A Comprehensive Guide on How to Close an Amazon Seller Account

As a seller on Amazon, there would be a time when you want to close your account permanently. Whether you’re moving on to new ventures, taking a break, or simply deciding to close your shop, it’s important to know how to properly close your Amazon seller account to avoid any negative consequences.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to close your account successfully, including fulfilling outstanding orders, removing products from Amazon, and ensuring a zero balance in your account. 

With this guide, you’ll be able to confidently navigate the process of closing your Amazon seller account.

Quick Guide

1. How long does it take to delete your Amazon Seller account?
2. Step-by-step process to close your Amazon Seller account
3. Three things to keep in mind before you close your Amazon Seller account
4. What would happen when you close your Amazon Seller account?
5. What are the other alternative options to closing your seller account?
6. Does Amazon delete inactive accounts?
7. Wrapping it up

How long does it take to delete your Amazon Seller account?

The process of deleting an Amazon Seller account can take up to 90 days, depending on existing outstanding issues or pending transactions associated with the account. After the waiting period, the account and all associated data, including files and order history, will be permanently deleted.

What is the step-by-step process to close your Amazon Seller account?

Here are the general steps to delete an Amazon Seller account:

1. Log in to your Amazon Seller account and go to the ‘Settings’ page.

2. Click on the ‘Account Info’ tab

3. Scroll down to the ‘Close Your Account’ section.

4. Review the information on the page and click on the ‘Request Account Closure’ button.

5. Follow the prompts to provide additional information and confirm the closure request.

To confirm your account closure request, a notification will be sent to either your email address linked to your account or via text message. You must respond within 5 days to verify the request.

Steps to keep in mind before closing your Amazon Seller account

To permanently close your account, you should complete the following steps:

Fulfill or cancel any outstanding orders

Ensure that all your outstanding orders are fulfilled or canceled. Your orders will be automatically fulfilled if you’re using the Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) service. If you’re fulfilling the orders yourself, you’ll need to ensure each one is appropriately fulfilled.

Remove all your products from Amazon

You need to remove all your products from Amazon. If you have products stored in multiple Amazon Fulfillment Centers, the removal process can take up to 45 days and may require several shipments to complete. It is crucial to initiate the removal process before deleting your listings to avoid “stranded inventory,” which refers to products that Amazon is holding without a corresponding listing.

Additional read: How to remove inventory from Amazon FBA

Ensure your balance is $0.00

You need to make sure your balance is zero, as Amazon can’t make payments to or receive payments from closed accounts. If you currently have a negative balance, you will need to make a payment to Amazon. If you are on credit, you will need to supply your current bank account details and arrange for a final payment from Amazon.

Recommended Guide: How Does Amazon Seller Payment Schedule Work?

Wait for 90 days after your last sale

You cannot close your account within 90 days of your last sale. This guarantees that the A-to-z Guarantee claim period is honored. If you have open A-to-z Guarantee claims, your account must remain open until they’re settled.

Here’s how you can find open A-to-z Guarantee claims:

1. Go to Amazon Seller Central
2. Click “Performance,” and select “A-to-z Guarantee claims” on the drop-down menu
3. Here, you will be able to find if you have any claims.

It’s essential to follow all these steps carefully to avoid any issues or complications while closing your Amazon Seller account.

What happens after you close the Amazon Seller account?

After you have closed your Amazon seller account, the following changes will take place to your account:

1. All your product listings, along with any associated information and images, will be permanently removed after the Amazon seller account is closed.

2. After your seller account is closed, you will lose access to your account balance, order history, return processing, refund issuance, A-to-z Guarantee claims response and communication with buyers.

3. If you close a North America Unified Account, all other related accounts will also be closed or deleted. This means if you close your US account, your Canada and Mexico accounts will be closed too.

4. Closing your Amazon Europe Marketplaces Account will result in the closure of your account on all European marketplaces.

5. Once your Amazon seller account is closed, you will no longer be able to use any gift cards associated with the account.

Recommended read: Is it possible for a seller to have multiple Amazon accounts?

Why can’t I close my Amazon Seller account?

Closing your Amazon seller account may not be possible due to various reasons. 

