Amazon Plan of Action for an Inauthentic Claim
An inauthentic complaint is the most common reason Amazon deactivates a seller account, and the most misunderstood. Amazon is usually not saying your product is fake. It is saying your paperwork does not prove where the product came from. A plan of action closes that gap with invoices, not arguments.
Policy reference: Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting Policy; Seller Code of Conduct
Is this your violation?
- •The notice uses the word "inauthentic", or says the item delivered was not as described
- •Amazon asks for invoices from the last 365 days covering the affected ASIN
- •A specific ASIN is named and the listing has already been pulled from your inventory
- •The notice points to the Anti-Counterfeiting Policy or the Seller Code of Conduct
What Amazon wants to see
- ✓A documented, traceable supply chain from manufacturer to you
- ✓Invoices from verifiable, legitimate suppliers (not screenshots from marketplaces)
- ✓Letter of Authenticity or Letter of Authorization if you are selling branded goods
- ✓Proof that the product you shipped matches the ASIN listing exactly
- ✓Completed corrective action - not a promise to investigate
The three-part structure
Every Amazon plan of action answers the same three questions, in this order. Skipping one is the most common structural mistake.
- 1. Root cause. What went wrong, stated as a fact about your own operation. Not what Amazon misunderstood.
- 2. Corrective actions. What you have already done, with dates. Past tense throughout.
- 3. Preventive measures. The system that stops it recurring. A process, not a promise to be careful.
Root cause examples
Pick the one that is true for you and rewrite it in your own words with your own specifics.
- I sourced the product from a supplier whose invoices did not meet Amazon's verification standards
- I sourced the product from an unauthorized reseller rather than an authorized distributor
- My supplier provided a product that did not match the ASIN listing specifications
- I listed the product under an existing ASIN that did not accurately describe my product
- I was unaware that the brand required seller authorization to list on Amazon
Corrective action examples
Replace every bracket with your real supplier, brand, or date.
- I immediately removed all affected ASINs from my inventory on [DATE]
- I ceased purchasing from [SUPPLIER NAME] and identified an authorized distributor as a replacement
- I audited all remaining ASINs in my catalog and removed any without verifiable supply documentation
- I obtained a Letter of Authorization from the brand owner [BRAND NAME] on [DATE]
- I disposed of all remaining units of the affected product that could not be verified as authentic
Preventive measure examples
- I will only source products from authorized distributors who can provide manufacturer-traceable invoices
- Before listing any branded product, I will obtain written authorization from the brand owner
- I have implemented a supplier vetting checklist that requires verifiable contact information and invoice documentation before placing any purchase order
- I will retain all supplier invoices and purchase records for a minimum of three years
- I conduct a quarterly audit of my catalog to verify that supply documentation exists for every active ASIN
Evidence to attach
- •Supplier invoices dated within the past 365 days covering the affected ASINs and quantities
- •Supplier name, address, phone number, and website
- •Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the brand owner if applicable
- •Your purchase orders or receipts matching invoice quantities
- •Photos of the actual product and packaging if Amazon conducted a test buy
Mistakes that get this appeal rejected
- ✗Denying the problem or arguing that the product is genuine without evidence
- ✗Submitting Alibaba, DHgate, or wholesale marketplace screenshots as invoices
- ✗Promising to investigate instead of showing completed corrective action
- ✗Writing a vague POA without naming specific suppliers or specific dates
- ✗Appealing before removing the affected listings
Questions sellers ask
Will Amazon accept an Alibaba or wholesale marketplace invoice?
No. Amazon verifies suppliers by contacting them. An invoice needs a supplier name, physical address, phone number, and website that Amazon can check. Screenshots from a sourcing marketplace fail that test almost every time.
Do I need a Letter of Authorization from the brand?
You need one if the brand restricts who may sell its products. When you buy a branded product through an authorized distributor, the distributor invoice plus a letter naming you as an authorized reseller carries far more weight than the invoice on its own.
Should I appeal before or after removing the listing?
Remove it first. Amazon reads an active listing as evidence that the corrective action has not happened. An appeal that promises to remove the listing is weaker than one reporting it already removed on a specific date.
Not sure this is your violation?
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