How To Protect and Increase Your Amazon Seller Account Health Rating While Scaling

What if the Amazon business you've spent years building disappeared overnight? The moment your Amazon business begins to take off is precisely when it faces its greatest existential threat.

Amazon sellers face numerous challenges in the new ecommerce landscape: rising fulfillment fees, increased competition, and growing concerns over account suspensions. Smart Scout’s Voice of the Amazon Seller Report states that 35% of Amazon sellers in the United States have experienced an account suspension.

So, if you’re wondering “How do top sellers protect their account health while scaling to seven figures and beyond?”, we’ve got you.

Here’s the deep dive you’ve been looking for: how to check your Amazon account health, increase your account health rating, and maintain perfect order metrics during high-volume periods.

What does Amazon account health mean?

Amazon account health is your seller account's overall condition and performance on the platform.

A healthy Amazon account meets the platform’s standards and guidelines, operates smoothly without interruptions, and maintains good standing in terms of customer satisfaction, order fulfillment, and policy compliance.

Your Amazon account contains a section dedicated to account health, where you’ll find several account metrics to keep your account in good standing and learn about account-level warnings that require your attention.

How to check Amazon account health

Here's how to effectively check and manage your Amazon account health:

First, access the Account Health dashboard by logging into Seller Central. Navigate to the "Performance" tab, then select "Account Health." This centralized dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your account's status.

Pay attention to the Amazon Order Defect Rate (ODR), which combines negative feedback, A-to-Z claims, and chargebacks. Amazon expects sellers to maintain an ODR below 1%. Similarly, monitor your Late Shipment Rate and Cancellation Rate — aim to keep both under 4% and 2.5% respectively.

Don't overlook customer feedback; it directly impacts your account health. When you receive negative feedback, address it promptly and professionally.

Make sure your listings comply with Amazon's policies. If you receive any intellectual property complaints, handle them according to the guidelines. The "Voice of the Customer" section provides valuable insights into what buyers think about your products.

Finally, remember, keep detailed records of all your customer interactions - it’s your best defense if issues arise.

Further reading: Navigating Amazon's A-to-z Claims

Amazon account health metrics: Factors influencing AHR score

Behind every successful Amazon seller lies an important yet often overlooked number — the Account Health Rating (AHR). This proprietary scoring system decides whether sellers thrive or face restrictions. Here’s a breakdown of the Amazon account health metrics that shape this score.

Order Defect Rate (ODR)

ODR measures the percentage of orders that get negative feedback or customers return.

To find your ODR, go to your Amazon Seller Central account and navigate to the “Performance” section. Select the “Account Health” tab and scroll down to the “Order Defect Rate” section.

You can improve your ODR by delivering high-quality products and excellent customer service can help you build trust with customers and increase your sales on Amazon.

Late Shipment Rate

This measures the percentage of orders that you fail to ship within the expected timeframe. Did you know? Under Amazon’s updated policy, sellers must maintain a 90% or higher On-time delivery rate (OTDR) without promise extensions for their seller-fulfilled orders.

To find your late shipment rate, go to your account’s Performance section, select the “Account Health” tab, and scroll down to the “Order Defect Rate” section to view your Late Shipment Rate. This information helps sellers understand how well they are meeting customer expectations and identify areas for improvement in their order fulfillment process.

Further reading: Best Free Amazon Shipping Software for your Ecommerce Business Amazon's New On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) Policy

Cancellation Rate

This measures the percentage of orders that you cancel or are canceled by Amazon, directly affecting your delivery fulfillment performance.

To find your cancellation rate, go to the “Performance” section of your Amazon Seller Central dashboard. Under the “Account Health” tab, scroll down to the “Order Defect Rate” section. Here, you will see your Order Cancellation Rate. High cancellation rates negatively impact your Amazon Account Health Rating, so keep a close eye on this metric.

Customer service performance metrics

Includes the number of messages you respond to, the quality of customer service responsiveness, and the quality of your communications to customer inquiries.

Amazon Sellers must promptly respond to customer messages and negative feedback. The number of messages you respond to, the quality of responses, and response time all impact the Account Health Rating.

Aim to maintain a response time of less than 24 hours and respond to a high percentage of messages. Additionally, pay attention to product listing accuracy, policy violations, and intellectual property infringement.

How to increase Amazon account health rating

First off, customer service is huge - simply answering messages within a day goes a long way. Keep a close eye on those negative reviews and claims since they directly hit your defect rate. Respond to messages within 24 hours and keep your order defect rate under 1% And shipping on time is a must! Nothing tanks your rating faster than late deliveries.

Product listings matter too. Clear photos and honest descriptions mean fewer returns and happier customers. When returns do happen, handle them quickly and professionally.

Maintain sufficient inventory to avoid stockouts and canceled orders, and always adhere to Amazon's terms of service to prevent policy violations.

Consider Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) if logistics management is challenging for you, as this can significantly improve performance metrics. Regular monitoring of your metrics and proactive problem-solving will help maintain your account in good standing with Amazon and protect your selling privileges for the long term.

