How Do You All Deal With Fraudulent Returns?
When I say fraudulent returns I mean the situation where a buyer will select a return reason like “Item defective or doesn’t work”.
You then get the product back and in reality it is fine and as it should be. You then cannot claim the return label cost back as it is classed as the sellers issue.
Haven’t had so many since Amazon started auto-authorising, so I have just been swallowing the £3.30 charge when it does happen.
What hoops are we expected to jump through now if I want to dispute that and charge the customer for the label. Trying to get an idea of if the whole process of proving this on each order is worth the £3.30 odd that you will save.
Getting a bit annoying now as it’s like theres slowly becoming more of these returns with a wrong reason provided.
36 replies
Seller_bi8rGHHcLpoVs
We have had this happen on numerous occasions. It’s really not worth the hassle of trying to dispute it. We tried a few times but SS just come back with ‘sellers have to pay for returns’, we then pointed to their own policies but they still come back with the same thing.
Seller_B4VbHpnDLDLAU
We have tried this in past we then get pesterd by buyers, then we have had 2 A-z claims for the £3.30 although they were amazon funded and no defect.
We have had to add extra % onto selling prices to cater for this on Amazon. Just shame that amazon buyers are now missing out on better prices we could offer them because if it.
Seller_aovSrGTvHBnnz
How to deal with fraudulent returns?
Well, personally i’d say try FBA but only if it sits well with your business model/plan.
FBA isn’t immune from these typical ‘item is defective lies’ but at least you won’t have to fork out postage twice and even the hassle disputing it with SS is stressful.
Seller_Nz2MTqwBLe52k
CS clearly told me a few days ago - there is no way to report buyers who use the wrong reason and Amazon only take action against serial returners rather than the misuse of the reason.
its just another thing that you will not change, Amazon’s attitude is move with the platform or move off the platform - they are not short of buyers or sellers.
its a frustration, but I think its only going to get worse…
Seller_ZMOSQACsPKbpT
It’s called The New Normal on Amazon and eBay - people are using these options to get a free return label. Why bothered to pay for it when you The Big Business (which means YOU) can afford to pay for the return? If you all remember it started with the Free Delivery - lying the customer that the postal services are FREE. Now they all expect a free delivery. Few years ago I had a conversation with a friend and she told me that she buys only from sellers with a free delivery option. I explained that the delivery it’s not free and it’s included in the price, but she said that she will continue to buy from sellers who offered a free delivery. 
Forced to accept the free delivery, the platforms moved to the next steps and today we have the FREE RETURNS. I said this before - it’s just the beginning, they will make everything possible to attract customers using deceptive tactics which means that the sellers will be under pressure to provide more expensive services, offered for FREE to the buyers, while someone makes even more money from that. So remember:
Free Delivery
Free Items when opt-in for Returnless refunds
Free Returns
There’s nothing free here - I don’t get a free monthly subscription for my shops, I don’t get a free shipping labels from the couriers, I don’t get a free items from my suppliers. Who pays for all that? Surely not Amazon and eBay, they just profiteering from it… Sick of it, especially with Amazon, so these are probably our last days here.
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
It’s been noted some buyers are selecting the wrong reasons for return to get a free prepaid label, however you apply the deductions in the refund by showing photographs how you received the product. I know other platforms allow the buyer and seller to upload short videos also which proves useful. It’s been also noted that there are some who have no intention of keeping the product when placing the order but wait 30 to 55 days before returning the order, clearly this is abuse of the process.
Seller_L10ZxYkVk6rl6
Its simple really…Amazon has very little interest in trying to help as it just wastes time for them. Sellers are unimportant and your losses/ customers acting without honesty is just something you need to absorb. Part of the joy of using Amazon is that its thoroughly unfair on sellers if there is an issue.
Seller_7xa4giJ3wJ3FU
Hi, we simply deduct the % cost from their refund to cover the £3.30 label cost and add an image of the item and also a label image advising ‘Wrong return reason chosen’.
Soon when the buyers have learnt a bit more, all returns will be because they are ‘faulty’.
They will most likely then claim the balance off Amazon, we don’t care, as long as they refund them, not us.
A % of Amazon customers have become dishonest, because Amazon have allowed them to be that way.
Amazon forgot we are their customers too, a long time ago.
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
I am by no means supporting buyers using the wrong returns reasons however, if I were a customer who purchased something like a greeting card or other small, light and cheap item, I’d be pretty peeved at ‘the seller’ charging me £3.30 to return the item - especially when I know I could stick a 60p stamp on it
Unfortunately the buyers don’t realise its not ‘the seller’ making them do it and probably don’t realise the sellers are just as annoyed at the process. There is only one real winner
Another thing to add, especially good to hear from any of you that use hermes regularly to ship orders - why are there such a large percentage of returns lost compared to outgoing orders ?!
Seller_fkhQ8ucc0l4Pb
I sell tapestry kits and the like - recently had a customer return an FBA fully stitched and used kit. Apparently they’d claimed it was defective - I appealed it with seller central with photos but no joy.
I really don’t have the time to complete tapestry kits before sending them out to amazon - its ridiculous!
