Like the title says, looking at my search catalogue performance, and half of my ASINs are listed under the wrong category. I checked their listing, and they all seem to be in correct category, but wondering if anyone else has run into this problem?
I’m hoping someone here (current or former Amazon employee) can give me practical advice or point me toward the right escalation path for my UK seller account.
Quick background:
• Long-standing 7-digit seller account
• Suspended/enforced multiple times for allegedly selling “restricted products” via “evasive seller practices” (based on a competitor’s complaint)
Key facts:
• The products in question are not restricted.
• We completely exited that entire category/sub-category in 2025.
• The issue affected only one small sub-category that represented less than 10% of our total sales.
• We discontinued that sub-category last year and have had zero sales or new seller activity in it since the first suspension.
• Some minor listing issues (e.g. an “ingestible” claim on a clearly non-ingestible product) were caused by a third-party listing hijacker.
• Our competitor gained ~80% control of the category, yet competitor sales in that category had been declining with less competition and less external traffic we were bringing to Amazon before the suspension
• We gained nothing from the alleged “evasive” behaviour, as same “restricted product” sold legitimately by multiple sellers.
What we’ve already done:
• Submitted standard appeals and escalated multiple times.
• Successfully reinstated twice after deep dive account reviews.
• Despite no new violations or sales, the account keeps getting enforced/suspended again.
We’re out of ideas on what to try next. Standard appeals clearly aren’t enough at this point.
What I’m looking for:
• Any escalation steps, email addresses, internal teams, or processes that have worked for similar repeated-reinstatement cases specifically in the UK.
• Advice from people who have dealt with competitor complaints, account hijacking claims, or old 7-digit accounts.
• Honest feedback if this situation is salvageable or if there’s something else I should be doing. 6 years of my life was spend building that account.
Any guidance would be hugely appreciated. Happy to provide more details privately if needed.
Thank you in advance!
I have a product that requires dangerous goods program approval. I thought that this was going to take a lot longer than it did according to what many people were telling me.
Given this, I decided to partner with a 3PL having been shipping from my location via FBM for the entirety of this operation with terrible delivery times.
Despite this we have maintained number one organic search rankings because we were first and created a solid customer based.
Well right before we were making the shift to 3PL handling the shipping we get an email from amazon stating that we have been accepted into the FBA dangerous goods program. However we are only allowed 10 cubic feet of space.
That can only hold 30-40 units of our product. We would stock out in 2 days or less at our current sales velocity.
My priority is not to sacrifice in a anyway our #1 organic sales ranking via SKU or ASIN stockouts while being able to integrate prime.
So my gut instinct is a hybrid approach. Supply Amazon with 40ish units every week or so while having the 3PL handle the rest. I would assume I could accomplish this by using 2 SKUs for the same ASIN. One for the 3PL and one for Amazon FBA. If the Amazon SKU runs out I would assume that it would shift over to the 3PL SKU for the buy box. But my concern is that would any part of this affect my organic search ranking? Would the weekly FBA SKU stock outs lower my ranking despite having the 3PL backup?
I'm asking for general advice on this.
I am just starting with OA to build and eventually start PL.
I’ve just sourced 5 products totaling 108 units.. and the profit margins are pretty rough.
I’ve been told that it is because on a brand new account, you need to “sell through” to get auto ungated for better products with higher returns.
Can anyone confirm this, and maybe give some tips on where to go from here?
A lot of importers focus on print quality and stitching for World Cup merchandise, but the bigger risk is usually chemical and safety compliance.
Things like jerseys, scarves, plush mascots, pins, and flags can get stopped at customs for issues most factories never test for internally:
One thing many people don’t realize is how fragmented production is in China. A factory might source fabric, dyes, printing, zippers, and packaging from completely different subcontractors. That creates a lot of compliance blind spots.
During the 2022 World Cup cycle, EU customs reportedly rejected hundreds of shipments of sports merchandise over chemical non-compliance issues alone.
For anyone importing sports merchandise into the EU or US, pre-shipment inspections are useful — but document verification and lab testing matter even more.
The expensive part usually isn’t the testing itself. It’s the customs hold, missed sales window, and dead inventory if something fails after shipment.
Curious if anyone here has dealt with REACH, CPSIA, or flammability testing issues with sports merchandise imports before.
Hey folks 👋
Solo dev from Ludhiana, India. Just shipped my first SaaS and would love feedback before I push it harder.
What it is: ListingClimb scans Amazon India listings and scores them on three dimensions:
Free scan, no signup needed. Optional AI-powered rewrites for ₹149/scan (~$1.80). No subscription.
Why I built it: Every existing tool (Helium 10, ZonGuru, etc) is a US-priced subscription. Indian sellers don't subscribe to SaaS the same way US ones do, and they want pay-per-use. Plus, none of them leads with Rufus, which is genuinely changing how listings get found on Amazon now.
