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Amazon FBA declares entire inventory defective after suspension

Posted on by SellerBites

What would you do if Amazon suddenly flagged your entire FBA shipment as “Defective”—without telling you why? đŸš«

Same product, same packaging, same barcode
 but post-suspension, Amazon won’t let this seller sell a single unit.

How do you break the rejection loop?

  • Amazon flags all inventory as “defective” đŸ˜”
  • Help shape what comes next 👇
  • Thought of the Day 🍮

SELLER CONFESSIONS

An Amazon seller (OP) confessed: FBA flagged all their inventory as “Defective”—and won’t tell them why.

Before the holidays, everything was smooth. OP was the only authorized seller, sourcing directly from the brand. Sales were steady, packaging was compliant, and FBA had no issues. 

🔁 Stuck in the loop

After a temporary account suspension (now resolved), OP shipped inventory again—same product, same packaging. But Amazon flagged every single unit as “defective.”

  • No clear answer. Amazon provided a vague list of possible issues: missing transparency codes, incorrect titles, unreadable QR codes, packaging errors
 but no specific explanation.
  • Costly dĂ©jĂ  vu. OP paid to get the inventory returned, repacked it, and shipped it again—only to be flagged again.

đŸ§Ÿ Packaging red flags

These small mistakes could be the reason Amazon keeps rejecting the entire shipment:

  • Barcode too close to the edge. The FNSKU might’ve interfered with the UPC.
  • Label inside the sleeve. Instead of on the polybag where FBA scans it.
  • Brand Registry disconnect. OP had brand exclusivity, but post-suspension, the account might’ve lost Brand Registry linkage.

With no option to appeal to a human and no clarity from support, OP is stuck footing the bill, again.

💡 What the seller hive-mind figured out

Turns out, Amazon doesn’t like surprises—or sloppy barcodes.

  • Space matters. Amazon’s scanners need clear white space around barcodes to function correctly.
  • Use the right ASIN. Creating variations (e.g., “Blue 2.0”) can help if packaging changes slightly.
  • Label before you bag. Slapping the FNSKU on after polybagging? Rookie move.

📩 What happens now?

There’s no easy fix—just more costs if the issue isn’t solved at the root.

Unless OP gets direct help from Amazon or the brand, there’s no clean way to reverse the “Defective” status. Repackaging, relabeling, or even relisting under a new ASIN might be the only way out—and the cost of trial-and-error just keeps stacking up.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Amazon doesn’t guess, it scans, flags, and rejects.

If one detail is off, your entire shipment could be toast. Every label, every placement, every step is make-or-break. Treat it like it is.

BITES OF THE WEEK