How to Address Inactive Amazon Listings in 2023

Is your Amazon listing inactive? Are you not sure what to do about it? Fret not, this article will cover everything there is to know about inactive Amazon listings, including why they happen, how to prevent them, what to do if your listings become inactive, and additional tips on how to optimize your product listing after it’s been inactive. 

For one, inactive or suppressed Amazon listings are a common issue for sellers on the marketplace. While inactive Amazon listings can threaten the success of a seller’s online business, there are several things that can be done to avoid them and remedy them in the unfortunate case they occur.

What Is an Inactive Amazon Listing?

An inactive Amazon listing is a product listing that is no longer available for purchase and is not visible to customers browsing the marketplace. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as if the product has been discontinued by the manufacturer or if the seller has chosen to stop selling the product on Amazon. Inactive listings will no longer appear in search results or on the seller’s profile, and customers will not be able to purchase the product.

Why Do Amazon Listings Become Inactive?

There are six main reasons why an Amazon listing may become inactive.

1. The product is out of stock and the seller has not set up automatic restocking or has not manually restocked the product.
2. The seller has set the product’s availability to “unavailable” in their seller account.
3. The seller has discontinued the product and has not updated the listing to reflect this.
4. The seller’s account has been suspended or banned for violating Amazon’s policies.
5. The product is no longer being manufactured or is no longer available for sale.
6. The product listing has been removed by Amazon for violating their policies or for other reasons.

What to Do if Your Amazon Listing Is Inactive

If your Amazon listing is inactive, you should first check if there is any issue with the product or your seller account that is causing the listing to be inactive. This could include issues with product availability, pricing, or fulfillment. If you identify and resolve the issue, you can reactivate the listing by updating the product information and availability on your seller account. If the listing is inactive due to the product being discontinued or no longer available, you can remove the listing from the Amazon marketplace. If you are unsure of why your listing is inactive, you can contact Amazon seller support for assistance.

Why Is It Bad to Have an Inactive Amazon Listing?

Having an inactive Amazon listing can be detrimental to a seller’s business for several reasons. First, inactive listings are not visible to customers browsing the marketplace, which means that they cannot be purchased. This can lead to lost sales and revenue for the seller. Second, inactive listings can negatively impact a seller’s reputation and seller rating. Customers may be disappointed or frustrated if they come across an inactive listing and cannot purchase the product.

Third, inactive listings can impact the seller’s visibility and ranking on the Amazon marketplace. Amazon’s algorithms prioritize active and high-performing listings, which means that inactive listings may not be shown to customers as often as active listings. Overall, it is important to keep your listings active and up-to-date to avoid losing sales and damaging your reputation on the Amazon marketplace.

What Are the Benefits of Having an Active Amazon Listing?

There are several benefits to having an active Amazon listing, including:

1. Increased visibility and exposure to potential customers. Active listings are more likely to be shown to customers browsing the marketplace, which can lead to increased sales and revenue for the seller.
2. Improved seller reputation and ratings. Active listings show customers that the seller is reliable and can fulfill orders promptly, which can lead to higher seller ratings and positive feedback.
3. Higher ranking on the Amazon marketplace. Amazon’s algorithms prioritize active and high-performing listings, which means that active listings are more likely to rank higher in search results and be shown to more customers.
4. Increased trust and credibility with customers. Active listings show customers that the seller is active on the marketplace and is committed to providing high-quality products and services.

Optimizing Amazon Listings After They Have Been Inactive

Optimizing an Amazon listing after it has been inactive is an important step for sellers to take in order to mitigate the damage that’s been caused by an inactive listing. This section of the article will discuss the steps involved in optimizing an inactive Amazon listing and provide tips and strategies for making the most of your listing.

Step 1: Identify the reason for the listing’s inactivity

The first step in optimizing an inactive Amazon listing is to identify the reason for the listing’s inactivity. This is important because it will help you determine the best action to reactivate the listing. If the listing is inactive because the product is out of stock, you will need to restock the product and update the listing to reflect the new availability. If the listing is inactive because the seller has set the product’s availability to “unavailable” in their seller account, you will need to update the availability settings to “available” in order to reactivate the listing.

If the listing is inactive because the seller has discontinued the product, you will need to either remove the listing from the marketplace or update the listing to reflect the new availability. If the listing is inactive because the seller’s account has been suspended or banned, you will need to address the issue with Amazon and resolve it in order to reactivate the listing. Once you have identified the reason for the listing’s inactivity, you can take the appropriate steps to reactivate the listing and move on to the next step in the optimization process.

Step 2: Update the product information and listings details

After you have reactivated the listing, the next step is to update the product information and listing details. This is important because it will help ensure that your listing is up-to-date and accurate, which will improve your product’s visibility. Start by reviewing the product information and descriptions on your listing. Ensure all the information is accurate and up-to-date and the descriptions are clear and concise. You should also review the product images and ensure that they are high-quality and accurately represent the product.

Next, you should review the pricing and availability information on your listing. Make sure that the pricing is competitive and in line with market trends and that the availability is accurately reflected on the listing. If you are using a fulfillment service or third-party seller, you should also ensure that the listing information is accurate and up-to-date. Finally, you should review the listing details and ensure that all of the information is correct and complete. This includes the product category, keywords, and other important details that will help improve the visibility and ranking of your listing on the Amazon marketplace.

Step 3: Optimize your listings for Amazon’s search algorithms

After updating the product information and listing details, the next step is optimizing your listings for Amazon’s search algorithms. This is important because it will help improve the visibility and ranking of your listings on the marketplace, which can lead to increased sales and revenue. To optimize your listings for Amazon’s search algorithms, you should start by doing keyword research to identify the most relevant and popular keywords for your product. You should then include these keywords in the product title, description, and other important fields on your listing. This will help improve the relevancy and visibility of your listing in search results.

You should also optimize your listings for Amazon’s other ranking factors, such as customer ratings and reviews. You can do this by encouraging customers to leave ratings and reviews for your product and by responding to customer feedback promptly and professionally. This will help improve the perceived quality and value of your product, which can help improve your visibility, reputation, and sales in the marketplace.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, inactive Amazon listings can be detrimental to a seller’s business and should be avoided. You can prevent your listings from becoming inactive by regularly checking your inventory levels, setting up automatic restocking, and monitoring your seller account and product listings. If your listings become inactive, you should identify and resolve any issues and update them to make them active again. Moreover, active Amazon listings can provide multiple benefits, including increased visibility, improved seller reputation, higher ranking on the marketplace, and increased trust and credibility with customers.