How to maintain perfect order metrics during high-volume periods

Perfect order fulfillment is crucial during peak seasons. Many sellers generate 30-40% of their annual revenue during these periods, so each order is significantly more valuable. Here's how to maintain excellent metrics when volumes surge:

Prepare your infrastructure

Forecast accurately using historical data and market trends to predict volume increases. Build buffers into your forecasts to account for unexpected spikes. Run simulations of peak volume scenarios to identify potential bottlenecks in your order management system, warehouse management system, and shipping processes.

Optimize warehouse operations

Position high-velocity items (like holiday-themed merchandise or weather-appropriate items) for quick access and consider temporary slotting adjustments during high-volume periods to reduce travel time. Ensure team members can perform multiple roles to flex capacity when necessary.

Enhance order processing

Establish clear order prioritization rules based on service level agreements, shipping deadlines, and customer importance. Group similar orders to improve picking efficiency while maintaining order accuracy: zone-based batching to minimize travel time, SKU commonality clusters to pick multiple identical items simultaneously, and size/weight similarity batching to optimize handling equipment.

Maintain communication channels

Set realistic delivery time expectations to ensure items are delivered on time. Proactively communicate with customers about potential delays to build trust. Also, ensure suppliers understand your peak requirements and can support increased volumes without compromising quality.

Common policy violations that occur during scaling

When your Amazon business grows, so does your risk of policy violations. Many sellers find themselves accidentally crossing lines they didn't even know existed. Recognizing these missteps can help you preserve your account standing and prevent expensive penalties.

• Data Privacy Breaches: As businesses scale quickly, they often mishandle growing volumes of customer data, directly violating GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.

• Security Protocol Lapses: When you onboard employees too quickly, they miss critical security training, choose vulnerable passwords, and leave your systems exposed to attackers.

• Employment Law Non-Compliance: When your workforce expands across different regions, it creates compliance challenges, as each location enforces distinct labor laws regarding working hours, benefits, and contractor classifications.

• Financial Control Inconsistencies: More decision-makers with purchasing authority during scaling can lead to violations of procurement policies, expense reporting requirements, and approval thresholds.

• Intellectual Property Mismanagement: Fast-growing companies frequently struggle to protect their IP, with employees inadvertently sharing proprietary information or using unlicensed software.

Automation tools that safeguard your account health

Your online selling performance isn't measured by revenue alone. Keeping your marketplace accounts in good standing is just as critical to succeed on Amazon. Let's look at key automation tools that protect your seller status while streamlining operations.

Inventory management systems

Imagine this: Your top-selling product gets featured in a popular YouTube video, orders flood in, and suddenly your inventory hits zero. Now you're facing dozens of cancellations and your metrics start plummeting.

Automation tools like Veeqo's inventory management system synchronize stock levels across all sales channels in real-time to prevent overselling and maintain your account standing. The platform also offers low stock alerts and automated reordering capabilities to ensure you're never caught without inventory.

Further reading: Best Free Amazon Shipping Software for your Ecommerce Business

Order processing automation

Late shipments and fulfillment errors significantly impact account health metrics. Automation tools that streamline order processing—from receipt to delivery—help maintain compliance with marketplace standards.

Veeqo's order management system automatically routes orders to the most efficient fulfillment location and creates shipping labels with the most cost-effective carrier, reducing shipping times and costs while maintaining service levels.

Top tip: Use Veeqo to sync orders from Amazon, your own website, and other channels, then ship with Amazon Shipping for fast and reliable delivery.

Pricing and repricing tools

Price competitiveness affects both sales volume and account health. Automated repricing tools adjust your prices based on competitor actions, market demand, and your profitability targets. These tools help maintain optimal price points without manual intervention, ensuring you remain competitive while protecting margins.

Customer service automation

Response time to customer inquiries directly impacts account health metrics. Automated customer service tools like chatbots and email responders ensure timely communication, even outside business hours.

Veeqo's integration with marketplace messaging systems helps centralize and prioritize customer communications, ensuring prompt responses that keep your account metrics in good standing.

Performance analytics and alerts

Automated analytics tools track key performance indicators and alert you to potential issues before they impact your account standing.

Veeqo's dashboard provides real-time visibility into critical metrics like late shipment rate, order defect rate, and customer feedback, so you can address issues promptly.

Returns management systems

Efficient returns processing impacts both customer satisfaction and account health. Automated returns management systems streamline the returns process, from generating return labels to processing refunds and restocking inventory.

Veeqo's returns management functionality minimizes the impact on your operational efficiency. The system tracks inventory accurately during returns, maintains consistent customer communication, and provides analytics to identify return patterns, all while reducing manual handling and administrative tasks.

Future-proofing your Amazon business

Scaling your Amazon business can feel like walking a tightrope. You're pushing for faster growth while trying not to trip over Amazon's numerous policies. The key is to spot issues before they happen and build systems that keep you compliant even when things get hectic.

Consider how AI tools can take some weight off your shoulders by automatically checking for compliance issues, keeping an eye on your performance metrics, and giving you a heads-up when something looks off. But remember, these tools aren't perfect; they need your human judgment to make sure everything stays on track.

As your business grows, stay ahead of account health concerns by creating clear steps for handling any violations quickly. By staying vigilant and addressing issues promptly, you'll build Amazon's confidence in your business—and that's truly the foundation for long-term success in this competitive marketplace.