This article has been updated with new details for 2024.
High-volume third-party eCommerce sellers must verify business information to Amazon and other platforms annually under the US INFORM Consumers Act.
Online marketplaces are required to collect, verify, and disclose information from these sellers. However, many sellers understandably have questions about the process and the details they are asked to share.
It can be disconcerting to be asked to share bank account numbers and other sensitive information, especially when you’re always looking for scammers and shady competitors. In this article, we’ll explain what to expect about the INFORM Consumers Act and the information you’ll be asked to provide if applicable. The act was enacted on June 27, 2023 and sellers will need to verify business details annually.
How to Verify Your Amazon Business Details
Amazon introduced a new experience in 2024 to make it easy for sellers to comply with these certification requirements. Sellers with 200 or more transactions or $5,000 or more in revenues over a continuous 12-month period need to review and certify their business information to avoid the risk of account deactivation.
Go to your Account Health page in Seller Central and click on “Review Your Account Information” under Priority Actions to review your business details. If everything is up to date or recently updated, go to the Notice and Certification page to complete your certification. You have 10 days to certify your information once you view this page by law.
Certifying your business details doesn’t take long and is an important measure to protect your Amazon account from deactivation. Keep your business details current. If anything changes, update your information on the Account Information page in Seller Central. If you have questions about INFORM or certifying your business, check out this Seller Central resource about the INFORM Consumers Act.
What is the INFORM Consumers Act?
The Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces, also known as the INFORM Consumers Act, was introduced in the United States Senate in March 2021. It requires online marketplaces like Amazon and Shopify to collect, verify, and disclose certain details from high-volume third-party sellers.
The act defines these sellers as those that conduct 200 or more transactions that result in total revenue of $5,000 or more over a continuous period of 12 months.
These parameters apply to many Amazon third-party sellers. Amazon recently shared that approximately 60% of all units sold through the platform are sold by small-to-medium-sized businesses.
Online marketplaces, including Amazon, are required to collect the following details about these sellers:
- Bank account numbers
- Government-issued identification
- Tax identification numbers
- Contact information (phone number and business address)
The information must be verified, and eCommerce platforms are required to certify any changes to the details annually.
Online marketplaces are also required to make sellers’ names and contact information available to consumers through the sellers’ product listings. Consumers must also have access to report any suspicious activity on the marketplace electronically and by telephone.
INFORM Act Verification for Amazon Sellers
There has been some confusion among some Amazon sellers regarding the verification process, so here’s what you need to know.
If you’ve already completed your account verification and received an email from Amazon confirming that your account has been verified, it may take up to 24 hours to appear on your Account Health page in Seller Central. If you don’t see the update after 24 hours, contact Seller Support.
If you haven’t started or completed the verification process or want to check your account, go to your Account Information page to confirm that all business information is accurate and up to date.
Failure to provide the information Amazon needs for verification by the dates required may result in temporary deactivation of your selling account as required by the INFORM Consumers Act. Amazon may also hold your disbursements as outlined in Section 3 of the Business Solutions Agreement.
If you’ve submitted your information and received a verification email from Amazon, check after 24 hours to see if it is reflected on your Account Health page. If it isn’t, contact Seller Support to resolve the issue.
Seller Verification Changes and Privacy
Amazon may require sellers not currently covered by the INFORM Consumers Act to complete additional verification steps. You can learn more about Amazon’s seller verification processes, including requirements specific to each country, on the Global seller identity verification page in Seller Central. The Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement has been updated to remain consistent with the new law.
Amazon has strict security measures to protect your confidential information. However, it’s wise to be cautious when sharing information such as your bank account number. INFORM requests will be sent via email, which should link to your dashboard in Seller Central.
If you receive a suspicious message and you’re not sure it’s from Amazon, do not click on any links in the email. Amazon has information to help you identify false (spoofed) emails. If you encounter a phishing attempt, report it to Amazon.
Get Seller Updates
Amazon is working with sellers to verify necessary account details to comply with the INFORM Consumers Act. We will update this article if Amazon shares any further information about how to comply with this law. You can sign up for our newsletter to get regular updates on news and ideas for Amazon sellers.