On March 2019, a federal jury awarded a Californian cancer patient $80 million after finding that Monsanto’s Roundup caused his illness. He was not the only patient suing the popular weed killing company and not the only one winning in court.
These various verdicts caused many retailers to pull Roundup from their shelves. As a result, Amazon began to restrict sales of all pesticide products that contain glyphosate and other chemicals that are probable carcinogens.
This is just one example of why Amazon has certain keywords that will get 100% of online sellers red-flagged and suspended. Amazon went all the way, developing an algorithm that scours all listings, old and new, for any signs of policy violations. Even if an ASIN of yours has been approved, you can still get suspended days or even months after your listing. All because of a keyword. If you are thinking that you sell fluffy items that wouldn’t kill a fly… remember, an algorithm is checking your keywords, not a human. And with the wrong keyword, your innocent ASIN will be suppressed or suspended, no holds barred.
Though some keywords are obvious no-nos, there are some you’d never guess as unacceptable in a million years – such as “winter sale.” Seems harmless enough, right? Think again.
These 50 keywords below are important to know about, especially if you sell supplements, groceries, health and beauty, or any product that need FDA approval to sell on Amazon.
Stay one step ahead of the algorithm police!
HEALTH AND SUPPLEMENTS
- Cure
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- ANY disease name
- Cells
- FAST Relief
- Laser
- FDA Approved
- 510 K approved
Be careful with your marketing claims in this category. You cannot say your product can “cure cancer” or “cure Diabetes.” But you can say other things such as:
✅ Reduce symptoms
✅ Alleviates the pain
✅ Helps relieve symptoms.
You need permission for any guaranty that falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. (FD&C Act)
CBD – Anything that contains CBD is legal everywhere – but Amazon doesn’t allow it. This may change in the future – but for now, stay away from CBD products.
- Antibacterial
- Antimicrobial
- Antifungal
- Pesticide or any pesticidal
- Non-poisonous
- Non-injurious
- Harmless
- Non-toxic
- All-natural
- BPA free
- Toxoid
If the word “pesticide” is in your listing – you will be flagged. Even if you write “pesticide-free!” you will be sent to pesticide training. You can even get sent multiple times to this type of training.
If your listing includes these phrases, your product must meet the standards set by this act and provide the proper documentation to Amazon.
EMPTY PROMISES
Guarantee/Value
The only guarantee that Amazon likes on their site is the A-Z guarantee (AKA Amazon’s iron-strict return policy). Phrases like “satisfaction guaranteed” may get you an unpleasant ASIN suspension. Although many sellers still use the words “satisfaction guaranteed” inside their listings, bullet points or product descriptions, it’s known to be a violation of their TOS, which is why we recommend to avoid using this wording.
Learn more about how to resolve and prevent Amazon ASIN Suspensions read more
Made in….?
Where your product is made also falls under this section, and does not apply strictly to Handmade sellers. Amazon can suppress listings that claim are made by Native American or Indian origin without the proper proof.
ENVIRONMENT
- Eco-friendly
- Biodegradable
- Non-toxic
- BPA free
- Recyclable
- Compostable
Any products for sale on Amazon that have connections with the environment, must have the proper documentation and evidence should they call your claim into question.
JEWELRY + CLOTHING
- Sterling
- Non-corrosive metals
- Flawless (when selling stones)
- Odor reduction
- Decreases bacteria
- Generic
- Summer/winter/fall/spring sale
PUNCTUATION
- In the product title, there is no need for stop words such as “a,” “an,” “and,” “by,” “for,” “of,” “the,” “with,” and so on.
- Available now
- On sale
- New
- Amazing
- Best
- Good quality
- No special characters: %, ***, etc.
Stay evergreen: don’t use keywords that are ephemeral, temporarily true. Also, keep the title description objective. Don’t add any adjectives such as “amazing” “good quality” “best seller” “discount” – keep it concise.
- Cheap
- Free/100%
- Don’t include product price
- Don’t include any promotional offers
- Cross product promotion is not allowed
- UPS/Fedex
- Ready to ship
And of course, don’t include terms that are abusive, illegal or offensive in nature.
Even if it’s important to avoid offensive words, even if they won’t get you suspended, Amazon will not allow you to advertise any products with listings that include these keywords, and might even categorize these products as adult products.
LAST TIP
Beware about comparison with other brands. You have to be super careful on how you target competitors and your products, for instance saying “this product is similar to Kitchenaid products.” Amazon will flag that. You can use comparison charts – showing pictures without naming the competitor. But best to hold up your brand without “shaming” others.
You can’t mention any competitive product name, a competitive ASIN or place any external links such as websites, online stores, seller names, company information, email addresses, phone numbers or anything else that will direct the customer out of Amazon.
Choose your keywords wisely. Keep SEO strategies in mind. With the right Amazon keyword research strategy, your products will be visible and sellable and will keep the Amazon algorithm watchdogs at bay.
