The new Mediation Policy and other upcoming changes
Continuing the discussion from Upcoming changes to programme policies:
Mediation policy : <<We are introducing mediation as an option to resolve seller disputes out of court. The new policy clarifies which disputes are eligible for this process, and explains basic rules of the process. >>
At last!
This I believe is well overdue. 3PS are often left out of pocket where Amazon tell customers they can keep the product and the refund.
This may be acceptable if it is Amazon funded, but quite often this is not the case.
Let’s hope this new mediation policy / service?..will prevent sellers having to go down the small claims route and risking their account simply to get justice and be paid what is rightfully theirs, where money (or the return of goods) is not forthcoming.
Fingers crossed it lives up to our expectations…
The new Mediation Policy and other upcoming changes
Continuing the discussion from Upcoming changes to programme policies:
Mediation policy : <<We are introducing mediation as an option to resolve seller disputes out of court. The new policy clarifies which disputes are eligible for this process, and explains basic rules of the process. >>
At last!
This I believe is well overdue. 3PS are often left out of pocket where Amazon tell customers they can keep the product and the refund.
This may be acceptable if it is Amazon funded, but quite often this is not the case.
Let’s hope this new mediation policy / service?..will prevent sellers having to go down the small claims route and risking their account simply to get justice and be paid what is rightfully theirs, where money (or the return of goods) is not forthcoming.
Fingers crossed it lives up to our expectations…
38 replies
Seller_JB8wPCk9zkyad
Who’s doing the " mediating " ?
An independent party with no vested interests, no biases, nothing to thing to gain or lose ?
Or Amazon themselves … ?
Seller_MT8rt0A2OpbCx
It seems to be only where the dispute is with Amazon, not customers:
" Eligibility. To be eligible for Mediation:
- Your dispute must be an Eligible Dispute. An “ Eligible Dispute ” is a dispute between you and Amazon Services Europe SARL (“Amazon”) which is related to Selling on Amazon, but not to an Amazon Service that you use to enter into agreements with business customers. Disputes that relate solely to Fulfilment by Amazon, or to your Amazon Payments Europe s.c.a. or Amazon Payments UK Limited Selling on Amazon payment account, are not Eligible Disputes. Further, a dispute is not an Eligible Dispute if there has been a previous mediation process on the same subject matter, or where you have made repeated unsuccessful mediation attempts, or where the dispute is not suitable for resolution by mediation. Last, at the time that you request Mediation, Amazon’s final prior communication to you on a decision on the dispute must not be older than 6 months."
It’s not really acceptable, as it encourages bad behaviour by customers, i.e. not expecting to return items before a refund, for any reason.
Seller_24Bec1n3QCVmi
This is the full policy. This mentions that the seller is responsible for paying the fee but then the ’ Requesting mediation’ policy page says that the fee is £490 and Amazon will cover 50% of the fee. That’s still a cost of £245 though!
Seller_1vyLJePYDN9hf
Can I use this to get back-dated A-Zs looked at again where Amazon has ignored all the tracking evidence, taken money from my account, and then just stone-walled me or sent me meaningless rubbish through seller support? It would be quite a payday for me. Wishful thinking I suspect.
Seller_jsYbxLElYAaBz
I have to say after having recent dealings with the Executive Seller Team, I do believe Amazon are trying to do more to better serve their sellers.
The overnight blocking of shipments into FBA at the start of the Covid-19 crisis severely impacted Sellers, worsened by the disgraceful way that Amazon announced the move and they rightly deserved the backlash they got from Sellers.
They have made improvements since then in terms of communication on the news feed.
I also made a formal complaint recently about not being approved for a category which completely unjustified. The response from the Executive Seller team mentioned that their team would be re-trained as a mistake had clearly been made and also used the words ‘poor customer service’ in relation to how we had been treated as a seller.
I’ve never ever heard such words from Amazon before! So it’s has left me hopeful that they are listening and realising that Sellers deserve to be treated with a bit more respect and fairness. Amazon are so big now that if they don’t start taking some moral responsibility for people’s livelihoods, they too will lose out financially! And Jeff will never beat Elon in getting to Mars / Moon in that case 
So I think this mediation policy is something that was needed and perhaps a sign that they are taking us all a bit more seriously. We remain ever hopeful!
Seller_XrsxyuONn8r2w
I’ve had 2 in the last week where I intend taking the buyers to court to recover refunds given to them and no goods returned! No doubt this service will still favour Amazon and the buyer!
Seller_VUk92R3JNHkR3
I don’t want to come across as overly pessimistic, but we’re talking about a company who seems to think that it is acceptable to reply to 99% of seller contact with a half-baked automated AI system. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about how they regard sellers nothing will.
I really wouldn’t get excited about any of the forthcoming programme policy changes. I very much doubt any changes will result in benefits for sellers, in fact probably exactly the opposite will be true and it will be little more than Amazon reinforcing their position as the hulking, brutal money making machine they have worked so hard (off the backs of others) to become.
Seller_YpGZNzOJC6Bme
I am hoping that the mediator will be looking to see if this person is a serial claimer. I order a lot off Amazon and eBay from different sellers sent from many different couriers, APC Overnight, Hermes, DPD, Parcel Force, Royal Mail, Arrow XL and I have never had a parcel not delivered. I have had a few late parcels but never not delivered. I think a lot of people now are taking advantage of sellers and claiming none delivery and getting full refunds because the seller has not used an Amazon approved courier! It is turning on to an online scam and I hoping this new mediation system will stop this from happening. I think any one making numerous claims against numerous sellers should be reported for fraud! I just hope that the mediation doesn’t start going against sellers! For example you send the wrong item or you send not enough etc which happens from time to time. I can see Amazon opening a mediation and this going against the seller!
Seller_yE7wQLht2Ut2g
Have to laugh when I first saw this new policy today! this is yet another failed policy that Ebay introduced in 2005 why are so many of the policies that Amazon are introducing from 2017 to date the same policies that drove many sellers away from ebay when they introduced them from 2005? did Amazon hire the guy/girl who almost destroyed ebay professional sales ranks? from over a decade ago seems weird to see so many failed policies from back then being introducted by Amazon. ie Automated customer services if you need help go to other sellers do not bother us please be aware as a seller you are always at fault even if you can prove you are not at fault you are to blame.
Seller_LKjg1QRrO36Yq
Oddly, enough I heard a snippet of news yesterday that suggests Amazon is actually going to come down much harder on sellers who break the rules.
I won’t post a direct link but if you google ‘thisismoney article-8454243’ it should point you in the right direction.
Amazon has announced the creation of a new Counterfeit Crimes Unit which will be responsible for finding and pursuing those attempting to sell fake goods on the site.
The US tech and e-commerce giant said the new unit would be a global team comprised of former prosecutors, investigators and data analysts.
The group will join existing work the company says it does to prevent counterfeit material appearing on the platform.
Amazon said that in 2019 it spent over 500 million US dollars and had more 8,000 employees fighting fraud – and had blocked more than six billion bad listings in that year alone.
The Crimes Unit will investigate cases where bad actors have attempted to evade Amazon’s systems, the company said, and will be able mine Amazon data and gather information from external sources to find those responsible.
It said the new group would allow Amazon to more effectively pursue civil litigation as well as help law enforcement officials around the world in criminal actions against counterfeiters.
Let’s just hope they trarget the right sellers (ie, wrong’uns) …
