Amazon Listing Policies
Amazon publishes its listing policies, but rarely in the form of what you must actually do. Each page below takes one policy area, states what it requires in practice, lists the violations that trigger enforcement most often, and explains what Amazon does when it finds one. 30 policies across 13 areas.
If a listing has already been actioned, the plan of action templates cover the appeal itself.
Advertising
1 policies.
Brand
3 policies.
Amazon Brand Registry Policy and Requirements
Requirements to enroll in Amazon Brand Registry and the protections and tools it provides to brand owners.
Amazon Trademark Policy for Sellers
How Amazon enforces trademark rights on its platform, what sellers can and cannot do with third-party trademarks, and how to respond to trademark complaints.
Amazon Counterfeit Policy: What It Is and Consequences
Amazon's policy on counterfeit products, how counterfeit detection works, and the consequences sellers face for counterfeit violations.
Compliance
3 policies.
Amazon Hazmat (Dangerous Goods) Policy for FBA Sellers
Amazon's policies for listing and shipping hazardous materials through FBA, including which products require hazmat review.
Amazon Restricted Products Policy
Amazon's comprehensive restricted products policy: what is prohibited, what requires approval, and how to check before listing.
Amazon Gated Category Policy: How to Get Ungated
Which Amazon categories require approval to sell in, what documentation is needed, and how the ungating process works.
Condition
2 policies.
Amazon Product Condition Guidelines
Amazon's definitions for product conditions (New, Used, Collectible, Refurbished) and the requirements for each condition type.
Amazon New vs Used Product Guidelines
Specific guidance on what qualifies as New condition on Amazon and the most common mistakes sellers make when assessing condition.
FBA
4 policies.
Amazon FBA Packaging Requirements
Amazon's packaging requirements for products sent to FBA fulfillment centers, including poly bag, box, and labeling rules.
Amazon FBA Labeling Requirements
Requirements for FNSKU labels, ASIN barcodes, shipping labels, and other labeling needed for FBA inventory.
Amazon Stranded Inventory Policy: Causes and Resolution
Amazon's rules around stranded FBA inventory, when Amazon removes it, and your options for resolving stranded inventory.
Amazon Restock Limits Policy for FBA
How Amazon sets FBA storage and restock limits based on your IPI score and account history, and what to do when you approach your limits.
Images
3 policies.
Amazon Image Requirements: Complete Guidelines
Amazon's full image requirements for all listing image slots, technical specifications, prohibited content, and category-specific rules.
Amazon Main Image Requirements
Specific requirements for Amazon's main product image (slot 1) that are most strictly enforced and most commonly violated.
Amazon Swatch Image Policy for Variations
How Amazon uses swatch images to display color and style variations on product pages, and the requirements for uploading compliant swatch images.
Keywords
2 policies.
Amazon Keyword Policy: Permitted and Prohibited Terms
What keywords are permitted in Amazon listings, what is prohibited, and how keyword violations affect your listing and account.
Amazon Backend Keyword Limits and Rules
Character limits, prohibited content, and best practices for Amazon's backend search term fields.
Listing Content
3 policies.
Amazon Product Title Requirements
Amazon's official requirements for product titles: character limits, prohibited content, and formatting rules by category.
Amazon Bullet Point Guidelines
Amazon's rules for listing bullet points (key product features): character limits, formatting, prohibited content, and best practices.
Amazon Product Description Policy
Requirements and prohibited content for Amazon product descriptions, including A+ Content rules for brand-registered sellers.
Listing Structure
2 policies.
Amazon Variation Policy: Rules for Product Families
Amazon's rules for what can and cannot be grouped as variations (parent-child relationships) on product listings.
Amazon Parent-Child Relationship Requirements
Technical requirements for setting up parent-child variation relationships on Amazon listings correctly.
Pricing
2 policies.
Promotions
2 policies.
Amazon Deals Policy: Lightning Deals and Best Deals
Amazon's eligibility requirements and rules for running Lightning Deals and Best Deals on Amazon.
Amazon Lightning Deals: Full Eligibility Criteria
Every eligibility requirement to run a Lightning Deal on Amazon, including rating, inventory, pricing, and timing requirements.
Reviews
2 policies.
Amazon Review Policy for Sellers
Amazon's rules for how sellers can and cannot interact with buyer reviews, including permitted review request methods.
Amazon Fake Review Policy: What Counts as Review Manipulation
Amazon's policy on review manipulation and what actions Amazon considers to be fake or manipulated reviews.
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Run a free Amazon listing auditQuestions sellers ask
Which Amazon policy violations are the most serious?
Safety, authenticity and intellectual property. Those three can deactivate an account rather than a listing, and they are the hardest to appeal because Amazon weighs buyer risk above seller evidence. Content and formatting violations are far more common but rarely account-threatening on their own.
How do I know which policy my listing broke?
Account Health, then Policy Compliance. Each enforcement carries a reason code and a link to the specific policy. The notification wording is generic by design, so the reason code is more useful than the message text when working out what to change.
Do policy violations expire?
Most fall out of the Account Health Rating after 180 days provided there is no repeat. Repeat violations of the same policy reset that clock and weigh more heavily, which is why fixing the underlying cause matters more than clearing the individual strike.
Can I be penalised for a policy I did not know existed?
Yes. Amazon treats the policy pages as published notice, and enforcement is automated for most content rules. Ignorance does not feature in the appeal process, which is part of why a periodic audit against the written rules is cheaper than an appeal.