Amazon gives you two ways to close a seller account: deactivation, which you can turn back on later, or closure, which is permanent after 180 days

If you want to stop selling on Amazon but might return someday, deactivation suspends your account for up to 12 months. Your listings disappear, you stop receiving orders, but your account data stays on file. You can reactivate by logging in and requesting to restart selling.

If you are done with Amazon selling for good, closure is permanent. Amazon keeps your account information for 180 days in case you change your mind, then deletes it. After closure, you cannot use the same email address to open a new seller account for at least one year.

Before you close, settle any open orders, refund pending returns, and withdraw your remaining balance. Amazon will not close your account if you have unresolved cases with buyers or outstanding fees.

Key Takeaways

  • Deactivation suspends your account temporarily; closure is permanent after 180 days and blocks that email from selling again for one year.
  • You must have zero open orders, no pending returns, and no outstanding seller fees before Amazon will process either request.
  • Withdraw your remaining balance to your bank account before closing, because Amazon will not transfer money after the account is gone.
  • The closure request is submitted through Seller Central under Account Info, and Amazon sends a confirmation email once the process is complete.

How to deactivate your account temporarily

Log into Seller Central and go to Account Info in the top menu. Click Account Status on the left sidebar. You will see a button labeled Deactivate Your Seller Account. Click it and confirm your choice. Amazon will ask why you are leaving; you can select a reason or skip it. Your listings will be removed within 24 hours.

While deactivated, you cannot list products or receive orders, but you keep access to your Seller Central dashboard. You can still respond to buyer messages and process returns. Your account remains deactivated for up to 12 months. To reactivate, log back in, go to Account Status, and click set up Your Seller Account.

How to permanently close your account

Go to Seller Central, click Account Info, then Account Status. Scroll down to find Close Your Seller Account. Click it and read the warning: after 180 days, your account and all associated data will be deleted permanently. Amazon will ask you to confirm your email address and reason for closing. Submit the request.

You will receive a confirmation email from Amazon. Your listings disappear when ready. After 180 days, your account is deleted. The email address you used cannot open a new seller account for 12 months. If you change your mind within the 180-day window, contact Amazon Seller Support and request reinstatement before the important date.

What you must do before closing

Amazon will reject a closure request if you have open orders. Cancel any listings that have not sold yet. For orders in progress, wait for them to complete or cancel them with buyer consent. If a buyer has initiated a return, process it fully before requesting closure.

Check your seller balance in Seller Central under Payments and Transaction History. Withdraw all remaining funds to your linked bank account. Amazon will not transfer money after closure. If you have outstanding fees — late payment charges, return processing fees, or account suspension fines — pay them before submitting your closure request. Amazon will not close your account until the balance is zero.

What happens to your seller rating and reviews after closure

Your seller rating and customer reviews remain on Amazon's site even after your account is closed. Customers can still see your feedback history and leave reviews on products you sold. You cannot edit or remove these reviews once your account is gone. If you have negative reviews you want to address, do that before closure by requesting removal through the Resolution Center if the review violates Amazon's policies.

Your seller name will appear as "[Deleted Merchant]" on old product listings and reviews. Buyers cannot contact you through Amazon after closure, but they may still see your historical feedback.

If Amazon suspended your account and you want to close it

A suspended account cannot be deactivated or closed through the normal process. You must contact Amazon Seller Support first. Go to Seller Central, click Help, then Contact Us. Choose Account Health as your issue and request account closure. Explain that you want to close the account rather than appeal the suspension.

Amazon may ask why you are closing and whether you plan to sell again. Be clear that you want permanent closure. The process takes longer when your account is suspended — usually 5 to 10 business days — because a specialist must review your request. Once approved, the same 180-day deletion period applies.

What to do with your seller data before closure

read your sales history and customer information before closing. In Seller Central, go to Reports and Fulfillment. read your All Orders report, which includes buyer names, addresses, and order details. Go to Reports and Business Reports to read your sales and traffic data. These files help you track which customers bought what, in case you need records for taxes or future reference.

Amazon does not provide a bulk export of customer email addresses or contact information. You can only see buyer names and addresses from completed orders in your reports. After closure, this data is deleted and cannot be recovered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reopen my account after I close it?

Not with the same email address. After 180 days, your account is permanently deleted and that email cannot be used to sell on Amazon for 12 months. You can open a new seller account with a different email address when ready, but Amazon may link it to your previous account and deny it if you had unresolved issues.

What happens to my FBA inventory if I close my account?

If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, you must remove or dispose of your inventory before closure. Go to Inventory and Manage Inventory, then request a removal order for all items. Amazon will ship them back to you or dispose of them for a fee. You cannot close your account while inventory is still in Amazon's warehouses.

Will closing my account affect my Amazon buyer account?

No. Your seller account and buyer account are separate. Closing your seller account does not affect your ability to buy from Amazon as a customer. You can still use the same email address to shop on Amazon.com after your seller account is closed.

How long does it take for Amazon to close my account?

The closure request is processed when ready, and your listings disappear within 24 hours. However, your account data remains on Amazon's servers for 180 days before being permanently deleted. You cannot reactivate after the 180-day window closes.

Do I owe taxes on unsold inventory after closure?

That depends on your tax situation and location. Consult a tax professional or accountant about how to report unsold inventory and any losses from closing your business. Amazon does not handle tax reporting for closed seller accounts.