Top 10 Amazon Compliance Mistakes Brands Make (and How to Fix Them)

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Success on Amazon isn’t just about keyword rankings, PPC campaigns, or high-quality images. The foundation of long-term growth is compliance. One policy violation can tank a listing, trigger account suspensions, or even cause permanent brand damage. Unfortunately, many brands learn this the hard way.


Below, we’ll break down the top 10 compliance mistakes brands make on Amazon — and, more importantly, how to fix them before they cost you sales.


1. Using Prohibited Keywords in Listings

The Mistake: Brands often add restricted words like “FDA-approved,” “cure,” “guaranteed,” or competitor brand names. These trigger policy violations and suppress listings.

The Fix: Build keyword lists from approved sources only. Use tools like Helium 10 or Amazon’s own Search Term Report, but cross-check every keyword against Amazon’s restricted terms list. Avoid medical, drug, or competitor references entirely.


2. Ignoring Character Count and Formatting Rules

The Mistake: Titles over 200 characters, bullet points crammed with keywords, or emojis in product descriptions all risk suppression.

The Fix: Follow Amazon’s style guides by category. Stick to 200 characters for titles, 350–400 characters for bullets, and 1,000–1,200 characters for descriptions. Prioritize readability — not stuffing.


3. Misclassifying Products in the Wrong Category

The Mistake: Some sellers intentionally put items in less competitive categories or accidentally misclassify them, leading to suppressed search visibility or even removal.

The Fix: Use the correct browse node and ensure category alignment with GS1 barcodes, packaging, and product intent. If unsure, open a case with Seller Support to confirm.


4. Incomplete or Inaccurate Product Identifiers

The Mistake: Using incorrect UPC/EAN codes, non-GS1 barcodes, or duplicating identifiers across products. Amazon is cracking down on this, and mismatches can cause listing removal.

The Fix: Purchase GS1-certified UPCs only. Verify UPCs against Amazon’s database, and keep a core data sheet of your catalog with each product’s identifier, dimensions, and brand owner details.


5. Neglecting Image Compliance

The Mistake: Lifestyle images with text overlays, logos, or props that mislead buyers can be flagged. So can missing white-background hero images.

The Fix: Follow strict image requirements:

  • Hero Image: Pure white background (RGB 255, 255, 255), no text or props.

  • Secondary Images: Lifestyle, infographic, or comparison shots are fine but must reflect the actual product.

  • Minimum Resolution: 1,000 x 1,000 pixels to enable zoom.


6. Failing to Control Unauthorized Resellers

The Mistake: Even if your listings are compliant, unauthorized resellers can hijack them with lower-quality images or incorrect information. This damages your brand and leads to poor customer experiences.

The Fix: Enroll in Amazon Brand Registry. Use programs like Transparency to serialize products and leverage Report a Violation tools to remove unauthorized sellers.


7. Overlooking Country-Specific Regulations

The Mistake: What’s compliant in the U.S. may not be in Europe or Canada. For example, chemical labeling requirements (CLP) differ in the EU.

The Fix: Before expanding internationally, review Amazon’s compliance guidelines for each marketplace. Ensure your packaging, labeling, and descriptions match local laws.


8. Ignoring Packaging and Prep Requirements

The Mistake: Brands send inventory into FBA without following prep standards — such as polybagging, suffocation warnings, or expiration date labels. This leads to stranded inventory and chargebacks.

The Fix: Always review Amazon’s FBA Prep and Packaging Requirements. Train warehouse teams or work with a 3PL that specializes in Amazon compliance.


9. Failing to Manage Customer Claims Properly

The Mistake: Negative reviews mentioning “expired,” “fake,” or “unsafe” products can escalate into compliance investigations. Ignoring them risks listing suspension.

The Fix: Monitor reviews and feedback daily. If a claim arises, open a proactive case with Seller Support to provide documentation proving compliance (COAs, invoices, GS1 certificates). Show Amazon you take safety seriously.


10. Not Keeping Documentation on File

The Mistake: Many brands assume Amazon won’t ask for compliance documents until there’s a problem. When requested, they scramble — and often fail to provide proof in time.



The Fix:
Maintain a compliance binder with digital copies of:

• Certificates of Analysis (COAs)
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• GS1 certificates
• Trademark and brand registry documentation
• Lab test results (where applicable)

Being able to submit these within 24 hours can mean the difference between a listing reinstated or permanently removed.



Final Thoughts

Compliance isn’t optional on Amazon — it’s the baseline for survival. The marketplace is only getting stricter as it grows, and enforcement is faster than ever. Brands that treat compliance as an afterthought often find themselves locked out of their own revenue streams.

The good news? Every mistake above is fixable with a proactive system. By maintaining clean data, following style guides, monitoring resellers, and keeping documentation ready, you can avoid the most common pitfalls.

