Seller of record vs supplier: two different roles Amazon checks separately
A legitimate supplier and a compliant seller of record status are not the same thing, and confusing the two is why sellers who sourced correctly still get flagged. Here is exactly where the line sits.
Sellers frequently assume that using a real, legitimate supplier automatically satisfies Amazon's dropshipping requirements. It does not, on its own. The supplier and the seller of record are two separate roles, and Amazon checks the second one independently of how legitimate the first one is.
Quick answer
The supplier is whoever manufactures or physically ships the product. The seller of record is whoever the customer legally transacted with, the name shown on the invoice and packing slip. You can use any supplier you want. You cannot let that supplier's identity replace yours anywhere the customer can see it.
Two questions Amazon asks separately
The first question is whether your sourcing is legitimate: did the product come from a real supplier through a real business relationship. The second question is entirely different: does every document and package the customer receives identify your business as the seller. A seller can answer yes to the first question and still fail the second, which is exactly what triggers most dropshipping violations that feel unfair at first.
Why sellers still get flagged after using a legitimate supplier
A genuine supplier relationship, with real invoices between you and the supplier, real inventory, and a signed agreement, still results in a violation if that supplier's own paperwork ships inside the customer's box. The legitimacy of the sourcing relationship and the visibility of the seller of record identity are judged separately, and Amazon's policy enforcement only looks at the second one.
What a supplier agreement needs to state
- Packaging is unbranded, or carries your business's branding only
- Any documents included in the shipment are blank or show your business, never the supplier's name
- You, not the supplier, handle any customer facing return or communication
Can a supplier also be an Amazon seller
Yes. A supplier being active as its own Amazon seller on a different account does not automatically create a policy conflict. What matters is whether the paperwork inside your customer's shipment identifies your business specifically, regardless of what else that supplier does elsewhere.
A separate concept: EU importer of record
Sellers targeting European marketplaces will also see the term importer of record, sometimes called the responsible person, which comes from EU product safety regulation rather than from Amazon's own policy. It identifies who is legally responsible for a product's compliance in the EU market, and it is a distinct requirement from Amazon's seller of record concept. Sellers on EU marketplaces generally need to satisfy both separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is my supplier the seller of record?
No. The supplier is whoever manufactures or ships the product. Seller of record is a distinct role, the identity the customer legally transacted with.
Can I use a supplier that also sells on Amazon?
Yes. Their status as another Amazon seller does not automatically create a conflict, as long as the paperwork inside the shipment shows your business as the seller.
Does the seller of record have to physically hold inventory?
No. A seller of record can use FBA or a third party warehouse for physical fulfillment. What matters is which identity the customer facing documentation shows.
What is the EU importer of record, and is it the same thing?
No. It is a separate EU product safety requirement about who is responsible for compliance in the EU market. Sellers on EU marketplaces need to satisfy both the Amazon seller of record requirement and, where applicable, EU importer of record rules.
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