WARNING - Loophole - Amazon accept any item from customers for returns
I have unfortunately found out there is a huge loophole in Amazons return policies that will sting you as a seller.
Amazon is happy to accept different item back as a return for your item.
I had sold a comptuer mouse, which the customer raise return a couple of days after the purchase.
I then get an email saying it wont go back to inventory as customer has damaged it.
I receive the removal order come back to me, and when I got this back, I was gobsmacked at the condition of the mouse. The mouse was covered in filth, dust all in the cracks and scratchs on the bottom like it had been used for years. I therefore disputed that this was not the brand new mouse I had sold.
After calling the support team, I was told to raise a resimbursement claim for a different item being sent back, I had to provide photos and details such as if serial numbers were different.
Upon checking this I found the serial number on the box and the serial number on the mouse were both different, this proving my point that this was actually different item that had been accepted as a return.
After sending this in and continuing to complaint, they kept asking for the photos or information I had already sent them, but on these occasions kepting saying to raise a damaged product. I wasnt raising a damaged product, I was raising a different mouse had been sent back.
I then found managingdirector@amazon.com email address, thinking these guys will understand the problem and fix it. The lady on this was just as bad if not worst than the support team.
She eventually gave part reimbursement, saying an “exceptional reimbursement”, almost as if its to shut me up from complaining. They also say “you claim they sent a different item” like I was making it up.
They are ignoring all the photos showing this is not the same mouse because fo the different serial number on the box and unit, and are not accepting responsiblity that the returns department arent checking this kind of thing, which is so easy to do.
They even tried to tell me if a customer sends a different item, it is classed as the customer damaging the item and said it says this on the FBA reimbursement policy page. They provided a link, but it say that was the case anywhere on the link.
They are now ignoring my emails and wont admit that this is a floor in their process, and they need to improve the checks.
This loophole will either sting you as an FBA seller, or you may want to take advantage of this loophole, but if you do make sure you are only buying sold by Amazon products so not to make an fellow FBA seller lose out. As the saying goes - “cant beat them join them”.
If anyone has any experience of this and can share their story or if you have contacts who will help put this right, then please share.
Thanks
18 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
It’s not a new thing this.
And I am curious to know, how you can put a return with a specific order, unless there was only one sold and only one return?
But at the end of the day, if you use FBA, Amazon are responsible for support/refunding and so on and not you. You literally hand over control to them.
It’s one of the penalties for using FBA.
This happens all of the time, you price in for returns etc as it’s the only realistic way of covering these kind of costs. It really is no different, than if you had a shop and someone stole something.
Seller_rB7hW7jwrPMDg
Lots of scammers just sent back a empty box ! Amazon just take it as return.
I have been using FBA for a long time, since end of last year, so many nagtive feedbacks received, they are all same: received a empty box.
The funny thing is that amazon send the empty box back to me, I have to check each return carefully and claim reimbursement (likely amazon will issue reimbursement to me).
It’s something wrong with return policy, what we can do is check each return carefully.
Seller_7WLrNxqVNqkN2
you are lucky to get that, this happens to us all the time! We sell the customer a real silver chain worth £20 and they return a cheap metal tat worth a pound and nothing is done, welcome to Amazon
Seller_7xa4giJ3wJ3FU
I know from experience, I deal with Amazon returns from a Wholesaler of a major UK firm and the returns coming back via Amazon are getting worse with each month. Buyers now just buy a new item and simply return their old or faulty item, that is the same, but out of warranty, in that box. Amazon do not check these items.
My wholesaler now simply does not refund Amazon for swap-outs so at some point Amazon may well have to start checking returns as it is now starting to cost them big time.
Seller_nRhZxElkqUPAM
Not sure why its turned out like this. Normally when a customer returns the wrong item to the FC we get refunded.
Seller_RVddIOrwCGSvE
Thanks for everyone’s replies and sharing their experiences.
It sounds like we are all in the same boat and for now just have grin and bear it (reluctantly).
In terms of those suggestions to price it in, I will be honest my ROI is quite high, as items I sell are fortunately marked up well from cost price already. It was really a matter of principle, that such a large corporation is turning a blind eye to this kind of thing and allowing the small fish to take the hit for their failings.
If this was my full time job I would be more inclined to do everything FBM to give more control but this is a side hustle for me.
I hope what Commswholesale says does turn out to be the case. If they are doing this to even the larger wholesalers who have a means of not refunding Amazon, then of course they gave more weight in forcing some improvements compared to us little guys
Seller_RVddIOrwCGSvE
Yes registered as sole trader, prettt sure unless you only sell handful of items you have to prove you are a business. I am still learning the ropes of what can be written off in tax returns as literally stated doing this in January so big learning curve for me. But will look into that, thanks for asking the question
