Amazon is becoming unappealing place to sell
I would imagine our experience is similar to many other sellers in that return rates on Amazon are extremely high, which also seems difficult to reconcile with Amazon’s environmental and sustainability messaging.
One issue we are struggling to understand is the inconsistency in the returns process. When customers open a return request, the majority are provided with a prepaid return label, while others are only provided with a return address label — even when the products are identical. We would appreciate clarification as to why this happens.
More concerningly, a customer recently opened an A-to-z claim after being provided with only an address label by Amazon. Within a few hours, we supplied the customer with a prepaid return label ourselves in order to resolve the matter promptly. Despite this, Amazon issued the customer with a full refund without requiring the item to be returned.
We are trying to understand whether there is something incorrect within our return settings or processes, or whether this is now simply standard Amazon policy and procedure in 2026.
Amazon is becoming unappealing place to sell
I would imagine our experience is similar to many other sellers in that return rates on Amazon are extremely high, which also seems difficult to reconcile with Amazon’s environmental and sustainability messaging.
One issue we are struggling to understand is the inconsistency in the returns process. When customers open a return request, the majority are provided with a prepaid return label, while others are only provided with a return address label — even when the products are identical. We would appreciate clarification as to why this happens.
More concerningly, a customer recently opened an A-to-z claim after being provided with only an address label by Amazon. Within a few hours, we supplied the customer with a prepaid return label ourselves in order to resolve the matter promptly. Despite this, Amazon issued the customer with a full refund without requiring the item to be returned.
We are trying to understand whether there is something incorrect within our return settings or processes, or whether this is now simply standard Amazon policy and procedure in 2026.
19 replies
Seller_fLJ3Hdgrt17Ze
The biggest problem now is not only returns , A-Z claim , environmental and sustainability — it’s cash flow. Funds are constantly delayed or put on hold, and sellers no longer know when their money will actually arrive. How are businesses supposed to pay staff, taxes, suppliers, rent, and purchase stock when Amazon controls the cash with no clear timeline?
Amazon no longer feels like a serious professional platform to build a business on. It feels more like a marketplace for clearing unwanted items — if the money comes, good; if not, that’s apparently acceptable too. That is not how real businesses operate.
We have been selling on Amazon for around 15 years. The platform we joined years ago is completely different from what it has become today. Many businesses built their operations around Amazon, trusted the system, invested heavily, hired staff, and grew with the platform. Now it feels like Amazon has turned its back on the very sellers who helped build the marketplace.
At this stage, many sellers are simply trying to recover from the mistake of believing Amazon was a stable and professional long-term business platform.
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
Easy returns are a core part of the Amazon business and to be fair it is something customers like.
The return process is heavily abused though by buyers and often an incorrect return reason is used in order to get a free return. Whilst this can sometimes be resolved through a SAFE-T claim this is not always the case.
As a seller it is frustrating as each return costs money and eats into profit.
As for the inconsistency in the return process I can't understand that either, I get the occasional one that requires me to provide a return label. This to me feels like a glitch with Amazon.
Seller_2MDS66zdjPMUU
I agree with all the above. In addition we have started to see customers who have received a pre paid return lable from Amazon fail to use it and still contact Seller Support directly complaining that the refund has not arrived. Seller Support do not check whether the customer has returned the item by checking the tracking.
Customers and sellers too appear to have no say in the carrier so for example some customers are less invested in using the lable if they cannot get home collection or the local drop off point is inconveninent.
A recent customer managed to obtain a returnless refund because they apparently said they had no printer or smart phone to obtain the lable. Needless to say Customer service just refunded her and still charged us for the lable !!!!
Seller_jucuK4xvuHzTF
I personally think the reason some buyers receive an address label rather than a prepaid returns label is not actually a glitch. It is more likely linked to the buyer’s return rate being considered too high, so Amazon may be putting an extra barrier in place by requiring them to request a return label manually.
Ken_Amazon
Hi @Seller_jucuK4xvuHzTF,
hank you for sharing your experience and for being part of the Amazon selling community since 2008 — that's an impressive tenure, and your perspective is genuinely valued here.
The inconsistency you're noticing with return labels is actually by design within Amazon's system. The system automatically authorises returns that fall within Amazon's return policy and instantly provides customers with a prepaid mailing label on the seller's behalf.
However, eligibility for a prepaid label depends on several factors including the specific product category, the return reason selected by the buyer, and the seller's enrolment status in the prepaid label programme. This means identical products can sometimes generate different label types depending on the circumstances of each individual return request.
An A-to-z claim can be automatically granted in certain circumstances — including when a seller hasn't responded to a return request within 48 hours, or when a domestic return address or prepaid label isn't provided within 48 hours of receiving the return request. The timing of when you provided the prepaid label relative to when the claim was filed is critical here.
If you believe this claim was resolved incorrectly, I'd recommend:
- Appeal the decision directly through Seller Central if you haven't already
- Review whether you're using Amazon's Buy Shipping services, which can offer additional protections
- Check your Return Settings to ensure everything is configured correctly: https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/returns/settings
If the A-to-z appeal doesn't resolve in your favour and you believe the decision was incorrect, please share your Order ID and we can look into this further for you.
Best Regards,
Ken
Seller_HlYoY898lHM30
I sell 90% less on Amazon than I did 10 years ago, it's a dreadful place to do business. Luckily they don't quite have a monopoly.
Seller_TK2SgAhe3iGJV
What is often not said is how hard it is - you will see the successful people boast all of the time - but look in any category and you will see pages and pages of results. Now only the top few results sell - that' sdozens and dozens of sellers who barely sell at all.
The returns and claims are ferocious compared to EBay - I am sure many of them are false.
Overall the software does seem incredibly clunky compared to Ebay - it recently took me several hours with customer service just to verify my identity - multiple chats, phone calls, emails you name it. The customer service people also seem very poorly trained and will fob you off with copypasta quite frequently.
Aside from that - lots of weekend emails! Who wants tax reminders and 'Account Critical Warnings' on a Friday night... very aggravating. They have a setting for everything but nothing for switching that off! So yes it is very annoying - I wish they would copy some of the EBay interfaces which are so much nicer to use.
Seller_wL7IMeLD2TOSO
Don’t forget the DD+7 timing and the coordinated messaging from Amazon Lending.
Seller_fjjQ0NIuUcucf
Hi.
I get your frustrations, but i do feel Amazon have evolved
We started (in another company I owned) about 16/17 years ago on Amazon, at the time anything sold, we bought barcodes from ebay sellers, it was easy...
Then covid hit, wow, what a boom time
For now: Amazon have moved to more of a branded platform, which has forced us to evolve.
Since we have or own brand, we have to do do vine, we have to pay for videos and pay for A+content, but these are deal breakers
My question to whoever is doing our listing, would you have confidence in the listing over a competitor to buy the product from us. We learnt from the Chineese thir listings are really good
I think sometimes we can get stale in business, there are so many modern tools to make life easier, from AI for infographics, to the likes of A2X for accounting. 16 years ago we had graphic artists working for us, we had full time book keeper, most of those expenses have gone, so it has evolved but it has its challenges
I personally would reccomend people to use FBA, I have learnt over the years, it really takes the stress away. Customers have more faith in delivery, so sales are higher, businesses buy as they get an autoated Vat recipt
Margins may be lower, but you can go away without worrying........ Its a different life
Good luck
Nathan
