Amazon Multiple Seller Accounts (Rules for FBA Sellers)

Welcome to our guide on Amazon multiple seller accounts!

If you’re an FBA seller, you may have wondered about the rules and regulations surrounding having multiple accounts on Amazon.

While Amazon’s policies generally prohibit multiple accounts, there are exceptions for legitimate business reasons. Understanding these rules is essential to ensure compliance and avoid any potential issues.

Key Takeaways:

• Amazon prohibits multiple seller accounts, but there are exceptions for legitimate business needs.
• To open a second account, you must have a separate bank account and email address.
• Products and services sold in each account must be different and performance metrics must be in good standing.
• Best practices for opening multiple accounts include having separate business entities, IP addresses, credit cards, email addresses, telephones, physical addresses, EINs, management, employees, domains, domain hosts, and warehouses.
• It is recommended to seek help from an Amazon seller attorney if your account is suspended as a related account.

Can You Have Multiple Amazon Seller Accounts?

According to Amazon, you can have multiple seller accounts if you have a legitimate business need and all your current accounts are in good standing.

The definition of a legitimate business need may not be explicitly defined by Amazon, but it generally includes situations such as operating separate brands, manufacturing products for separate companies, or participating in specific Amazon selling programs.

When opting for multiple accounts, each account must have a distinct address, email address, phone number, and IP address. This ensures that each account is separate and not linked to the others.

Compliance with Amazon’s policies is essential to maintain good standing and avoid suspension.

How to Open Multiple Amazon Seller Accounts

Opening multiple Amazon seller accounts can be beneficial for certain legitimate business needs. If you have a legitimate reason to open a second account, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. Create a new email address not associated with any existing Amazon accounts. This will serve as the primary contact email for your new account.
2. Visit Amazon’s seller registration page and click on the option to “Register as a new seller.”
3. Provide all the required information, including your business name, address, and contact details. Remember to use different information from your existing account.
4. During the registration process, you will be asked to verify your identity. This typically involves providing a valid government-issued ID and phone number.
5. After verifying your identity, review and accept Amazon’s terms and conditions for sellers.
6. Set up your payment options, including linking a separate bank account or credit card to the new seller account.
7. Once you have completed the registration process, repeat these steps for each additional account you wish to create.

By following these steps, you can open multiple Amazon seller accounts for your legitimate business needs.

Remember to maintain separate bank accounts, email addresses, and other necessary information for each account to ensure compliance with Amazon’s policies.

Benefits of Having Multiple Amazon Accounts

Having multiple Amazon accounts can greatly benefit your business in various ways. Let’s explore the advantages:

1. Diversify Your Business and Reach More Customers

By operating multiple Amazon accounts, you can diversify your business across different niches and sectors. This provides the opportunity to target a wider range of customers and expand your reach.

For example, if you sell both electronics and home decor, having separate accounts for each allows you to cater to different customer interests and preferences.

2. Increase Revenue by Selling Different Products

With multiple accounts, you can sell a wider variety of products and tap into different markets. Each account can focus on specific products, allowing you to optimize your sales strategy for each category.

This diversification of product offerings can potentially lead to increased revenue and business growth.

3. Reduced Risk of Suspension or Account Ban

Having backup accounts provides a safety net and reduces the risk of suspension or the complete ban of your primary account.

If one account faces an issue or suspension, you can continue operating your business smoothly through the other active accounts. This ensures business continuity and minimizes the impact of any unexpected setbacks.

Overall, having multiple Amazon accounts allows you to diversify your business, expand your customer base, increase revenue, and reduce the risk of suspension.

It is essential, however, to maintain compliance with Amazon’s policies and guidelines for each account to ensure long-term success.

Benefits	Explanation
Diversify Your Business	Target different niches and sectors, reach more customers
Increase Revenue	Sell a wider variety of products, tap into different markets
Reduced Suspension Risk	Backup accounts provide continuity in case of primary account suspension

Consequences of Having Multiple Amazon Accounts

Managing multiple Amazon accounts can have a range of consequences that sellers should be aware of.