In a world where Amazon’s algorithms and compliance policies evolve constantly, the safest brands are those that treat compliance as part of their daily operations — not a one-time checklist.


👉 Want to safeguard your brand’s Amazon growth?
We’ll audit your listings for hidden compliance risks, streamline your backend data, and build a system that protects your revenue while keeping you competitive.

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Book Your Free Strategy Call with CMO Now

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By William Fikhman February 2, 2026
From the inside, Amazon looks manageable. Listings are live. Ads are running. Sales are steady. On the surface, everything appears fine. From the outside—from an agency’s vantage point—it rarely is. That gap between perception and reality is where most Amazon growth stalls. Not because brands aren’t working hard, but because they’re too close to the machine to see where it’s leaking. Agencies don’t see Amazon the way brands do. They see patterns. Brands See Their Catalog. Agencies See the System. Most brands evaluate Amazon one SKU at a time: Is this listing converting? Is this keyword ranking? Is this campaign profitable? Agencies zoom out. They see how: One weak image suppresses an entire category One inconsistent title structure confuses AI systems One risky compliance shortcut creates long-term fragility One misaligned SKU drags down brand trust across the catalog Brands optimize pieces. Agencies optimize interactions . That difference changes everything. Brands See Performance. Agencies See Signal Quality. A brand sees: Clicks ACOS Sessions Revenue An agency asks: Why did the click happen? What signal did that click send to Amazon? Did the shopper hesitate? Did the listing reinforce intent—or dilute it? Did the ad amplify clarity—or expose confusion? Two brands can have identical metrics and wildly different futures. Because Amazon doesn’t reward activity. It rewards confidence signals . Agencies are trained to read those signals early—before performance drops show up in reports. Brands Fix Symptoms. Agencies Diagnose Structure. When sales dip, brands often react tactically: Add more keywords Increase bids Swap images Rewrite bullets Launch promos Agencies step back and ask a harder question: “What’s structurally misaligned?” Is the listing trying to serve too many use cases? Is the imagery saying one thing while the copy says another? Is the brand positioning inconsistent across SKUs? Is the catalog teaching Amazon what the brand isn’t ? Most Amazon problems don’t need more effort. They need better alignment. Brands Think Like Sellers. Agencies Think Like Amazon. This is the blind spot that matters most. Brands think: “How do I sell this product?” Agencies think: “How does Amazon decide when to show, trust, and recommend this product?” That mindset shift changes how everything is built: Titles are written for interpretation, not stuffing Images are designed for recognition, not decoration A+ content resolves doubt instead of adding features Ads reinforce positioning instead of chasing volume Agencies don’t optimize for Amazon. They optimize with Amazon’s decision logic in mind. Brands See Today. Agencies See the Compounding Effect. Small inconsistencies feel harmless in isolation. Agencies see how they compound: Slight messaging drift becomes brand confusion Minor policy risks become account fragility Inconsistent visuals weaken AI confidence Short-term wins erode long-term authority Amazon rewards brands that behave predictably over time. Agencies are paid to protect that predictability—even when it means saying no to short-term gains. Brands Focus on What’s Visible. Agencies Focus on What’s Silent. Some of the most dangerous Amazon problems don’t announce themselves. Agencies notice: When conversion friction increases before revenue drops When AI visibility softens without ranking loss When shoppers hesitate instead of bouncing When ads prop up listings that should stand on their own Silence on Amazon is rarely neutral. It’s usually a warning. Why This Perspective Gap Exists Brands live inside their product. Agencies live across hundreds of catalogs, categories, and outcomes. That exposure builds pattern recognition brands can’t develop alone—no matter how smart or experienced they are. It’s not about effort. It’s about distance. From Clicks to Conversions: Partner With Experts Who See the Whole Board At Chief Marketplace Officer , we don’t just execute tasks—we interpret systems. We see Amazon the way it actually works, not the way it appears from inside a single brand. Our team of Amazon specialists: Identifies structural issues before they show up in performance reports Aligns images, copy, ads, and A+ into one clear decision signal Designs listings for AI interpretation and human confidence Protects brand trust while scaling visibility and revenue Amazon sellers don’t fail because they don’t work hard. They stall because they can’t see what’s holding them back. That’s where we come in. Ready to Turn Browsers Into Buyers? 👉 Book Your Strategy Call with CMO Now Final Thoughts Most Amazon problems aren’t obvious. They’re systemic. And the hardest part isn’t fixing them—it’s recognizing them. Agencies don’t have better ideas because they’re smarter. They have a better perspective because they’re farther away. On Amazon, distance creates clarity. And clarity is what unlocks scale. Because the brands that win aren’t the ones doing more. They’re the ones finally seeing what’s been there all along.
