A-Z Claims and Buy Shipping
Does anyone have any links to assist - If not yet another warning of using Buy Shipping and the Amz system not working and protecting Sellers, especially now, as we all have no choice other than to use Buy Shipping for all Letter post.
Buyer bought items on 3 April. Amz showed us to ship by 4 April for an estimated 5 to 6 April delivery. This was a standard delivery, not Premium, not Prime. Amz are unrealistic to estimate a 1 to 2 day delivery for basic post (we thought it was estimating a 2 to 3 day delivery previously for other Buyers, and sometimes even up to 5 days. We raised with SS, who are useless, as usual and think a glitch). What would be the point in paying for Premium 2-day shipping, if Amz are estimating a 1 to 2 day delivery by basic post.
Large Letter size item, so we used BUY SHIPPING. It made us use RM CRL24 Service, even though that had not been budgeted in the price (RM 48 is the usual service we use).
Buyer A-Z Claim says he needed them for 4 April. The date we were told to ship by, not deliver by.
Another Seller has altered the listing, different photos, etc, so on 3 April, we had to quickly buy the altered listed items, then we posted the parcel out with our RM collection, late in the afternoon, on 4 April. So shipped on time, but of course RM do not scan individual packets in the collection, just the whole collection received. Amz must be aware of this, yet, see their rejection of our Appeal below, saying we sent late, well as basic large letter post, no scan done.
We thought how stupid it was that a 1 day delivery was estimated, so unusually, we messaged the Buyer, on 4 April, just to say item posted and on the way, and Amz were being hopeful with their estimated dates, especially as then Easter, so RM virtually closed for 4 days.
Buyer replied said he needed items right away, and tried to cancel the order. As already posted, we said to just raise a Return request when received and to return for refund.
RM did not scan the delivery, but Buyer said he would return items, we emailed him over a pre-paid RM label, so clearly delivered, just as often is the case RM Postie’s do not scan Large Letter deliveries.
Buyer said he tried to do raise a return, but A-Z Claim raised instead, which he immediately won, we assume as no delivery scan.
We Appealed, showing items likely received on 6 April, but Buyer wanted items on 4 April as per A-Z Claim. We said how can the Buyer return items, that were not received, so clearly received, just Postie not scanned them. A Return should have been authorised, a pre-paid label issued by them and as unwanted, cost deducted from refund.
As Buy Shipping was used, supposed to be protected to a degree, but it looks like the same risk as before without Buy Shipping. So what is the point of all the VTR changes?
Even their reply saying we had 2 days to ship, etc, etc, is wrong. We shipped the day after the order was received, which was the date Amz said to ship by, madness that post is supposed to be with a Buyer as quickly, but likely there on 6 April, just no proof, as no scan at all.
If the only thing acceptable is fully tracked and signed for, even for items of less than £10, then Amz should make that mandatory, and everyone will buy from ebay instead. I assume they want us all to use FBA as usual. This new scheme of only using Buy Shipping I thought though was supposed to be a middle ground, so Amz knew sent ok, and at least A-Z would not count against Sellers, even if funded by a Seller.
==
A-Z CLAIM REJECTED APPEAL TO US:
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with more information regarding your claim on order 205-8852793-1529957. Upon further review, we have decided to uphold our original decision.
Why was my appeal denied?
We have reviewed all available information and have determined that the merchandise was not shipped in a timely manner. You must ship media products (books, music, DVD, and video) within 2 business days of the close of a sale. Non-media products must be shipped by the shipping availability date you specify in the product feed. In this case, the order should have been received by the buyer no later than 06 April 2023. If you realize an item is not available for immediate delivery, alert the buyer straight away and initiate a refund if necessary. Visit The order process in Seller Central to learn more.
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/200200040
For more information about the A-to-z Guarantee policy, refer to our help pages.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201889250
Thank you.
-Amazon
==
@Jessica
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
Escalate to the md with the policy re no defects
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/G200202220
A-to-z Guarantee claims : If you purchase Amazon’s Buy Shipping and ship on time, you are protected against a-to-z claims where a customer reports problems with delivery. Those claims will not affect your Order Defect Rate but you are still responsible for the financial loss of these claims.
Switch off SSA settings
0 replies
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
Escalate to the md with the policy re no defects
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/G200202220
A-to-z Guarantee claims : If you purchase Amazon’s Buy Shipping and ship on time, you are protected against a-to-z claims where a customer reports problems with delivery. Those claims will not affect your Order Defect Rate but you are still responsible for the financial loss of these claims.
