Amazon restricted my account and will not refund gift card balance of £200. Totally blindsided. Any advice??

Films, TV series, Kindle books, Audible etc.

Intangible items you can't return essentially....

Ah right, that makes sense.

Something similar happened to me but I had a warning when I was returning parcels, for about six months, telling me that either the return was legit or they might close my account.
I spend thousands each couple of months on Amazon so obviously my returns might also be high. I guess the system flagged that up.
I think your problem is that you look like a thief but I wonder whether you are not telling it all and had that message flagged up as well when you were buying/returning?

Ensure that your purchases are sent to lockers or local shops where you can collect them. Once you've shown Amazon that you're a responsible buyer, it'll change your restriction

Same here, we unfortunately have to order almost everything due to my chronic illness and we have quite a lot of parcels arriving.

I think we’ve had two go missing in the past two years? Neither from Amazon.

I sympathise with you OP. Unfortunately you’re paying the price for those awful thieves.

Google says
Subject: Appeal Request: Account Restriction and Gift Card Balance Recovery - [Your Amazon Account Email]
Dear Account Specialist,
I am writing to formally appeal the digital-only restriction placed on my Amazon UK account.
My account currently holds a legitimate gift card balance that was provided to me directly by my employer as a workplace benefit/reward. I have attached the official proof of this gift card issue from my employer to this email to confirm its validity.
Because this balance consists of earned, legitimate funds, I request that you either fully reinstate my physical purchasing privileges or process a manual refund of the remaining balance back to my employer or via an alternative method.
Please review my account history and the attached documentation. I look forward to your prompt response and resolution.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number Linked to Amazon]

It also said
Account Specialist who sent it (often [email protected] or [email protected]).
Not to use the usual chat function

DD ordered something recently and got a message to say it had been delivered. She lives in flats where there are 8 flats to each entrance. The courier hadn't rung the bell or put it inside, just propped it up outside the door to the block. When she looked it wasn't outside the door. Then a closer look at the photo showed it wasn't even the right door. They had left it outside someone else's entrance. By the time she figured out which door they had left it by it had gone. Useless.

Ugh I share your righteous indignation here. How ridiculous!

It's wrong they've taken your money. But not surprised they've ditched you as a customer. With returned goods and missing parcels. Can you claim it back from your credit card issuer.

How much was the last item?

I may or may not work for Amazon CS. 👀

You have triggered a concession abuse limit, either by the number of delivered not received or the value of the items.

You will need to submit an appeal. If this hasn't been offered to you, then you will need to reach out to CS if you can log in and speak to an agent, they will transfer you to the right people to start the process.

If you are going around in circles, email one of the managing director emails it will go to a specialist team who will investigate and can resolve the GC issue.

This happens a million times a day with amazon, there is a process you just have to follow it.

FYI people adding GCs to account, ordering, reporting item not received and getting a GC refund is maybe the 3rd most common scam with Amazon and something we are always on the lookout for.

Popping usual disclaimer on here: Thats all I can share , I cant look up accounts etc will lose job so no PMs please.

We all need to stop using this revolting company.

One million percent.

I hate having to use this retched company for things that I absolutely can't get elsewhere. And before anyone comes for me, I'm living in near poverty, hence my next rant. I live in a crime ridden, social housing hellscape and I am adamant the delivery folk not leave my parcels outside in full view of my neighbours meth/crackhead customers.

Had loads of mine go missing, despite very many calls to tell them not to leave them. And notes in every order saying not to leave them. And the fact that my doorstep was on a popular wooded footpath slightly set back from the main road, which you'd think any sane person would see was not a great place to leave them. But still they left them. Sometimes. Often they didn't even manage that - they would be left over the road, or at another house which shared my carpark. Once it was left with the chicken shop about 150m away. Which I discovered as I was on the phone to the customer service, who asked me to go get it. I've also had more than one fun treasure hunt whilst on the phone to customer service, as they can see exactly where it's been left, so they directed me out into my carpark to go look for it. Of course, any half decent company would see that it hasn't been delivered to my doorstep, and so it should be replaced. Not send me out to the carpark at 9.30 at night in the rain to go retrieve it. But hey, that's Amazon.

And when even after all that, they put me on notice and refused to refund things they themselves acknowledged had not been delivered, I gave up. I've ordered almost nothing in months, and I really don't miss them. Many places are cheaper, most all places have better service, and every single place I could conceivably buy from will be morally superior. So now I sleep very smugly - and have not had any hunt the parcel adventures since. Oddly, everyone else seems perfectly capable of actually delivering a package...

If they don't refund your money, sue them. Then - most importantly - shop elsewhere.

’faulty, etc’. Whats the etc?

Can you use your gift card balance for those?