- Authenticity, restricted-product and regulatory/product-compliance enforcement are different problems and should not share one generic evidence pack or POA.
- Authenticity focuses on genuine sourcing/product identity; restricted-product cases focus on whether the product/claim is allowed; compliance cases focus on required legal/safety documents and product information.
- Amazon requires accurate product information and compliance with applicable laws; some product types/categories also require approval before listing.
- Audit the wider similar catalogue when the root issue could affect more than the ASIN Amazon cited.
1. Classify the complaint before collecting documents
Read the Performance Notification/Account Health issue and identify which question Amazon is asking. An authenticity complaint asks whether goods are genuine and traceable. A restricted-product complaint asks whether the product or offer is permitted under Amazon policy. A product-compliance request asks for specific legal/safety evidence or declarations.
If the notice combines more than one issue, create a separate evidence checklist for each. Do not assume an invoice answers a regulatory licence question or that a test report proves the supply chain is genuine.
2. Authenticity: prove the genuine supply chain
Amazon’s product authenticity guidance emphasises selling genuine products that match the detail page. Depending on the notice, sellers can be asked for supplier invoices, supplier contact information, authorization or other sourcing evidence.
Match documents to affected ASINs, purchase dates and quantities. Keep supplier details verifiable and do not alter invoices. Manufacturers/private-label sellers should explain the real manufacturing route rather than inventing reseller invoices.
3. Restricted products: determine whether the product is prohibited, conditional or misclassified
Restricted-product enforcement can relate to products that cannot be sold at all, products that require approval, products limited by geography or fulfilment programme, or products whose claims/ingredients/attributes place them under a restricted rule.
Check the current Amazon restricted-products/category requirements and the actual product composition, label and claims. A seller should not rely only on the supplier’s marketplace description or assume that another seller listing the product proves it is allowed.
4. Product compliance: identify the exact regulatory evidence Amazon asks for
Compliance can involve licences, test reports, certificates, declarations, manufacturer/importer information, ingredient/composition records, packaging labels, manuals, safety data or other product-specific evidence. The required documents depend on the product and applicable Indian law/Amazon programme.
Submit genuine current documents that identify the correct product/model and responsible business. A certificate for a different model, manufacturer or market may not answer the request.
5. Check the product detail page against the physical item
Amazon’s authenticity/quality guidance stresses that the product shipped should match the description, including attributes such as colour, model, quantity and condition. Review title, bullets, images, variation, pack quantity, model, expiry and other detail-page claims against the real product.
A product can be genuine but still create a compliance/quality issue if the detail page misrepresents it or makes unsupported/restricted claims.
6. Audit similar ASINs when the issue can repeat
If one product has a prohibited ingredient, missing licence, unsupported medical claim or weak supplier documentation, search the catalogue for products sharing the same supplier, formula, brand, claim or category. Fixing only the cited ASIN can leave the same risk active elsewhere.
Document the scope of the audit and actions taken. This demonstrates that the seller addressed the process, not only the example Amazon discovered.
7. Choose dispute vs corrective response from the facts
If the seller has genuine evidence that the product is compliant/authentic and Amazon’s decision is incorrect, use the dispute route and submit that evidence. If the product or process actually violated policy, remove/correct the risk and explain verified corrective/preventive actions when Amazon asks for them.
Do not claim “supplier assured us it was compliant” as the sole defence. Sellers remain responsible for products they list and for accurate product information.
8. Common evidence mistakes
Avoid cropped invoices, edited PDFs, unverifiable supplier information, expired licences, certificates for different models, screenshots of web listings as proof of legality, declarations created after the enforcement with no underlying evidence and document dumps with no mapping to the cited ASIN.
Keep filenames clear and provide a short index explaining which document answers which requirement.
9. FBA adds operational requirements but does not replace product compliance
Some products, including dangerous goods, have additional FBA handling/eligibility rules. A product being legal to sell does not automatically mean it can be stored/fulfilled through FBA in every configuration.
Check both the selling restriction and the fulfilment-programme requirement where relevant. Do not solve an FBA dangerous-goods restriction by simply changing product data to avoid classification.
10. Build preventive controls before the next listing
For future products, verify the supplier/manufacturer, product identity, composition/materials, applicable licences/test documents, labels/claims and Amazon category restrictions before launch. Keep the evidence in an ASIN-level compliance folder.
Re-check documents when formulas, packaging, manufacturers, importers or regulations change. Compliance is not a one-time upload task.
Three evidence paths — do not mix them
- Read the exact notice and classify the complaint before collecting documents.
- Match evidence to the cited ASIN/model, business and requested date/scope.
- Audit similar catalogue products when the same supplier/formula/claim/regulatory gap may exist.
- Use genuine unaltered documents and explain evidence gaps truthfully.
- Choose factual dispute vs corrective response based on verified facts.
| Issue | Core question | Typical evidence to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticity | Are the goods genuine and traceable to a credible supply chain? | Invoices, supplier identity/contact, authorization where applicable, purchase quantity/date, product/packaging evidence |
| Restricted product | Is this product/claim permitted to be offered on Amazon? | Composition/materials, label/claims, restriction/category status, approval/licence where applicable |
| Product compliance | Does the product meet the required legal/safety documentation? | Current test reports/certificates/licences, manufacturer/importer details, labels/manuals and requested regulatory records |
Frequently asked questions
Is an authenticity complaint the same as a restricted-product violation?
No. Authenticity concerns whether the goods are genuine/traceable; restricted-product enforcement concerns whether the product or offer is permitted. The evidence and response are different.
Will an invoice solve a product-compliance violation?
Not by itself if Amazon is asking for licences, test reports, composition or other regulatory evidence. Submit the exact document type requested for the product.
Should I delete only the ASIN Amazon cited?
Investigate similar products when the underlying issue could affect them. A broader audit may be necessary to remove the same risk from the catalogue.
Can I use a supplier website screenshot as proof the product is compliant?
Usually that is not a substitute for genuine product-specific regulatory/sourcing documents. Follow the exact evidence request in Amazon’s notice.
What if I believe the complaint is wrong?
Use the dispute route where available and provide genuine evidence showing why the product/supply chain complies. Do not manufacture a corrective root cause if the facts support a dispute.
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