FBA Due Diligence: How to Expose Hidden Account Health History Before You Buy
Key takeaway: A green Account Health screenshot proves almost nothing — you need live access to the account’s enforcement history.
Here’s the trap: Sellers send a “perfect” Seller Central Account Health screenshot. Everything is green. Looks safe.
But that dashboard is a surface view. It shows current/recent signals — not the full history of warnings, investigations, and enforcement actions Amazon keeps internally.
Why it matters: If the previous owner played dirty (even years ago), the account can be permanently higher-risk. Then one small automated strike can trigger a suspension that’s brutal to reverse.
The Permanent Record (and Black Hat Ghosts)
Verdict: Past policy issues can shadow an account for years — even if the seller “appealed successfully.”
What sellers are motivated to hide:
- policy warnings tied to review manipulation
- “brushing” (fake orders to generate reviews)
- IP violations or counterfeit claims
- misleading listing behavior
Reality: Amazon doesn’t “forget.” An account may still be tagged internally as higher risk even after a successful appeal.
The Review Purge Risk (The Real Killer)
Key takeaway: If reviews were manipulated, Amazon can purge them later — and your conversion rate can collapse overnight.
Ask the hard question: Are those thousands of 5-star reviews legitimate… or boosted through incentives, rebate groups, or manipulation?
If Amazon detects patterns: even later, they can trigger a review purge. Lose 60–80% of reviews and conversions can fall fast.
Then you’re forced to spend more on PPC to maintain sales, pushing you into the “paper rich, cash poor” margin trap:
Paper Rich, Cash Poor: The FBA Profit Trap Buyers Miss
The Non-Negotiable Move: Demand Read-Only Access
Verdict: Screenshots are not due diligence — read-only access is.
Stop accepting screenshots. They can be edited, cherry-picked, or incomplete.
You must request: Seller Central read-only access (permissions), not their password.
What sellers say: “I can’t share my password.” “It’s sensitive.” “It exposes private info.”
Good. You don’t want their password — you want view-only permissions so you can verify safely.
What to say (copy/paste):
“Please add my email as a user with read-only access to Seller Central so I can review account health history and performance notifications. I do not need login credentials.”
What to Audit Once Inside (The Real Case Logs)
Key takeaway: Don’t stare at the green score — open the message history where enforcement actions actually appear.
Do not stop at: Account Health.
Go here instead: Performance → Performance Notifications
Then review: at least the last 36 months.
If you see anything like:
- “Action Required: Your selling privileges have been suspended”
- “Policy warning”
- “Inauthentic reviews”
- “Intellectual property complaint”
Rule: the seller must explain it with receipts (dates, root cause, appeal text, and outcomes).
If This Stress Is a Dealbreaker, Consider the Safer Model
Verdict: If you don’t want enforcement risk, the affiliate model can feel calmer — but you must underwrite commission terms correctly.
Some buyers decide: they don’t want to live under Seller Central enforcement at all.
In that case, the Amazon Associates (affiliate) model can feel calmer:
- no inventory
- no listing suspensions
- focus shifts to traffic + commission structure
Important: commission terms often don’t transfer — read this before buying:
Will Custom Amazon Commission Rates Transfer When You Buy an Affiliate Site?
Don’t Buy a Ticking Time Bomb
Key takeaway: Amazon FBA value is account standing — not screenshots, not promises, not “trust me.”
A “green” screenshot isn’t proof. Hidden enforcement history is a silent killer — and it often appears only after you’ve paid.
At Ecom Chief, we push for real access and clear history so buyers aren’t blindsided post-acquisition.
Video: Amazon Account Health (What to Audit and Where)
Verdict: If you follow the audit path in this video, you’ll catch most “hidden history” problems before you wire money.
Next step: Don’t risk your capital on an account with hidden suspensions or policy history. We vet account health before listing.