These consequences include:

• Time management challenges: Handling multiple accounts requires increased effort, time, and resources. From monitoring inventory and customer inquiries to managing listings and advertising campaigns, juggling multiple accounts can become overwhelming.
• Risk of suspension: Amazon has strict policies in place to ensure fair and transparent selling practices. Violating these policies, intentionally or unintentionally, can lead to the suspension of your accounts. Amazon is vigilant in monitoring for fraudulent activities, including the misuse of multiple accounts.
• Poor performance: Effectively managing the performance of multiple accounts can prove challenging. With divided attention and resources, inconsistencies in performance metrics may arise. This can lead to differences in customer feedback, product ratings, and seller reputation, potentially impacting your overall sales and success.

It is crucial to carefully consider these consequences and weigh them against the potential benefits before deciding to open multiple Amazon accounts.

Does Legitimate Business Need for Multiple Amazon Accounts?

A legitimate business need for operating multiple Amazon accounts arises when there is a requirement to manage separate brands or manufacture products for distinct companies.

This practice allows sellers to effectively cater to different target audiences and maintain brand integrity for each entity.

By operating multiple accounts, sellers can ensure that their brand identity remains focused and consistent, thereby maximizing their potential for success in the competitive Amazon marketplace.

Additionally, some sellers may need to open new Amazon accounts to address specific challenges related to inventory management.

One such challenge is the Inventory Placement Index (IPI) score, which affects a seller’s ability to manage their inventory efficiently.

By opening a new account, sellers can potentially improve their IPI score and overcome the obstacles associated with inventory management.

However, it is crucial to discuss these needs and requirements with Amazon to ensure compliance with their policies and guidelines.

Benefits of Legitimate Business Need for Multiple Amazon Accounts	Challenges of Legitimate Business Need for Multiple Amazon Accounts
Diversification of business across various brands and product segments Increased revenue potential through different product offerings Reduced risk of suspension or account ban by having backup accounts	Increased complexity and time required to manage multiple accounts Risk of suspension if Amazon detects policy violations or fraudulent activities Inconsistent performance management across multiple accounts

How Black Hat Sellers Open Multiple Amazon Accounts

Black hat sellers employ various strategies to open multiple Amazon accounts, using deceptive methods to evade detection.

By implementing tactics such as using separate credit cards, email addresses, and bank accounts, they aim to create the appearance of individual sellers.

Additionally, black hat sellers utilize multiple computers with different Internet service providers (ISPs) to further obfuscate their true identities.

However, Amazon has developed robust detection methods to identify black hat sellers operating multiple accounts for fraudulent purposes.

Amazon’s detection system scrutinizes various attributes and patterns associated with seller accounts to determine their legitimacy. These attributes include:

• Device ID: Amazon tracks the unique identifier of devices used to access seller accounts, enabling them to detect multiple accounts accessed from the same device.
• IP Address: Each device connected to the internet has an IP address. Amazon can detect suspicious patterns of IP addresses, flagging multiple accounts linked to the same IP address.
• Credit Cards: By analyzing credit card information associated with seller accounts, Amazon can identify instances where the same credit card is used across multiple accounts.
• Bank Accounts: Similar to credit cards, multiple accounts linked to the same bank account raise red flags for Amazon’s detection system.
• Company Names: Using identical or similar company names across multiple accounts can be indicative of fraudulent activity.
• Billing and Shipping Addresses: Accounts with shared billing and shipping addresses may be flagged as suspicious by Amazon’s system.
• Phone Numbers: Black hat sellers often attempt to use the same phone number across multiple accounts, which can be a sign of illegitimate activity.

Through careful analysis of these attributes and their interconnections, Amazon can effectively identify black hat sellers attempting to open multiple accounts.

By employing these detection methods, Amazon aims to maintain a trustworthy marketplace for sellers and buyers alike.

How Amazon Detects Multiple Accounts

Amazon employs various methods to detect multiple accounts and identify those linked to the same seller.

By analyzing several factors, including device ID, IP address, credit card information, bank account details, company names, billing and shipping addresses, and phone numbers, Amazon can effectively pinpoint accounts that are associated, even if no explicit information is shared between them.

These detection methods enable Amazon to maintain the integrity of its platform and prevent fraudulent activities, ensuring a fair and secure environment for both sellers and customers.

