How can Amazon punish FBA sellers for customer damage?
I am a relatively new Amazon FBA seller, and have sold on various other platforms. I cannot wrap my head around the policy where noted "customer damage" gets an auto refund to the customer and the Seller (Amazon's partner whom we pay massive fees to for the convenience) is punished.
Then I was told my support that once I requested removal and got the "remains" of the item back I would be able to get help but that is not the case. I am told this is Amazon's Policy.
I hope someone from Amazon sees this and can offer some help. I cant see how I can use FBA with this policy in place.
How can Amazon punish FBA sellers for customer damage?
I am a relatively new Amazon FBA seller, and have sold on various other platforms. I cannot wrap my head around the policy where noted "customer damage" gets an auto refund to the customer and the Seller (Amazon's partner whom we pay massive fees to for the convenience) is punished.
Then I was told my support that once I requested removal and got the "remains" of the item back I would be able to get help but that is not the case. I am told this is Amazon's Policy.
I hope someone from Amazon sees this and can offer some help. I cant see how I can use FBA with this policy in place.
0 replies
Daryl_Amazon
Hey @Seller_1iWUOjqX1CmKQ,
More than happy to provide my insight on the matter!
Per the A-to-z Guarantee, customers are eligible for a refund if an item is "significantly not as described" - which can include damage caused by the customer during use.
When this happens, Amazon will automatically refund the customer and deduct the amount from the seller's account. The seller is then responsible for requesting a removal order to get the returned item back. However, simply receiving the returned item does not automatically result in Amazon reversing the refund.
Instead, you as a seller need to proactively request a "reimbursement review" once they have the item back. Amazon will then evaluate the condition and determine if the refund should be credited back to the seller's account.
I would strongly recommend the following approach for future references:
- Thoroughly document the condition of all inventory before sending to FBA
- Promptly request a removal order when a "customer damage" refund occurs
- Carefully inspect the returned item and immediately request a reimbursement review
- Persistently follow up with Amazon support if the reimbursement is denied
You can find more information on these topics here:
Daryl
