Update to Customer returns for international sales

#1

We are updating the Customer returns for international sales policy. As previously stated from 5 October 2021, all MFN Selling Partners that sell on the European stores Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, and fulfil customer orders from abroad, are required to provide Amazon with a default domestic return address for items equal or under £20 or €25 (including VAT) or otherwise offer Returnless Refunds for these items. For example, if you are fulfilling orders received on Amazon.de from outside Germany, then you are required to provide a German default return address (or a Returnless Refund) if the item is equal or under €25 (including VAT), or if you received an order on Amazon.co.uk and the item is equal or under £20 (including VAT) and you are fulfilling orders from outside UK you are required to provide a UK default return address (or Returnless Refund). The default return address you provide to Amazon is used to generate either an Amazon Prepaid Return Label (applicable to APRL enrolled sellers only) or an unpaid address label for the customer on all returns that fall under Amazon’s return policy, to allow customers to send the item back to you.

If a default domestic return address is not provided in the store you are selling in, then Amazon will automatically issue a refund on your behalf, for all in-policy returns that meet the above-mentioned thresholds, without requiring the item to be returned to you (Returnless Refund).

When calculating whether a return item meets the threshold we consider your product price (including VAT). We updated the Customer returns for international sales policy and clarified that shipping charges are not considered to calculate the threshold. Note that the refund processed for the customer includes product price inclusive of VAT and shipping paid by the customer as applicable. Please review the updated programme policy carefully. A version in track changes of the Customer returns for international sales is available on the Changes to programme policies page.

If you do not have a default domestic return address for one or more of the European stores you are selling from, you can reach out to an international returns provider listed on the Service Provider Network page, who may be able to help.

We remind you that for items above the threshold, you are required to offer a Domestic return address, Returnless Refund or Prepaid Return labels, which you cannot charge the customer.

For more information on returns, go to the help pages below:

Returnless refunds
#2

Hello @Amazon_News!
Thank you for the update.
Just a question, how can we avoid customers misusing this policy? I can see customers placing orders for these low value items, receive them and then open a return request for which they are automatically granted a refund, and they get to keep the product.
How will Amazon ensure that this not something the customers may abuse?

#3

It’s happened to me already. Sent a generic email to customers who then want to pay but want my email address or contact details in order to pay. Tried to navigate my way around this as now lost over £300 in returns due to German customs and received a policy violation as a result, this is my last year on Amazon, better investing in a decent website and Google ads as Amazon do not consider the sellers despite the sellers making bezos his money in fees.

#4

Can’t avoid misuse. It’s “the Earth’s most customer-centric company”, therefore the term “misuse” does not exist when they talk about buyers. Strangely enough, when I had to return a low value item, never got it for free (not as I want it), so it seems to apply only to FBM sellers. Not bothered anymore with Amz… it’s not worth it. My Christmas sales are 36 orders for the whole month of December with 400K products, such a joke. On the “other marketplace” I get these orders in less than 8 hours with 4K products in a normal day. Absolutely pathetic website, meanwhile bombarded with fake suspected IP claims and no one bothers to answer any questions. The sooner you move on, the better.

#5

Not worth the effort anymore.

Now stopped all my international listings on Amazon.

#6

Unfortunately the policy does not take into consideration the cost of the return is sometimes the same returning from the EU to the UK or returned locally. At the moment we have a prepaid return label for orders placed in the UK and I am not sure why they cannot apply the same policy in the EU. CN22 has a tick box showing returned goods. Naturally many sellers feel that the policy can be open to abuse which many may have already experienced.

My observation is the policies only for benefit of the platform and not the seller. No other platform expects sellers to pay for the return unless it’s damaged, or faulty. It appears to take on competition is to find ways to exploit its sellers.

#7

I closed all my European channels down as soon as brexit was done, and now reading this clap trap from Amazon, i’m glad I did. Amazons lack of continued investment in SS seems to be the biggest problem I read on here. I have been slowly loading up eBay and ebid with products in readiness for when I’ve had enough of this place.

For UK Sellers, I believe this is a fast sinking ship, let the Chinese bring in their tat of fake goods.

#8

Hi. What’s the best way to close all European sites? Have you just put them on Holiday mode?

#9

As others have said this policy so so open to mis-use. I am sure that the internet drums are already spreading the word to buy from Amazon in a different country to where you live as then there is a high chance that you can get a refund and keep the goods. The cost to sellers will mount up. We know that buyers already over order/use the returns system to their advantage - ie various sizes to try and then use free returns what they do not want, often at the sellers expense or use the “faulty item” return to avoid return costs - even when not faulty at all. Will Amazon monitor buyers and remove those that are constantly requesting refunds/returns and abusing the system ?

#10

if you do that. you may still get problems with any listings that breach the policy in the relevant country in the future

go to international settings, unlink accounts, then delete all listings in each country

#11

How about when a buyer in Germany, purchases an item on the UK Amazon site from us (UK based). Does the same apply?

Amazon you need to make it so that if the reason is the buyers fault, then they pay for return, regardless of where they purchased it.

#12

" When calculating whether a return item meets the threshold we consider your product price (including VAT). We updated the Customer returns for international sales policy and clarified that shipping charges are not considered to calculate the threshold."

"We remind you that for items above the threshold, you are required to offer a Domestic return address, Returnless Refund or Prepaid Return labels, which you cannot charge the customer."

Thanks for changing your guidance…after telling us about it in October.

It’s pretty pointless having an international listings now from UK to Europe - completely open to abuse.

#13

Yes it does I’m afraid.

#14

This policy will cost Amazon billions in lawsuits as Amazon have no legal authourity to take goods legally owned by one party and give to another party as a free gift this is under legal terms an act of theft. It also puts any of these customers into possession of stolen goods.
I am currently compiling a police report for around 250 euros worth of goods stolen from my account due to this policy.
Amazon state that they have no legal ownership of any goods legally owned by third parties hence if they take payment away they are guilty of theft.
A few weeks back Amazon were convicted in Italy of theft and were fined over 1 billion euros.

#15

Not just Europe this affects any International sale on Amazon. Europe Americas Aisa Africa. In fact it has been in place in USA for well over a year.

#16

As they were convicted in Italy of theft, this new idea of theirs makes no sense at all.

#17

Sorry to ask, would please guide again how to find this International Settings can’t see it anywhere! I need to close Spain and Italy for the moment. They are on holiday however I need switch them off completely.

#18

I agree that is the best option. Just too much bother.

#19

To Unlink Your International Seller Market Places.

Scroll to the bottom of your seller dashboard.
Click Sell Globally.
Click Build International Listings. ( in horizontal menu bar)
On the left click on the Market you want to remove.
On the right you’ll see Connection setting,
At the bottom of that box is Remove Connection.
In the pop up, Click “Delete listings in the target marketplace that match listings in the source marketplace.”
You get a warning saying, This may take 4 hours and cannot be undone.

Repeat above for all other market places you want to remove.

I think I’ve included all the steps.
Hope this helps anyone who needs this.

#20

YES! I was convinced this is illegal policy by Amazon. Update us with any news.