This post covers steps to ensure you are compliant with the current policy for selling restricted lighting products on Amazon. Amazon continuously updates its Restricted Products Policies to comply with new legislation and regulations. Product listings identified as noncompliant with these policies are removed and require seller action to be reinstated. One recent policy update relates to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) energy conservation standards for general service light bulbs. Violations to this new policy state that your product has been identified as non-compliant with energy conservation standards, which Amazon prohibits. These violations remain on a seller’s account health dashboard until they are acknowledged or appealed. The ASIN will remain deactivated and unavailable for purchase if no appeal is submitted. Sellers must address these violations quickly with the requested documentation to continue selling products in the lighting category and keep products active and available for purchase.
Understanding Amazon’s Restricted Products Policy for General Service Light Bulbs
This seller central Restricted Products Policy Violation states that the noncompliant ASIN is a general service light bulb that does not meet the DOE’s standards for energy conservation. In order to properly address this violation, it’s important to first understand what product attributes or information may have caused the product to be viewed as non-compliant. Sellers with product listings in applicable categories may see the following Restricted Products Policy Violation:
This product has been identified as a general service light bulb that is non-compliant with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) energy conservation standards. Amazon policy prohibits the listing or sale of products that are non-compliant with federal, state, or local laws. To appeal this restriction, please submit a request through Seller or Vendor Central. In your request, please provide the Lighting Facts label, or update the product detail page to include this information.
This policy applies to ASINs in the light bulb category, including:
Black Light Bulbs
Fluorescent Tubes
Halogen Bulbs
Incandescent Bulbs
Krypton & Xenon Bulbs
LED Bulbs
Other (Light Bulbs)
This new enforcement by Amazon is driven by the Department of Energy’s recent adjustment to the energy standards for general service light bulbs, specifically incandescent bulbs. The new requirement for general service light bulbs is 45 lumens/watt which many light bulbs, specifically incandescent, do not meet. The Department of Energy defines a general service lamp (GSIL) as a standard incandescent or halogen-type lamp that is intended for general service applications. GSILs have a lumen range of 310 lumens to 2600 lumens.
The DOE has defined several types of bulbs that are exempt from this policy and wouldn’t be considered general service light bulbs, including:
Appliance lamps
Bug Lamps
Colored lamps
Specific bulb shapes such as J, JC, and G
For more information and definitions of general service lamps (bulbs) and exemptions, see this document from energy.gov.
How to Resolve the Restricted Products Policy Violation for Energy Conservation Standards
The first step to resolving any violation on the Seller Central account health dashboard is determining what triggered the violation. For this specific violation, the impacted ASIN has been identified as a general service light bulb that does not meet the standard of 45 lumens/watt. To determine if a product meets the new standard, Amazon reviews the ASIN’s energy attributes, specifically the brightness, energy used, and life of the bulb. Amazon may need the lighting facts sheet to verify these details even if they have already been submitted for the listing.
To appeal this violation, first, check and edit the product details for the impacted ASIN. Make sure that all relevant details from the lighting facts sheet are present on the listing, including:
Brightness (Lumens)
Energy Used (Wattage)
Life of Bulb (In Hours, Days, or Years)
Light Appearance (Kelvin)
Check that these details are displayed in Amazon’s catalog 24 hours after they are updated. If the product details are still not displaying, open a case with support.
Once the required attributes for this category are reviewed and accurately displayed, submit an appeal for the violation by navigating to the account health dashboard. Select the Restricted Product Policy Violations and submit an appeal under Next Steps. Be sure to clearly state the reasoning for the appeal, including the lighting facts sheet. If any action was taken, such as updating a lighting attribute, note that change in the appeal. State why the ASIN is compliant and provide details or proof requested by support. If the initial appeal is rejected, do not resubmit the same appeal again. Take time to contact Amazon Account Health and try to collect more information regarding the rejection or violation. Only resubmit the appeal if it has been adapted or improved in some way. Repeatedly submitting identical appeals can decrease your odds of a successful appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the energy conservation standards for general service light bulbs?
The updated standard for a general service lamp (GSIL) is 45 lumens/ watt
How can I get a lighting facts sheet for my product?
Product testing and a lighting facts sheet can both be requested from the Department of Energy. The DOE also provides templates for lighting facts sheets so manufacturers can add their own product information
My product is not a general service light bulb, how can I get this violation removed?
This product was identified by Amazon as a general service light bulb due to several factors including the product description, product category, and product images. If you believe that your product is exempt from this policy or unrelated, submit an appeal with documentation. Include product images, descriptions, manufacturer website link, and any other documentation that can prove the product’s identity. Also try to identify what triggered this violation, including any text or product categorization, and note it in the appeal.
How can I improve my account health rating?
The account health rating is based on the seller’s order volume and any existing violations. To improve the account health rating, address any existing violations. An account health rating about 200 is healthy.
How can I tell if a light bulb is classified as a general service lamp (GSIL)?
The Department of Energy defines GSILs and the exemptions in this document: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-04/gsl-definitions-fr.pdf
Why isn’t my Amazon listing showing?
A: If a detail page is not available for an ASIN, check the account heath for violations that may have led to deactivation. If no violations exist on the account health, open a case to request more information from seller support.
Why do my Restricted Policy Violation appeals keep getting rejected by Amazon?
Review the responses from support and confirm that you are providing all documentation that has been requested. If you do not understand what documentation is needed, open a case with support or call an account health specialist.
Conclusion
In order to abide by government regulations and standards, Amazon updates its policies to ensure all actively available products are compliant. When an ASIN is deactivated due to Restricted Product Policy violations, sellers need to understand the legislation that the Amazon policy is based on and what documentation is required to be compliant. For the DOE’s energy conservation standards, sellers need to provide the Lighting Facts label and the applicable energy attributes for that ASIN. When appealing these violations, sellers must provide a clear argument for why the ASIN is compliant and include any documentation that can support this claim. If you are struggling to reinstate a compliant lighting product or you have questions about your product compliance, click the contact us button below to start a conversation.
About the Author
This post was written by Stella Nelson, an Account Manager at Goat Consulting. Stella helps her clients sell on Amazon by increasing sales, mitigating risk, reducing costs, and solving problems. Stella has experience and expertise in policy compliance that align with the overall Amazon selling strategy and goals for her Goat Consulting clients. If you want help with managing account health violations, or assistance with other aspects of selling on Amazon, Stella is happy to lead your account.