Is it illegal to Have Multiple Amazon Accounts?

It sounds a bit dramatic when you say it like that. Having multiple accounts on Amazon is not illegal…it’s just something that Amazon doesn’t like seeing…usually!

April 2020 saw Amazon lax its multiple account policy a bit in the face of a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean opening multiple accounts on Amazon is now possible without headaches. The same issues still stand. It’s just that there are more loopholes compared to before. Amazon has already published a series of rules set in stone for those who want to have multiple accounts on its platform.

Why doesn’t Amazon want us to have multiple accounts on its platform?

One word: safety. OK, two words. Control, and safety.

Being the biggest name in ecommerce, the company has continuously strived to create an atmosphere of safety for its customers, who funnel billions of dollars by purchasing from the platform. In order to keep these customers safe, Jeff Bezos’ ecommerce machine takes a number of measures, one of which is not allowing multiple accounts on its platform, among other things. If it keeps its sellers under control, it can create a safer environment for its customers.

Generally, Amazon allows multiple accounts only if:

• There’s a legitimate reason provided by the seller for having multiple accounts
• All the information on all accounts are separate
• The accounts do not sell similar products
• The inventory is different on every account

Many sellers still don’t take Amazon’s multiple account policy seriously, because how does Amazon know if you have multiple accounts on its platform?

How indeed?

Aside from the millions and millions of customers that Amazon has, and of course the enormous amount of money it generates, Amazon has one other thing which is almost endless: resources.

Equipped with A9, one of the most complex artificial intelligence systems devised by man, Amazon can track multiple accounts quite easily. Even if you think you’ve separated all the information, A9 will figure out a way to track your accounts. It can do so through an IP address that you’ve opened both accounts under, the computer you used to set up the new account, and even the Wi-Fi.

But how?

Let’s say you decide to open a new account on Amazon. You don’t want to stay home, so you take your laptop to a café (make sure you practice social distancing!) and start setting up your account. First of all, you’re using the same laptop you’ve used to set up your old account. As if that’s not bad enough, you’re using a public Wi-Fi. You never know who used it to do what. If another Amazon seller used the same to create their account, your accounts will be linked even though you’ve never even met!

Using the same bank information, including the same credit card, can also get your multiple accounts linked. Same goes for email addresses, names, phone numbers, and addresses.

So, you see, it’s not that hard for Amazon to link your multiple accounts together and hit you with a major suspension. These cases are tricky to handle, so it’s best to trust these reinstatements to a service like Got Suspended? who know how to take the necessary steps to get your selling privileges back! What are you waiting for? Contact us now!