Don’t Let Amazon’s Q4 Compliance Flags Stall Your Sales

We’re honored to feature today’s guest post from Brian and Robin Joy Olson, creators of the P.A.T.H. framework for building resilient, scalable Amazon FBA businesses. Having coached and supported thousands of sellers, they’ve developed a reputation for turning complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies. In this article, they share how to stay ahead of Amazon’s Q4 compliance flags and keep your listings active through the busiest season of the year. - Caitlin and Brian

If you sell in categories like toys, baby products, supplements, PPE, or electronics, you may have noticed more requests from Amazon for compliance documents. These requests are not random. Amazon increases enforcement before the holidays to manage risk and ensure that products in sensitive categories meet safety standards.

Why You’re Seeing More Compliance Requests

Every year, it seems that Amazon reviews listings more closely leading up to Q4. Toys and seasonal items attract the most attention. Even if a product was approved last year, it may be flagged again this year for updated documentation.

This is not a reason to panic. It is Amazon’s way of confirming that they have updated compliance documents in place.

How to Spot Problems Early

There are two ways you will know if a listing is flagged:

1. Amazon sends a compliance notice by email.

2. The issue appears in your Account Health dashboard under Manage Your Compliance.

The dashboard often shows issues before an email arrives. By checking it regularly, you can catch potential problems early and give yourself more time to respond.

What To Do If an ASIN Is Flagged

• First, check if another seller or the brand has already supplied the required documents. In most cases, when valid documents are uploaded, Amazon clears the ASIN for everyone. This is not guaranteed, but historically it has been true in many cases.

• If the ASIN remains flagged, decide whether you are willing to pursue the documents yourself. That usually means asking the manufacturer or commissioning testing.

• If you do not want to pursue documents, you can delete the ASIN from your inventory. If you already have stock in FBA, you will also need to create a removal order.

• If you do upload documents, monitor the status in Manage Your Compliance. It will change to Approved or Rejected. If rejected, it usually means the lab was not accredited, the identifiers did not match, or the report was outdated.

Timing and Grace Periods

Amazon usually provides a short period between the time a listing is flagged and the time it is suppressed. In many cases, sellers are given several days, and sometimes longer, to act. This window varies by category. Safety-sensitive products such as toys may be acted on more quickly.

It is possible to catch compliance requests early by checking the dashboard. In some cases, the dashboard displays the flag before Amazon sends an email. That is why proactive monitoring is so important.

Best Practices Going Into Q4

• Test-list before sourcing. Adding an ASIN to your inventory will show if Amazon requires documentation.

• Recheck before replenishing. An ASIN that was fine last month may now require new documents.

• Monitor daily (or weekly if time is tight) during Q4, so you are not caught by surprise.

• Focus on lower-risk categories such as many home goods and apparel if you prefer to avoid compliance hurdles.

Bottom Line

Compliance flags are part of the selling environment on Amazon. They do not need to disrupt your business if you are proactive. By checking your dashboard, acting quickly, and planning for seasonal enforcement sweeps, you can keep your listings active and protect

By Brian & Robin Joy Olson – eCommerce Coaches, content creators, and co-authors of P.A.T.H., a book for Amazon sellers building sustainable businesses. Learn more at officialolsons.com