Customer retuns
Hello,
We are still fairly new to Amazon but a customer wanted to return an item as it was unwanted from 2+ months ago. They contacted Amazon who said we need to accept the return. Then they said we needed to pay for the returns label, which we did. They are then on to us about refunding the item ASAP even though it has been a bank holiday and the earliest it would have been returned is Tuesday 27th. Is this normal for Amazon to side with the customer so much? and not give sellers a chance or we get penalized and will be out of pocket.
Thank you
The customer returned this the another swim back to you last Friday and not yet received a refund. It is quite long from the returned date so please assist the customer with the refund right away as the item was already returned to you.
Thanks.
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
Customer retuns
Hello,
We are still fairly new to Amazon but a customer wanted to return an item as it was unwanted from 2+ months ago. They contacted Amazon who said we need to accept the return. Then they said we needed to pay for the returns label, which we did. They are then on to us about refunding the item ASAP even though it has been a bank holiday and the earliest it would have been returned is Tuesday 27th. Is this normal for Amazon to side with the customer so much? and not give sellers a chance or we get penalized and will be out of pocket.
Thank you
The customer returned this the another swim back to you last Friday and not yet received a refund. It is quite long from the returned date so please assist the customer with the refund right away as the item was already returned to you.
Thanks.
Please respond to this request within 48 hours.
Thanks,
Amazon Customer Service
8 replies
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
" Is this normal for Amazon to side with the customer so much? and not give sellers a chance or we get penalized and will be out of pocket."
Totally normal ! - sadly. Amazon will ALWAYS side with the customer - customer is King., and also, many customers know how to play the system with lots of return scams, by sending back their old used item, or even an item that you didn't sell, claim wrong return reason so they get free return postage, and even claim item not received but then ask to return it !! - sometimes you couldn't make it up - just read posts on the forum. The messages that come from customer services are always very demanding !! Don't refund until you have the item back and have checked it.
Check out Amazon's return/refund policies so you know how to deal with it.
Seller_J2H5GprhaORbt
Amazon customer service , always side with the customer , but are just repeating what the customer has demanded.
I always write back and say this is outside the returns window, but if the customer wishes to return the item back , they can return to the address provided and a refund will be given when the item has been inspected and is received as per Amazon policy
Seller_jucuK4xvuHzTF
Amazon will side with the buyer 100% sellers are expendable. In the real world there is a shift away from free returns due to the high cost of processing and customers abusing the system. Our return rate on Amazon has increased significantly and is now 3 times higher than eBay for the same sales. We charge more for goods sold on Amazon compared to other site to compensate for buyer thinking its unlimited returns. I would like to know if Amazon actually restricts customers with very high return rates, we do get customers that don’t get a prepaid returns label only an address label, is that because they are returning to many items?
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
I would suggest you do need to review amazons return policies if a new seller.
In general Amazon would not require you to accept a return for a change of mind outside of 30 days from the point of delivery (note it is not the point of order)
You don’t normally need to provide a prepaid return label (though do understand how the prepaid return label system works!) but if you accepted the return and it was clothing or jewellery then it would be free returns.
If your own return label was used you wouldn’t be required to refund until you get the order back.
As above seller support are either repeating bullying tactics from the customer or just assuming standard Amazon return practice and also bullying you.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
It often comes down to what the customer has told Amazon.
For example, if they just told Amazon they no longer wanted the item then they only have a 30 day return window and you can point this out to Support and not accept the return. Support will probably say you do have to accept the return but its often a case of Support not knowing enough about Amazon policy (yes they should but often do not).
However, if customer is saying the item is faulty then yes you will have to accept the return if it was only delivered 2 months ago.
Do you mean you sent them a pre-paid returns label or did Amazon provide it and charge you for it? If you provided it did you enter the tracking number when you accepted the return? If you did enter tracking info or if Amazon provided the label then they will be able to see from the tracking if it was delivered back to you and you can use this as evidence to Amazon as to why you have not yet processed the refund.
You do not have to provide a refund unless the parcel was scanned at least once to prove the item was returned (not the same as it being delivered). If it was not delivered back to you but was scanned at some point you can claim from the courier.
If there was no tracking (or you did not enter the number when you accepted the return request) then I am afraid Amazon will side with the customer and will force the refund and there is little else you can do.
Seller_K8edOfPu9HEmN
Amazon are trying it on basically. They will only ask a seller to accept a return if the return is outside the return window. All you need to do is politely refuse the return and don't forget to quote Amazons return policy to them to remind them.
