Amazon is holding my seller funds. How long will it last?
The short answer. It depends on which kind of hold you have, and there are three that look alike on screen. Routine holds release on a schedule. A reserve or unavailable balance releases when the thing it covers is resolved. A hold after a deactivation follows Amazon's Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy, which says funds are in general withheld for 90 days where there are risks and can run longer if a concern persists. Separately, Amazon says a seller whose account is not reinstated can appeal for disbursement 60 days after deactivation. First, work out which one you are looking at.
Money held by Amazon is the part of a suspension that sellers feel in their stomach. I understand. Let me explain what is going on, in simple terms, so you can tell a delay from a decision.
Why is Amazon holding my money?
Three common situations, and they get confused all the time:
- A normal delay. Amazon's payments help describes funds from a sale as generally becoming available a set number of days after delivery, seven as the standard. That is routine, and it is not a punishment.
- A reserve or unavailable balance. Amazon holds part of a balance to cover refunds, claims and chargebacks. Amazon's policy describes an unavailable balance as funds withheld in case of an A-to-z claim or a refund. An account level reserve can be tied to open claims, recent chargebacks, performance, or an account under review, and it often has no fixed release date, only an event that releases it.
- A hold after a deactivation. This is the heavy one, and the rest of this page is mostly about it.
If you cannot tell which you have, the Payments area of Seller Central and the notice you received are the places to read it. This is general information and the details of your account can differ.
How long does Amazon hold funds after an account is deactivated?
Amazon's Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy says that where conduct or performance may create returns, chargebacks, complaints or other risks, Amazon will in general withhold funds for 90 days, and that this period may be extended if a risk persists or needs ongoing investigation. Amazon's notices to deactivated sellers have also used the term "90-day settlement period," which they describe as time for returns, refunds, A-to-z claims, inventory removal costs and outstanding fees to settle.
Two honest caveats. First, the numbers are not the same everywhere. In an announcement effective October 9, 2024, Amazon said it had reduced the time within which sellers may appeal for their disbursements from 90 days to 60 days from the date of deactivation, and Amazon staff replies have since pointed sellers to 60 days from deactivation. So the general 90 day withholding and the 60 day point for a disbursement appeal are two different clocks, and older notices may still say 90. Read your own notice instead of trusting a number from me or a forum. Second, where Amazon finds suspected deceptive, fraudulent or illegal activity, its policy says it will withhold funds until it can confirm that no such activity took place, which has no fixed end date.
Can I get my money out if my account is not reinstated?
Sometimes. Amazon's published position is that if your appeal succeeds and the account is reinstated, disbursements are enabled again. If it does not, Amazon says you may separately appeal for disbursement 60 days after the deactivation. Amazon says it then runs a separate investigation, which may include validating identity, financial instruments, supply chain or business documents, checking with government agencies or third-party services, and sometimes a virtual interview. It also reviews related accounts.
Amazon says it can withhold some or all funds where it finds deceptive or fraudulent conduct, counterfeit sales, or repeated violations of the policies that protect customers and sellers. In other words, the reason for the deactivation matters a great deal to what happens with your balance, and the two questions are linked. I will say plainly that I cannot tell you from outside whether your funds will be released.
Is "reinstating the account" and "recovering my funds" the same thing?
No, and that is the thing most sellers miss. Amazon treats the account appeal and the funds request as separate tracks. Reinstatement, if it happens, switches disbursements back on. If reinstatement does not happen, funds are a separate request with its own review. Which means the way the first case is handled can shape the second. Sloppy statements in an appeal can make the later funds review harder.
What should I do first?
One quiet first step: write down your current balance and what Seller Central shows as held, and save a copy of the notice. Do it before anything changes. Then do not request anything from Amazon about funds without reading what your notice says about timing and where to send a request.
That is all I am asking of you today.
When should I get help with held funds?
Consider it when the amount is significant, when the deactivation was for authenticity, IP or Section 3 reasons, when you have already been refused, or when the hold sits alongside a stuck appeal. Funds and reinstatement are tied together, which is why we look at them together in a Case Autopsy. See Amazon account reinstatement and appeal service.
Can the funds be recovered after reinstatement?
If the account is reinstated, Amazon's position is that disbursements are enabled and funds follow the regular schedule, after any amounts owed are settled. If you are asking about listings, ranking and inventory as well, see what happens after reinstatement.
Frequently asked questions
Amazon is holding my seller funds after a suspension. How long will it last?
Amazon's Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy says funds are in general withheld for 90 days where there are risks, and longer if a risk persists. Reinstatement, if it happens, enables disbursements again.
Why is my Amazon balance unavailable and my disbursement paused?
Usually one of three reasons: a normal delivery delay, a reserve or unavailable balance for claims and refunds, or a hold after account action. The notice and the Payments area tell you which.
What is an account level reserve?
Money Amazon holds against refunds, claims and chargebacks, which can be linked to open claims, recent chargebacks, performance or a review. It often has no fixed release date.
How long does Amazon hold funds after an account is deactivated?
Amazon's Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy says in general 90 days where there are risks, and the period may be extended where risk persists. Amazon also says a seller whose account is not reinstated can appeal for disbursement 60 days after deactivation.
Can I get my money out if my seller account is permanently closed?
You may be able to appeal for disbursement 60 days after the deactivation, per Amazon. Amazon says it then investigates and can withhold funds if it finds deceptive, fraudulent or illegal conduct. See permanently deactivated.
Is there a service that helps recover held Amazon seller funds?
Specialist appeals services, including the Hard Case Desk at Market Wize, look at funds as part of a case, because the reason for the deactivation drives the answer. No one can promise Amazon will release funds.
Do I need to wait the full period before asking?
Amazon says a seller can appeal for disbursement 60 days after deactivation, and some notices describe a 90-day settlement period. Read your own notice first and do not assume the two numbers match.
Is this the same as FBA reimbursement?
No. FBA reimbursement is a separate kind of claim. Market Wize does not sell it, and if that is what you need we can connect you to the right provider.
Talk to Market Wize
If funds are held and your account is in trouble, tell us what the notice says. We will tell you straight whether we can help. Reach out to us through the contact page at market-wize.com, or start with the free case check at market-wize.com/appeals. General information, not legal advice. Market Wize is not affiliated with Amazon.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Forums, Amazon announcement: Update to the Fund Withholding Policy page (effective October 9, 2024)
- Amazon Funds Disbursement Eligibility Policy (when and for how long funds are withheld, unavailable balance, appealing a withholding)
- Amazon Seller Forums, staff replies on funds status and final disbursement after account deactivation
- Amazon Seller Central, payments help on delivery date based holds and account level reserve
- Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement (US), Section 3 Term and Termination