For instance, Amazon would have placed an “occasionally unavailable” notice on your account. 

Also, if Amazon is terminating your account, you cannot close it until the termination process is complete. The reasons for termination may include selling too much or selling products that violate Amazon’s policies or standards.

It is essential to address any issues with your account or product listings before closing your seller account to ensure a successful closure. Additionally, it is important to follow Amazon’s guidelines and procedures to avoid any future issues or penalties.

What are the other alternative options to closing your seller account?

If you’re not ready to permanently close your Amazon seller account, there are alternative options you may want to explore.

Downgrade to a free seller account

You can switch to a free individual account if your sales are not consistent enough to justify paying for a professional seller account. With this option, you can continue to use your account to conduct further product research and study successful selling strategies without incurring a monthly subscription fee.

To downgrade to an individual account, you can follow these simple steps.

1. Log in to your seller account, navigate to the ‘Settings’ tab
2. Click on ‘Account Info

3. Then, click the ‘Downgrade Account’ button and follow the prompts provided.

Once your professional plan expires, you don’t have to pay any monthly subscription fees but will instead be charged a small fee each time you sell a product.

Delete old product listings

Deleting individual product listings is an alternative to deleting your entire Amazon account. After you have exhausted your inventory for a particular listing, you can remove it from your account so that it’s no longer visible or available for purchase on Amazon.

1. To delete a product listing, go to ‘Inventory’
2. Select ‘Manage Inventory‘ in your Seller Central account.

3. Locate the listing you want to delete, and click the dropdown next to ‘Edit.’

4. Select ‘Delete product and listing’

5. Confirm your selection by clicking ‘OK’

The listing will then be removed from your inventory. If you change your mind, you can always recreate the listing with the same ASIN. All information and reviews will be reinstated.

Activate vacation mode

If you need a break from selling on Amazon, you can activate vacation mode on your account. In vacation mode, your listings will remain visible, but customers won’t be able to purchase any items. You also have the option to automatically cancel or fulfill any existing orders.

To activate vacation mode, follow these steps:

1. Access your Seller Central account and click on ‘Settings’ then ‘Account Info’

2. Under ‘Listings Status,’ select ‘Going on a vacation?’

3. Choose whether to deactivate one or all marketplaces during your absence
4. Click ‘Save’ to confirm your changes.

4. Sell your Amazon account

Before permanently closing your Amazon account, it’s worth exploring the possibility of selling it instead. Amazon FBA businesses that are actively traded can generally expect to achieve 3-6 times their annual profits. This means that even a business with annual profits as low as $20,000 could be worth six figures when sold. 

Many Amazon aggregators and private buyers are in the market for businesses in this space. It means your business could probably be worth more than you thought. 

So let’s say even if your business isn’t profitable, it can be sold at profits. Some buyers would like to purchase accounts with some selling history. 

Instead of closing your account and walking away, why not try to recoup some of your investment?

Why shouldn’t you leave your account unattended?

Now that we have understood all things related to closing your account let’s understand what happens when you leave your account unattended. 

Leaving your Amazon account unattended for several days can reduce your account’s health. This would lead to unprofitable expenditures or, account suspension, resulting in the loss of your hard-earned money.

Therefore, it is crucial to monitor your account regularly, maintain a healthy account status, and adhere to Amazon’s policies and guidelines to avoid any issues that may negatively impact your account. Taking proactive steps to manage your account can help prevent any financial losses or suspension, ensuring the continued success of your Amazon business.

Note: Amazon sends an email notification to the account holder after 18 months or 547 days of inactivity. Amazon deletes all the files if the seller account remains inactive for two years or 730 days. Account holders will receive a notification from Amazon before their files get deleted.

Recommended read: Who can participate in the Amazon Launchpad program?

Wrapping it up

Closing an Amazon seller account can be a complex process, but it is important to follow the necessary steps to avoid any issues. You can successfully close your account by keeping the aforementioned points in mind, such as fulfilling outstanding orders, resolving transactions, and confirming up-to-date bank information. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind the timeframe for inactivity. 

Additional read:

Can you transfer an Amazon seller account?

How do I Start Selling on Amazon in 2023?

What is The Amazon Emerald Program?