A TO Z CLAIMS GRANTING TO THE CUSTOMER WITHOUT REVIEWING
I am writing to bring to your attention serious and persistent issues with the A-to-Z Guarantee Claims team, whose actions have been causing undue harm to sellers like myself. This is my third email regarding this matter, and the situation has reached a point where it is becoming intolerable.
I have been selling on Amazon since 2016 and have consistently adhered to your platform’s policies. Over the years, my team and I have gained considerable experience, ensuring that customers are satisfied and that no avoidable issues arise. However, despite our diligence, the A-to-Z team’s repeated and seemingly automated decisions in favor of customers—without thorough investigation—are jeopardizing our ability to operate fairly and sustainably.
Ongoing Issues with A-to-Z Decisions
"Customer is Always Right" Template Approach:
It is evident from numerous cases that the A-to-Z team is operating under a blanket policy of favoring customers, regardless of the evidence sellers provide. The team does not appear to review the seller’s side, instead copying and pasting generic templates to justify granting claims to customers. This one-sided approach is fundamentally unfair.
Fraudulent Claims Ignored:
In several cases, we have provided clear evidence of fraudulent claims by customers, including proof of timely delivery, undamaged products, and violations of return policies. Yet, these claims were still granted in the customer’s favor, resulting in both financial losses and unfair defects on our account metrics.
Unfair Accountability for Delivery Delays Beyond Seller’s Control:
As a seller using Amazon’s shipping services, we dispatch all parcels within the stipulated time frame. However, when Amazon shipping delivers a parcel one or two days late during the festive season—a period of high volume—we are held accountable, and claims are granted to customers for delayed deliveries. This penalizes us for circumstances entirely outside our control.
Thin Margins and Increased Losses:
Selling on Amazon is already a challenge with thin profit margins. The additional burden of bearing financial losses for unjustified claims is unsustainable. Sellers are effectively being punished for following policies, while fraudulent claims are rewarded.
Request for Action
I urge Amazon leadership to:
Review the A-to-Z Claims Process: Investigate the decision-making process to ensure that claims are reviewed thoroughly and fairly, considering both the customer’s and seller’s sides.
Implement Checks Against Fraudulent Claims: Establish protocols for scrutinizing claims with substantial evidence of fraud.
Address Shipping Accountability: Ensure sellers are not penalized for delays caused by Amazon shipping services.
Hold the A-to-Z Team Accountable: Evaluate the practices of the A-to-Z team to ensure they act impartially, rather than defaulting to customer-centric decisions.
Impact on Sellers Like Us
The current state of the A-to-Z process has made it increasingly difficult to maintain trust in the system. It is disheartening to see years of dedication and excellent service undermined by decisions that fail to respect the integrity of sellers.
I believe in Amazon’s commitment to fairness and innovation, which is why I continue to voice these concerns. I hope this email will finally prompt action to address this deeply troubling issue.
Does Anyone faced these issue or we are the chosen one?
A TO Z CLAIMS GRANTING TO THE CUSTOMER WITHOUT REVIEWING
I am writing to bring to your attention serious and persistent issues with the A-to-Z Guarantee Claims team, whose actions have been causing undue harm to sellers like myself. This is my third email regarding this matter, and the situation has reached a point where it is becoming intolerable.
I have been selling on Amazon since 2016 and have consistently adhered to your platform’s policies. Over the years, my team and I have gained considerable experience, ensuring that customers are satisfied and that no avoidable issues arise. However, despite our diligence, the A-to-Z team’s repeated and seemingly automated decisions in favor of customers—without thorough investigation—are jeopardizing our ability to operate fairly and sustainably.
Ongoing Issues with A-to-Z Decisions
"Customer is Always Right" Template Approach:
It is evident from numerous cases that the A-to-Z team is operating under a blanket policy of favoring customers, regardless of the evidence sellers provide. The team does not appear to review the seller’s side, instead copying and pasting generic templates to justify granting claims to customers. This one-sided approach is fundamentally unfair.
Fraudulent Claims Ignored:
In several cases, we have provided clear evidence of fraudulent claims by customers, including proof of timely delivery, undamaged products, and violations of return policies. Yet, these claims were still granted in the customer’s favor, resulting in both financial losses and unfair defects on our account metrics.
Unfair Accountability for Delivery Delays Beyond Seller’s Control:
As a seller using Amazon’s shipping services, we dispatch all parcels within the stipulated time frame. However, when Amazon shipping delivers a parcel one or two days late during the festive season—a period of high volume—we are held accountable, and claims are granted to customers for delayed deliveries. This penalizes us for circumstances entirely outside our control.
Thin Margins and Increased Losses:
Selling on Amazon is already a challenge with thin profit margins. The additional burden of bearing financial losses for unjustified claims is unsustainable. Sellers are effectively being punished for following policies, while fraudulent claims are rewarded.