Stack
The hard parts
What I'd love feedback on
Site: listingclimb.com
Roast away. Honest critique > polite encouragement
I am looking at using a business that specializes in sourcing, ordering, SEO, listing , etc for a slice of the monthly net profits - a very small slice, let me say - has anyone heard of More ecom? The reviews I find online are good - and the rep Inhave been talking to is very helpful and responsive - I wanted to throw this BZ out to this thread and see if anyone has heard of them. Anyone have any thoughts on this kind of thing? Thanks in advance💕
I just scraped 3,000 products from a Home category and this is honestly making me rethink how I source.
Instead of clicking through products one by one, I can pull a bulk list, filter through the data, and only spend time checking the stuff that actually looks worth it.
It’s still not “easy money” because you still have to check the numbers, competition, Keepa, restrictions, all that. But it saves a lot of dead time.
I’m about to run another scrape today. If anybody wants me to check a site/category for them, comment “details” and I’ll send you the info.
Consumer electronics are different from other products. A textile defect might be a loose thread. A toy defect might be a scratch. But an electronic defect can be hard to see. It may be a cold solder joint. It may be a wrong component revision. Or it may be weak ESD protection that fails after 90 days.
This is why general inspection checklists do not work for electronics. You need a specialized approach that covers both visual checks and function tests.
Shenzhen is the world's electronics manufacturing hub. Factories here make everything from small components to full assembled products. The density of suppliers means lower costs but also more differences in quality.
1. PCB Quality and Solder Joints
Check for cold solder joints, bridging, thin solder, or tombstoning (components that stand on end). Use a 10x magnifying glass on at least 30 random boards. IPC-A-610 Class 2 says good solder joints must show full wetting, no cracks, and no exposed base metal.
2. Component Check
Cross-check 10% of components against the Bill of Materials (BOM). Shenzhen's component market is known for fake or swapped parts. Check manufacturer markings, date codes, and package types. Make sure IC date codes are within 12 months of the production date. Older stock may mean refurbished or salvaged parts.
3. ESD Protection
Check that the factory uses proper static discharge (ESD) protection. Look for grounded workstations, ESD-safe packaging, and antistatic wrist straps for assembly workers. 35% of unexplained electronic failures are linked to ESD damage during manufacturing.
4. Housing and Enclosure Fit
Check that plastic enclosures fit flush with no gaps. Make sure screw holes line up. Look for stress marks or warping. Use a feeler gauge to measure gaps. Any gap over 0.5mm on a sealed device can let in dust or moisture.
5. Labels and Silk Screening
Check that all labels are correct and easy to read. These include model number, serial number, and certifications. Make sure silk-screened marks on the PCB match the design.
6. Power-On Test
Test every sample unit. Check that it powers on correctly. Look for proper LED indicators. Make sure the boot-up sequence finishes normally. Check that no part gets too hot within 5 minutes.
7. Input/Output Port Test
Test all ports: USB, HDMI, audio jacks, power connectors, SD card slots. Use test cables or known-good devices. 12% of electronics inspection failures in Shenzhen factories are related to port assembly defects.
8. Display Test
For products with screens, check for dead pixels, backlight evenness, touch response (if applicable), and viewing angles. Acceptable dead pixel count: 0 for Class I, 3 or less for standard consumer displays.
9. Button and Switch Test
Test all physical buttons, switches, and dials. Check that the force needed to press them is consistent. Listen for click feedback. Make sure buttons are not loose or stuck.
10. Audio Test (If Applicable)
Test speaker and headphone output. Listen for clear sound with no distortion. Check that the volume range works correctly. Use a standard test tone.
11. Certification Marks
Check that required compliance marks are present: CE (Europe), FCC (USA), UKCA (UK), CCC (China). Make sure the marks match the registered certificate number. Shenzhen factories sometimes print marks without getting certified. Always check the certificate number against the issuing body's database.
12. Power Supply Check
If the product comes with a power adapter, check that it has the right voltage for the target market. Check for proper safety certifications and the correct plug type. Fake power adapters are a common problem in Shenzhen electronics supply chains.
13. Battery Check (If Applicable)
For products with lithium-ion batteries, check for UN 38.3 certification and proper battery markings. Make sure the battery compartment has correct polarity indicators. Check for swelling, leaking, or unusual heat during charging.
14. Product Packaging
Check that each unit is packed with the right foam or cushioning. Electronics are easy to damage during shipping. Make sure the product cannot move inside its box. Check that manuals, warranty cards, and accessories match the packing list.
15. Shipping Carton Check
Weigh 10% of shipping cartons to make sure the unit count is the same in each. Check for moisture protection (plastic liners for ocean freight). Make sure carton marks match the shipping documents.
| Lot Size | AQL Level | Sample | Max Major Defects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 or less | 0.65 | 50 | 1 |
| 501 - 1,200 | 0.65 | 80 | 2 |
| 1,201 - 3,200 | 0.65 | 125 | 3 |
| 3,201 - 10,000 | 0.65 | 200 | 5 |
| 10,001 - 35,000 | 0.65 | 315 | 8 |
Note: For electronics, use AQL 0.65 for major defects. Critical defects (safety issues) need AQL 0.0 — zero allowed. We recommend function tests on all sample units for electronic products.
Shenzhen's electronics industry has some unique features that affect inspection: