bans without a warning are only reserved for extreme cases where they expect fraud or something illegal occurring.
If you received a message that your account has been suspended, that’s actually good news. In the case of suspension, you’ll have time to appeal it.
Reasons why you have an account suspended message
Despite what you may think, e-commerce sites aren’t quick to hand out an account suspended message. These often come after spending time investigating certain issues.
Every site has different policies, but you’ve received an account suspended message it’s probably because of one of these three reasons:
Unhappy customers
Unhappy customers are one of the main reasons behind account suspension.
Have you had issues with shipping items on time, or have you made a few shipping errors?
Have you recently had to cancel some orders because you had stock problems or other issues?
Do you have customers complaining about the product’s quality, or do they feel like they’ve been misled?
These are all valid reasons why a website would suspend a seller account.
Selling banned products
It’s important to note that a banned product isn’t one that’s illegal. There are plenty of products that are legal that you may not have permission to sell.
You could be selling products from a manufacturer that is known for their shoddy products. You could even be selling something illegally because you don’t have reseller permission.
Specific policy violation
This is one of the most common reasons why an account is suspended. Ignoring terms and conditions can cause a lot of trouble for your seller account.
Before you sign up to sell anything on a website, make sure that you spend time reading their terms and conditions.
Avoid an account suspended message
Now that you’ve seen why your account may have been suspended, learn what you can do to avoid ever having to see that message.
Be familiar with terms and conditions (and updates)
The simplest way to avoid an account suspension is to become intimately familiar with the site’s terms and conditions.
Learn any rules they have about product listings and advertisements. See any terms or conditions they may have about people that are licensed to resell certain products.
It’s important to not just familiarize yourself with these things but to also be aware of when they change.
Popular websites can change their terms and conditions frequently. Don’t get caught off guard and potentially lose your account because you didn’t take the time to read about policy changes.
Work hard to please customers
One of the easiest ways to get your account suspended is to upset your customers. Late packages, damaged goods, and low-quality products are surefire ways to end up with an account suspended message.
Give your customer multiple shipping options, and make sure to do what you can to ensure that they get their packages on time.
Proper packaging can help ensure that your products reach their destination intact and unharmed.
Have a good backup plan
Sometimes things happen that are out of your control.
You could miss a crucial terms and conditions update that may impact your business. There could be outside forces that make your packages late for delivery.
If you happen to have your account suspended, it’s important to know how to handle the appeals process.
How to have a successful appeal process
There’s no magic formula that can guarantee that an account suspension will be overturned every time, but there are some things you can do that help your case.
Have a plan of action
Simply asking to have your account reinstated isn’t going to be enough to sway someone. Your account was suspended for a reason, and the main site needs to make sure that you’ll correct the problem.
If your account was suspended because too many people said they had an issue with late shipping, explain that you’ve had time to look at your fulfillment process and have identified areas that can be improved to help ship items quickly.
If customers have complained about product quality, say that you’ve found a new manufacturer.
If you’ve violated their policy assure them that you see where you made the mistake and that you’ve taken the time to familiarize yourself with all of their policies.
Show that you’re dedicated to the customer experience
The website may have suspended your account because of a policy violation or customer complaints. But when you look deeper into the issue, your account was really suspended because you made the site look bad to customers.
When you violate a policy or upset a customer, your actions reflect poorly on the website. Even though you’re the one that made the mistake, the site will ultimately suffer more than the suspended seller.
If you want to do a good job of appealing your case, make sure that you state your commitment to serving customers and giving them a good experience.
Do you have any questions about selling products online, or concerns about a suspension? Contact us so we can help!
