Message from Amazon CS via Customer - Refund No Return
Really…what is the point of a returns policy here is the message I received from Amazon - no contact from the customer by the way.
Hello,
We’ve been contacted by one of our mutual customers regarding an order placed with you.
Below is the information provided by the customer:
Order number: 20X-XXXXXXX-XXXXX5
Item:
Reason for contact: Damaged, Defective or Incorrect Item
Details: 20X-XXXXXXX-XXXXX5
damaged defective
please process the refund without returning the item
To respond to this customer, please reply to this e-mail or visit your seller account at the following link:
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/communication-manager/inbox.html
We hope you’re able to work this out with this customer.
Sincerely,
Customer Service Department
Obviously replied with follow the returns process as per Amazon Policy
21 replies
Seller_esvgLzKXw2YAl
That’s not actually support telling you to do that, but passing on a message from the customer.
It’s poor support, but they are just automatons.
Seller_rGtEcZnu0JTRD
You can pretty much ignore these messages, we get similar on daily basis, and just respond to the message stating Amazon policy, and what the customer would need to do.
Had message this week stating ‘Customer ordered by mistake so you need to organise collection on Thursday at 08:45, customer would also like compensation for his troubles in having to be home for collection’, so we simply replied that we are more than happy for customer to return the item, however as this is a change of mind then he would need to pay for the return postage, in addition we would also ask for the customer to open an official return request inline with Amazon policy’
Of course this then went to an A-Z claim, still waiting to hear the outcome, but can guess which way it will go 
Ironically the value of the item is only 3.50 
Seller_DROodOAYHftnc
Why are CS not telling the customers this correct procedure ?
CS need some training too !
Seller_ae51e0CJoHqCX
I think sometimes CS forget that half the sales on Amazon are by third party sellers. It maybe the case that they are authorised to do this with Amazons own stock and they think they are messaging a department within Amazon to process the refund.
CS will be very much led by the customer but they forget that once they agree to all of their terms, it has now given the customer a new expectation.
It is disgraceful but in instances like these I think I would be inclined to raise a case with Amazon and ask them why the returns policy has not been relayed to the customer in this instance by CS. Don’t get your hopes up on receiving a constructive and helpful reply though.
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
We had a return recently alleged to be defective is the reason for return. Prepaid return label issued at our costs and upon return there was nothing wrong with the product. Had another gave us incorrect delivery address and then requested a replacement when order not received. Order will not reach them if they do not provide accurate delivery but they hold us as sellers responsible.
Seller_FGrlSKDjwty1z
Ignore it is as other posters have said - Its just CS relaying what the buyer wants. The buyers are starting to realise if they say damaged/defective or inadequate performace they can send an item back even though used. We are getting a few where the customers are quite open about it. They use our products (which are liquids) decide its not what they want and want to send it back either at our expense (free return label) or just return it and get a full refund even the item is now valueless.
I would either reply stating the retuns policy i.e the customer pays. Or if and when you get a return request you state that they can return the item but it must be in 30 days and (in our case) have an unbroken seal - let them work it out.
In our case I cannot think of anywhere where the item which is returned is valueless and the customer gets a full refund. Crazy world of Amazon but if you have the numbers of sales you can absorb this. The irony is its against there own policies - we should be excepting a return where the customers just changed their mind. Bit like a customer buying jeans chopping the legs off them to make shorts and 6 months later sending them back as thye do not like them anymore and getting a full refund. Could not make it up…
Seller_ftMMn0UeA4IQP
I had a customer service message telling me that the customer wanted a refund but not to refund to the card used for the purchase but to send it instead to a different credit card and to contact the customer to get all the relevant details.
They just repeat what they’re told, do what you know is right
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
Asking the seller to refund the order without return actually goes against their own policy not to refund until you have received the order back. If the return process is automated then you will have no option but to for the order to be returned.