Request for Action
I urge Amazon leadership to:
Review the A-to-Z Claims Process: Investigate the decision-making process to ensure that claims are reviewed thoroughly and fairly, considering both the customer’s and seller’s sides.
Implement Checks Against Fraudulent Claims: Establish protocols for scrutinizing claims with substantial evidence of fraud.
Address Shipping Accountability: Ensure sellers are not penalized for delays caused by Amazon shipping services.
Hold the A-to-Z Team Accountable: Evaluate the practices of the A-to-Z team to ensure they act impartially, rather than defaulting to customer-centric decisions.
Impact on Sellers Like Us
The current state of the A-to-Z process has made it increasingly difficult to maintain trust in the system. It is disheartening to see years of dedication and excellent service undermined by decisions that fail to respect the integrity of sellers.
I believe in Amazon’s commitment to fairness and innovation, which is why I continue to voice these concerns. I hope this email will finally prompt action to address this deeply troubling issue.
Does Anyone faced these issue or we are the chosen one?
11 replies
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
"I hope this email will finally prompt action to address this deeply troubling issue."
Your message will NOT be seen by anyone who can escalate your concerns - we are all just other sellers, like you. Most of us would agree that the A-Z claims policy is not fit for purpose and needs to be totally revised, but if anything you should be sending your email to the MD - managingdirector@amazon.co.uk - but it is unlikely that anything will be done. You could try tagging in forum moderators, but again, their powers are limited.
Seller_hR3Ip6co3B4T7
We second you.... we have atleast 6 to 8 claims a week !!!... over 182 cases opened for seller support... as of now 0% support. Selling for over 2 years and it's just getting worse. Even if buyer messages customer complain that the item arrived 1 day late as we sell beds bulky itemitems and they raise az claims after receiving goods and never before so these fraudsters know what they doing and one gets away with it they will tell all friends and family and you will get 100s doing same thing... 0% support from amazon leadership
Seller_IuTqbDBQXZmkp
Agree with everything you have said..it would be great if someone was looking after us sellers as its very biased towards the buyer.... without the sellers Amazon wouldnt be here!!
Seller_LA1mtNh1ygXsK
I completely agree with your sentiment. Sellers on Amazon are often treated as mere tools to expand the platform's offerings, with little to no protection against fraudulent claims by customers. When such claims are made, there is no effective recourse for sellers. If Amazon is aware of this issue, it raises concerns of complicity in facilitating theft and fraud. Alternatively, if the company is genuinely unaware of the consequences of its A-to-Z Guarantee system, it demonstrates, at best, negligence toward its sellers—who are also customers of Amazon's ecosystem.
Amazon bears full responsibility for fostering an unsafe culture in online retail. This environment, characterized by a rising trend of fraudulent claims, has even started to influence other marketplaces. Unlike other leading platforms, Amazon does not allow sellers to block or ban serial offenders, which exacerbates the issue.
A potential solution involves directly addressing fraudulent customers in cases where claims are unequivocally proven false. In the past, we have contacted such customers independently, informing them that their actions constitute theft and that we will pursue legal recourse through our independent legal team. While this approach contravenes Amazon’s policies against contacting customers outside the platform, we believe it is within our legal rights to protect our business from fraudulent activity.
Admittedly, this course of action carries significant risk. Amazon may suspend accounts if it becomes aware of such contact. However, for sellers like us, who operate across more than 25 marketplaces, the risk feels justifiable. We are prepared to leave Amazon if necessary, as the status quo is unsustainable. However, for sellers whose businesses are heavily reliant on Amazon, this approach may understandably be too risky.
Ultimately, the growing culture of fraud must be addressed. If Amazon refuses to act, sellers may have no choice but to take matters into their own hands—whether by confronting fraudulent customers directly or exploring alternative marketplaces. Until meaningful change occurs, the problem will only escalate, further harming honest sellers.
Seller_JUZcSkP5MplMd
Don't trust or believe in anything Amazon tell you. This and many other issues are to benefit Amazon and there fake customer image. With most of these issues Amazon are breaking the law but are rarely taken to task. Customers now know by making an A to Z claim they can get a full refund without returning goods, it is happening more every day. Amazon are basically supporting petty criminal activity.
Seller_iFOZPk2qlBjxX
We are going through the same thing. Just a year ago Amazon A-Z was a tad bit better where our appeals were being overturned. These days no one reads anything. We lose 2-3 claims a day for stupid reasons. The best is when Amazon recommends sellers to ship using signature and when the customer is not home you automatically lose the claim. And when the item gets delivered Amazon doesn't want to reverse the transaction giving the customer an item for free.
Seller_nwzeDMUDF215f
Fairness and innovation you say? Yes for their customers! We are expendable middlemen. They prefer Trademark owners. Their losses in other ventures means they have held my money this month! It will get worse bro.. then Amazon will collapse for being an evil greedy capitalsit monster. Anyone who opens an A -Z gets paid out. Total scam.