Switch off SSA settings
Seller_yGFP9vQJKe1zg
I have a similar issue. Is it recommended to email the MD for this issue? I don’t want to waste an email for 4 orders which have this issue if its deemed trivial. But at the same time, its unfair that Amazons own policies aren’t implemented on the very rare occasion that they help us sellers out.
Seller_77IcbQKVGdZo0
I have had an A-Z today for an item where the label was brought through buy shipping. Like you it has impacted my ODR.
They are saying there is no evidence I shipped it on time. Which is true because it was an untracked Letter label. I think they still expect there to be tracking for them to confirm it was shipped on time.
However the customer also gave negative feedback for the order which has been struck through as it wasn’t my fault!
Seller_XrX9BPqGnGQ2M
Totally understand.
In fact, I have just disbursed my final amount from this account, set the account to “on holiday” and downgraded from professional to pleb.
I’m just sick and tired of being bullied by Amazon into how I run my business. My VTR is 8% and dropping so I thought I’d get out before being told that I can’t run my own business.
I cannot say I’m disappointed to be honest. Glad to see the back of Amazon scammers and AtoZ claims being granted because the buyer is a buffoon.
Thanks for the memories
Scotty
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
Playing devils advocate here - but did you use Buy Shipping after your set cut-off time on the 4th?
For example, your cut off is set to 2pm, the order was placed before 2pm on the 3rd, but you did not buy the labels until after 2pm on the 4th, then Amazon will say you sent late as you took over 2 days. I think when you use Buy Shipping the date/time you bought the label is the proof to Amazon when you sent the item. So if you buy after cut-off Amazon assume you missed that’s days collection. It would also explain why when you went to buy you were only given the 24 service and not the 48 service as Amazon was trying to make sure you you still hit the delivery date target.
From Help:
Order cut-off times are used to determine the Estimated Ship Date for products. Orders received before your set order cut-off time will have a ship date of the current day, while orders after the order cut-off time are expected to ship the next business day.
For non-Prime Standard and Premium shipping, the order cut-off time defined under General Fulfilment Settings is used. You are required to have a minimum weekday order cut-off time of 2:00 p.m. local time
As for scanning individual items on sending - I thought the act of scanning the manifest was the point at which the whole collection was entered into the RM system (with the exception of Tracked items which do not enter the system until individually first scanned)
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
OK so your standard cut off is 2pm. What is your handling time set to? If this is 0 this explains all the problems you have stated.
Standard delivery takes account of handling time. With Premium delivery you are always expected to post same day (so in effect a handling time of 0). So if your handling time is 0, then you are saying your standard delivery is the same as your Premium delivery. This would explain why your delivery estimates are shorter than other sellers when you stated:
Handling time effects your standard delivery dates only. So if you have handling time set to 0, Amazon will give same delivery estimates for Standard and Two Day delivery, and 1 day less for One Day delivery.
Set handling time to be 1, this will then give you a longer delivery window for your standard delivery than you get for Premium Two Day delivery option.
Total delivery time = handling time + transit time = 0 + 2-3 days
so (using your settings) an order placed before 2pm on 3rd will give a delivery date of 5-6th
It also explains why when you tried buying label on the 4th you were only given CRL24 option. This service is 1-2 days so to fulfil the delivery promise of 5-6th it has to be posted using CRL24 and not CRL48 which has a delivery window of 2-3 days.
As for the buyer wanting item by 4th - well the only way the customer would have seen a delivery date of 4th is if they ordered before 2pm on 3rd and paid for Premium One Day delivery. If anything else then they would not have been given the 4th as a delivery date.
Whether or not a delivery scan was made by RM is a different matter and irrelevant. If not done then (according to Amazon) you did not fulfil your delivery promise of delivering item by the 6th (and TBH even if the scan was done but customer still claimed non-delivery it would be the same result) - the A-Z would stand and any appeal rejected.
However, as you used Buy Shipping, the A-Z should not be counted in your metrics. An A-Z can still be raised and you will lose if not scanned (or even if scanned but buyer still claims non-delivery) and you still have to refund buyer, but the defect itself should not be counted.
What is your ODR (Order Defect Rate)? If this order is counted in your ODR then go back to SS. Do not try to appeal the A-Z itself (this just confuses SS) as that is not the issue. Instead state as you used Buy Shipping for the Order, the A-Z for non-delivery should not be counted in your metrics and direct them to the relevant Amazon Policy. Only raise case against the ODR not the A-Z.