Laptop screen with Amazon Seller Central logo, Account Health Auditing progress bar. Shopping bags, shopping cart.
By William Fikhman February 2, 2026
After a few Amazon audits, you start spotting mistakes. After a few dozen, you recognize trends. After hundreds, you stop looking at tactics altogether. You start seeing systems. At scale, Amazon success isn’t about clever tricks or isolated optimizations. It’s about how well a brand aligns with how Amazon evaluates , trusts , and recommends products over time. And after auditing hundreds of Amazon brands across categories, price points, and maturity levels, the lessons are surprisingly consistent. Most Brands Aren’t Broken—They’re Misaligned Very few brands we audit are “bad.” Many are talented. Well-funded. Experienced. But they’re misaligned. Their listings say one thing while their images imply another. Their ads chase keywords their listings can’t support. Their A+ content adds information but removes clarity. Their catalog grows without a unifying logic. On Amazon, misalignment doesn’t just slow growth—it quietly erodes trust. And trust is the currency Amazon cares about most. Conversion Problems Rarely Start With Copy Brands often assume low conversion is a wording issue: “We need stronger bullets.” “We need better keywords.” “We need more benefits.” But audits show something different. Conversion issues usually start before the copy: Images that don’t instantly define the product Main images that blend into the search results Visual stacks that force interpretation Use cases that aren’t obvious at a glance When shoppers hesitate visually, copy never gets a chance to work. High-performing brands don’t persuade harder—they clarify sooner. Most Listings Try to Say Too Much One of the most common audit findings is over-communication. Brands try to: Serve every use case Appeal to every audience Capture every keyword Preempt every objection The result is a listing that feels busy, vague, and exhausting. Amazon—and shoppers—reward decisiveness. Listings that win audits usually: Commit to a primary outcome Clearly define who the product is for Make tradeoffs obvious instead of hidden Remove unnecessary options Clarity isn’t restrictive. It’s liberating. Ads Expose Listing Weakness Faster Than Anything Else PPC performance is one of the fastest diagnostic tools in an audit. When ads struggle, it’s rarely because: Bids are too low Keywords are wrong Campaigns aren’t complex enough It’s because the listing can’t convert the promise the ad makes. Audits repeatedly show: High CPCs tied to unclear positioning Poor ROAS driven by visual mismatch Wasted spend propping up structurally weak listings Ads don’t fix problems. They reveal them. Brand Consistency Is the Hidden Growth Lever Across hundreds of audits, one pattern stands out clearly: Brands that scale smoothly feel predictable . Not boring—predictable. Their: Titles follow a consistent logic Images reinforce the same promise A+ content repeats—not reinvents—the story Reviews validate the same outcomes Catalog feels intentional, not accidental This predictability makes Amazon confident recommending them. Inconsistent brands don’t just confuse shoppers. They confuse the algorithm. Compliance Issues Are Usually Design Problems Most compliance risks we uncover aren’t malicious or careless. They’re structural. Claims hidden in images. Implications buried in icons. Language that feels “safe” in isolation but risky in context. Brands focus on policy rules . Audits reveal the importance of policy interpretation . Listings that feel restrained, clear, and factual convert better and survive longer. Compliance isn’t the enemy of creativity. It’s the framework that protects scale. The Best Brands Think Like Teachers After hundreds of audits, one truth becomes obvious: The strongest Amazon brands teach instead of sell. They: Explain what the product does in plain language Guide shoppers toward the right choice Reduce comparison fatigue Set expectations honestly Let confidence replace hype As Amazon leans further into AI-driven discovery and decision support, this teaching mindset becomes a competitive advantage. Amazon doesn’t promote confusion. It promotes understanding. From Clicks to Conversions: Partner With Experts Who See the Patterns At Chief Marketplace Officer , we don’t audit to generate checklists—we audit to reveal systems. Our experience across hundreds of Amazon brands allows us to see: What quietly suppresses growth What signals Amazon trusts What patterns repeat across winning catalogs What breaks long before revenue does Our team of Amazon specialists: Diagnoses structural misalignment, not surface-level issues Aligns images, copy, ads, and A+ into one cohesive decision signal Builds catalog-level consistency that scales safely Designs listings for long-term trust—not short-term spikes Amazon sellers don’t need more tactics. They need perspective earned through repetition. That’s where we come in. Ready to Turn Browsers Into Buyers? 👉 Book Your Strategy Call with CMO Now Final Thoughts Auditing hundreds of Amazon brands teaches you one thing above all else: Success isn’t accidental—and failure is rarely sudden. Most outcomes are earned quietly, through alignment, restraint, and clarity. The brands that win aren’t doing more. They’re doing fewer things better —and doing them consistently. On Amazon, experience isn’t just knowledge. It’s pattern recognition. And pattern recognition is what turns effort into scale.