Device ID

The device ID is a unique identifier assigned to every device that accesses the Amazon platform.

By analyzing device IDs, Amazon can determine if multiple accounts are being accessed from the same device, indicating a potential violation of its policies.

IP Address

Amazon examines IP addresses to identify any patterns or overlaps among different accounts. If multiple accounts are associated with the same IP address, it raises flags and triggers a potential review from Amazon’s detection systems.

Credit Card and Bank Account Information

Amazon cross-references credit card and bank account information used for seller accounts.

If the same credit card or bank account is linked to multiple accounts, it can signal a violation of Amazon’s policies and result in account suspension or other penalties.

Company Names, Billing and Shipping Addresses, and Phone Numbers

Amazon scrutinizes company names, billing and shipping addresses, and phone numbers associated with seller accounts.

If there are similarities or matches across different accounts, it indicates a potential violation of Amazon’s policies regarding multiple accounts.

Overall, Amazon’s combination of detection methods helps to maintain a level playing field for all sellers on its platform, discouraging unfair practices and ensuring a trustworthy marketplace for both sellers and customers.

Opening a Second Account the Right Way

If you’re considering opening a second Amazon account, it’s important to approach it in the right way to ensure compliance with Amazon’s policies. Here are some key steps to follow:

1. Create a separate bank account: Having a separate bank account for your second Amazon account is crucial. It helps maintain financial transparency and prevents any potential confusion between the two accounts.

2. Set up a separate email address: To keep your accounts distinct, it’s essential to use a separate email address for your second Amazon account. This ensures that communication and notifications remain organized and separate from your primary account.

3. Obtain a separate credit card: Having a separate credit card exclusively for your second Amazon account makes it easier to monitor expenses and track financial transactions specific to that account.

While it’s not mandatory to have a separate company for the second account, it’s recommended to inform Amazon in advance and request permission for opening the second account.

This proactive step helps prevent any potential misunderstandings or issues with Amazon’s policies.

Operating multiple accounts may require increased accounting work and maintenance, but it can provide several benefits.

One of the key advantages is having a backup account in case of suspension or when selling your business. This ensures continuity and minimizes disruptions to your selling operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you’ve read our guide on multiple Amazon seller accounts, you might have even more questions. We’ll answer them here in this section.

How do I open multiple Amazon seller accounts?

To open a second Amazon seller account, you need to create a new email address not associated with any existing Amazon accounts. Then, register a new account on Amazon’s seller registration page using the new email address and provide all required information.

What qualifies as a legitimate business need for multiple Amazon accounts?

Examples include operating multiple brands under separate entities or manufacturing products for separate companies.

How do black hat sellers open multiple Amazon accounts?

Black hat sellers use various strategies such as separate credit cards, email addresses, bank accounts, and multiple devices with different ISPs to avoid detection.

How does Amazon detect multiple accounts?

Amazon utilizes various methods such as device ID, IP address, credit card information, bank account details, company names, billing and shipping addresses, and phone numbers to identify accounts linked to the same seller.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having multiple Amazon seller accounts can be a strategic move for FBA sellers looking to diversify their business and increase revenue.

By operating multiple accounts, you can reach different niches and sectors, potentially expanding your customer base and brand growth.

Additionally, having backup accounts can provide a safety net, reducing the risk of suspension or the ban of your primary account.

However, it is crucial to carefully consider the consequences and challenges associated with managing multiple accounts.

Opening and maintaining multiple Amazon seller accounts require extra effort, resources, and time management skills.

It is important to ensure compliance with Amazon’s policies and guidelines to maintain good standing and avoid potential suspension due to policy violations or fraudulent activities.

Consistent performance management across multiple accounts is also crucial to achieve success and prevent performance differentiation that can lead to losses.

If you decide to open multiple Amazon seller accounts, it is recommended to seek professional advice from an Amazon seller attorney.

They can provide valuable guidance in navigating the complexities of multiple seller accounts, ensuring you understand the regulations and requirements set by Amazon for legitimate business needs.

By carefully weighing the benefits and drawbacks and taking the necessary precautions, you can make informed decisions about your Amazon selling strategy and maximize your chances of success in the competitive marketplace.