As a seller on Amazon, your priority will be ensuring that your products and services are liked by both Amazon the platform and your customers.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon’s Account Health Score ranges from 0-1000, with scores above 200 considered healthy (green), 100-200 at risk (yellow), and below 99 unhealthy (red).
- Out of 9.7 million Amazon sellers worldwide, only 1.9 million are active, making account health crucial for long-term success.
- Product listings must have high-quality images and accurate descriptions to maintain credibility and prevent legal issues.
- Quick response times to customer inquiries (within 10-12 hours) and professional handling of negative reviews are essential for maintaining a good score.
- Timely shipping, maintaining adequate inventory levels, and ensuring product quality are critical factors affecting your account health.
- Regular monitoring of Amazon’s policy updates and ensuring compliance across all business operations helps prevent account suspension.
- Using Amazon’s “Performance Notifications” feature helps track account health and address issues promptly.
Amazon has implemented the Amazon Account Health Score, which is basically a rating that tells you whether your online shop is doing well or not.
A score of 200-1000 indicates a green signal on your account health dashboard, which means that you’re doing well.
However, a score of below 200 means yellow, which indicates an impending danger of your account being suspended.
A red signal means an unhealthy score of below 99, after which you might find your product listings vanishing or your account being closed altogether!
There are about 9.7 million sellers worldwide on Amazon, with only 1.9 million active ones. So, if you wish to maintain a healthy account health score (AHS), here are some tips and tricks!
1. Make the representations accurate
No matter how great your products are, your customers need to first see them in pictures and videos. If you post low-quality or grainy images of the products, customers will immediately close your window and switch to another seller’s page.
Moreover, you also have to ensure that the product description and claims are absolutely true. Even a small error can cost you a lot in terms of money, legal lawsuits, and reputation. This is especially true if you’re selling sensitive items like medicines, food, or baby care.
If you’re unsure of how you should list your items, you can always consult an Amazon listing optimization agency that will tell you where you need to improve.
2. Provide the best customer service
Good customer service is a must, no matter what you’re selling. For example, if a buyer has any doubts about the product and they leave a question, answer it as soon as possible.
Or if someone has a negative review, don’t lash out. Instead, be polite and professional.
Providing accurate information to your audience and your Amazon partners can go a long way in maintaining strong credibility.
Many sellers have specialized systems to address issues within just 10-12 hours or through their AI-powered chat systems. This will reduce the number of refunds or exchanges and maintain a green score.
3. Understand the policies
Before you start checking your metrics, it’s important to read and understand Amazon’s policies regarding Account Health Score. These policies cover a lot of areas, right from product reviews to deliveries and payment processing systems.
Amazon also updates its policies quite frequently, which is why you need to keep reading up on them now and then.
In case there’s any change in recent policies, you have to curate and sell your products accordingly.
Violating any policy, even if done unknowingly, leads to poorer scores until your account health dashboard shows the danger sign. Also, make sure all workers associated with your business are equally up-to-date.
4. Ship on time
When you promise your customers that you’ll ship them products as early as possible, preferably within just a day, make sure you do that.
If you’re constantly late in shipping your orders, Amazon might even penalize you with a lower rating. This also applies to having adequate inventory, where you need to keep a good stock of products.
If your current shipping partners aren’t reliable or slow in service, seek a reliable third party for Amazon Management Services in the supply chain. They’ll ship your products on time and help you get better reviews, which positively impacts your health score.
5. Sell good products
Just as it’s important to show good products on the screen, it’s equally important to sell them the items they expect.
If you’re selling products in torn boxes or are broken and damaged inside the shipping cartons, your score will most definitely reduce.
If you’ve been experiencing a lot of customer complaints and returns regarding product quality, it’s time to inspect your manufacturing and inventory warehouses to figure out the problem.
Do everything within your power to make sure these mistakes don’t happen again. Keep checking the account dashboard to monitor your health score, or use the “Performance Notifications” feature provided by Amazon.
Conclusion
These are some of the basic tips and tricks you need to keep in mind to maintain a good health score of as high as possible. Ultimately, you have to keep in mind not to break Amazon’s Seller Code of Conduct, which refrains sellers from participating in unfair selling practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Amazon Account Health Score?
The Amazon Account Health Score is a rating system that ranges from 0-1000, indicating the overall performance and compliance of your seller account. A score above 200 is considered healthy, 100-200 is at risk, and below 99 is unhealthy.
How often should I check my Account Health Score?
You should monitor your Account Health Score regularly through Amazon’s “Performance Notifications” feature to address any issues promptly and maintain a healthy selling status.
What happens if my Account Health Score drops below 99?
When your score falls below 99, your account enters the “red zone,” which may result in product listings being removed or complete account suspension.
How can I improve my customer service rating?
Respond to customer inquiries within 10-12 hours, handle negative reviews professionally, and maintain clear communication. Consider implementing AI-powered chat systems to provide faster response times.
What role does shipping play in maintaining a healthy score?
Timely shipping is crucial for maintaining a good Account Health Score. Consistently late deliveries can result in penalties and lower ratings. Ensure you have reliable shipping partners and maintain adequate inventory levels.
How important are product listings for account health?
Product listings are vital – they must include high-quality images and accurate descriptions. Poor quality or misleading content can lead to legal issues and negatively impact your account health.
What percentage of Amazon sellers are actually active?
Out of 9.7 million sellers worldwide on Amazon, only 1.9 million are currently active, highlighting the importance of maintaining good account health for long-term success.
How should I handle policy updates from Amazon?
Stay informed about Amazon’s policy updates by regularly reviewing them and ensuring all team members are aware of changes. Adjust your business practices accordingly to maintain compliance.
What should I do if I receive negative reviews?
Respond professionally and courteously to negative reviews. Never react defensively or aggressively, as this can harm your Account Health Score.
How can I ensure product quality standards?
Regularly inspect your manufacturing and inventory warehouses, address quality issues promptly, and maintain strict quality control measures. Ensure products are properly packaged and arrive in good condition.
