Amazon Seller INFORM Act Annual Certification

Have you received a notification in your Seller Central dashboard like I have about recertifying your information with Amazon? If so, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into what this means for you as an Amazon seller and how you can ensure compliance with the INFORM Act.

Understanding the INFORM Act

First, let’s talk about what the INFORM Act is. 

The INFORM Act, or the “INFORM Consumers Act,” is a regulatory requirement to enhance transparency and consumer protection within the online marketplace. If you’re a third-party seller on Amazon.com and have met certain sales thresholds, you must provide and verify specific business information.

Since Amazon’s top priority is ensuring a secure and reliable shopping environment for sellers and customers, it is only natural for them to gather and validate specific business details annually, as mandated by the US INFORM Consumers Act.

From March 2024 onwards, they initiated the rollout of a user-friendly experience tailored to help sellers seamlessly meet the certification requirements of the US INFORM Consumers Act. 

Starting May 2024, sellers with 200 or more transactions or $5,000 or more in revenues within a continuous 12-month period may expect a formal notification prompting them to review and certify the accuracy of their business information. This includes identity, bank account, business address, email, phone number, and tax information.

However, there’s no need to wait for this notification; you can take proactive steps now to mitigate the risk of account deactivation, which could impact your upcoming sales events.

Feel free to conveniently update your details anytime by visiting your Account Health page and selecting “Review your Account Information” inside of Seller Central under the Priority Actions section to conduct a thorough review and, if necessary, update your business information. 

Once your information is current or updated, proceed to the next step – the Notice and Certification page – to fulfill your certification obligation within ten days to complete the process. 

As per legal requirements, you must certify your information within ten days of accessing this page. The certification process is swift and straightforward, requiring only a few minutes of your time, so take action as soon as possible to ensure compliance.

The How: Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Not sure how to verify those details? No need to worry. 

Amazon has introduced user-friendly interfaces and provided clear instructions within Seller Central to guide you through the certification process, making it easier for experienced and new sellers to navigate the requirements of the INFORM Act.

Here is what to expect if you qualify for the INFORM Annual Certification (AC) but have yet to activate AC.

Step #1: Within the ‘Priority Actions’ segment of the Account Health Dashboard (AHD), you should encounter a banner alerting you to your pending requirement. Upon clicking either the banner or the row (“Resolve Issues” in the case of the Screenshot below), an action panel will emerge, furnishing details concerning your pending obligation and guiding you through certifying your account information.

Step #2: Before your account is triggered for AC, Amazon will display generic information to inform you of your annual certification requirement. They outline the two steps required: (1) review and update your information and (2) certify it. 

Note: the copy for these pages is currently undergoing approval and may be subject to change. Within the action panel, they will provide you with (1) an overview of the certification requirements, (2) a clear outline of the two steps required for AC, (3) your current account information to review, and (4) the option to self-trigger. Once you are ready to certify, click “Proceed.”

Step #3: When proceeding to certification, you will encounter a pop-up showcasing your account information and the option to certify. Upon certifying, the modal and action panel close, and a ‘thank you’ banner will appear on the AHD, signaling that you have fulfilled your AC requirements.

Bear in mind that if your account has been triggered for AC, the single action panel will allow you to review, edit, and certify the account information, as seen in Step #1.

In cases where you have self-triggered, if you do not complete your certification requirements within that visit, the AHD will update to display a ‘your account is at risk of deactivation’ banner, indicating that this is an INFORM requirement and you must certify your account within ten days.

Upon clicking to review the INFORM AC requirement, an updated action panel will present the INFORM requirements, enabling the individual to (1) review their account information, (2) edit any necessary information, and (3) certify their account information.

The End Goal: Once you have fulfilled the INFORM requirements, you will receive a confirmation email and a ‘thank you’ banner on the AHD (Amazon Help Desk) to acknowledge your completion of the INFORM AC requirement like so:

Hopefully, this is straight enough! But if it’s not, we have a mini-FAQ section at the end to help you address some common questions that Amazon sellers have about the INFORM Act.

Enforcement and Compliance

Non-compliance with the INFORM Act can result in account deactivation or suspension. It’s crucial to adhere to the specified time frames for certification and verification processes to avoid disruptions to your business operations.

Conclusion

Navigating the INFORM Act is extremely important for Amazon sellers to maintain a reputable selling presence on the platform.

By understanding the requirements, following the certification procedures, and staying informed about enforcement policies, sellers can ensure compliance and uphold the trust and integrity of Amazon’s massive superstore.

If you have any further questions on the INFORM Consumers Act outside of this article or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Amazon Seller Support.