AMAZON self destructs

Background:

My wife has two web stores in which she sells name brand herbs, spices, and foods. (plug: Herb Store Food Store)

I decided to add checkout by AMAZON to her shopping cart. We use zencart as our e-commerce tool. It's pretty easy to use, and has tons of support including a plug-in module for AMAZON checkout.

My Actions:

I installed the product and followed the directions which include setting up an account with AMAZON. At 9:45 p.m., December 7th, a date which will live in infamy, AMAZON sent me my congratulations notification that I was approved for the program.

I proceeded to enter various test transactions to debug the interface. I switched to the SANDBOX mode at 9:46 p.m. so I could do so without actually completing a transaction. I got a nice email from AMAZON confirming my "welcome to sandbox mode"

Comedy Begins:

I run various transaction tests trying to learn how the interface works. In the middle of testing, I get this email from AMAZON at 10:22 p.m.

Hello from Amazon Payments.

This message is to let you know that we have blocked your Amazon Payments account and canceled any pending transactions.

We took this action because it has come to our attention that your Amazon Payments transaction(s) may be in violation of our Acceptable Use Policy and your Agreement with Amazon Payments, both of which prohibit the use of our payment service for any items, materials, or services that we have determined to be illegal or inappropriate.

To review our Acceptable Use Policy, please visit:

Amazon Payments > User Agreement/Policies > Acceptable Use Policy

In accordance with the terms of your agreement, Amazon Services, Inc., hereby terminates the term of the agreement effective immediately.

Any remaining funds are being reserved in your Payments Account and may be held for 180 days from the date your account was blocked. After 180 days or the completion of all pending investigations, the funds, minus any claims or chargebacks, will be made available for withdrawal. If you have further questions about your funds please write to amazonpayments-investigate@amazon.com.

While we appreciate your interest, the closure of an account is a permanent action. Any subsequent accounts that are opened will be closed as well. Please note that we take such actions for the protection of all Amazon Payments participants.


Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon Payments
http:\/\/payments.amazon.com

Wonderment Begins:

I hit the appeal decision button on their website and in response to their questions reply:

Suspended for poor selling performance
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Well, you see, I'm trying to integrate checkout with AMAZON with ZENCART. I have the module installed and was testing to see how the payments worked. I had several errors unable to complete test transactions, switched to SANDBOX mode, and then I got your nice little note saying I must be selling illegal drugs and nuclear weapons or something.

Having failed to complete the integration testing, I regret to inform you that I was unable to complete any transactions, or my integration testing, thus, while I currently have no drugs or nuclear weapons in our current Herb, Spice, and Organic foods store, I will search e-bay for a supply.

Suspended for policy violation
------------------------------------

1. I have evaluated them. Having sold nothing, there's nothing I can change in my selling practice.

2. My plan of action is to appeal this decision, and see if you allow me to finish the integration. Failing that, I'll have this little episode twittered all over the planet.

Suspended for related account
------------------------------------

If it was, I'd love to know who or what they were.... I don't have any.

Additional information
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Yes, the chuckle factor is so high that it's definitely worth publication.

Results of my appeal:

This morning, they respond...

Hello from Amazon Payments.

Thank you for writing. We have considered your request for reinstatement. Upon careful consideration, we have decided your account will remain blocked.

Any remaining funds are being reserved in your Payments Account and may be held for 180 days from the date your account was blocked. After 180 days or the completion of all pending investigations, the funds, minus any claims or chargebacks, will be made available for withdrawal. If you have further questions about your funds please write to amazonpayments-investigate@amazon.com.

While we appreciate your interest, the closure of an account is a permanent action. Any subsequent accounts that are opened will be closed as well. Please note that we take such actions for the protection of all Amazon Payments participants.

Best regards,

Seller Performance Team
http://www.amazon.com
=============================

My thoughts:

I guess I won't use AMAZON checkout....

AND

Obviously this is a company on the path to self-destruction.

In my 30 odd years of working in computers, from programmer to CIO in a global company, I've never seen anything more lame.

Epilog:

I twittered this blog to a number of high profile tech bloggers and every AMAZON twitter profile I could find. Several retweets occurred.

Being a geek, I track all hits on all of my active web sites, and I find this sequence of events interesting...

December 9, 10:31 a.m. an amazon.com user enters this blog and reads this post, and only this post. 11:09 a.m. a user from amazon.com leaves this blog and examines several entries in one of my wife's web stores. At 11:27, then enters the other store mentioned in this blog.

Amazon users return at 11:48, 11:50, and 11:55

at 12:02 p.m. I get a note as follows from Amazon:

Hello from Amazon Payments.

We have reviewed this situation and decided to reactivate your account. You are now able to use the Amazon Payments service.

Regards,

Seller Performance Team
Amazon Payments
http:\/\/payments.amazon.com

The Amazon.com users return at 12:12 p.m. and then again at 3:20 p.m.

Meanwhile, I send a nice thank you note and ask them to please clarify how I triggered the account closure so I could avoid doing so again...

The hits keep coming... :)

Thank you twitter folks... the humans seem to have prevailed. More as it happens...

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