Customers returning empty product boxes and getting refunded
We are starting to see a rise in receiving empty product boxes from customers when they say they want to return the item, as Amazon kindly provides them with a free shipping label on our behalf. Then as soon as it is registered in the courier network Amazon refund and a few days later we have an empty box.
Is anyone else having this experience and what can we do about it?
Some items are near £100.
7 replies
Seller_SITNVuZK87zGK
So RefundAtFirstScan has been policy for some time now, which is what you are seeing. If you receive an incomplete product back, you need to open a Safe-T claim with amazon, which will require photographic evidence.
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
You may have the option to file a safe-t claim. I would also suggest is contacting the Police and asking them to investigate. Returning empty boxes or replacing the new item with an old one is well known scam.
Seller_B4VbHpnDLDLAU
we had one about a month ago, an expensive £180 item
A-Z opened, luckily Amazon funded it, which to me indicates they can see the customer has a pattern of doing so.
also the weight on the Evri package was way out compared.
Also we uploaded the image of the return box, and CCTV images of it being opened so they could not deny it
Seller_xUKHc5xSYJmI4
We just filed our first Safe-T claim. We didn’t see any option to upload any images or video which I thought would be useful for the Safe-T team.
Looking at the reason below should eradicate some of the issues sellers face with returns and where wrong reason is selected to obtain a free prepaid return label. For example selecting defective the reason for return when the order is no longer required.
Please indicate the reason from your reimbursement claim
- Item was refunded but not returned to me.
- Refund was issued outside the return window.
- I was over-charged for the label
- Returned item(s) not received in original condition
- Buyer used inaccurate return reason code.
- Wrong item was returned to me
- I sent a replacement to the buyer
- Other
The most common we have found from the above list is 1, 4, 5 before this policy was introduced.
I wish they would do the same with the feedback system. Writing a one star review saying they haven’t received their order instead of selecting problem with order. If this box was greyed out it would prevent the buyer selecting the wrong selection. It prevents the buyer bypassing the communication to the seller informing their is a problem with the delivery and in return the seller has the opportunity to resolve the matter without having ask the buyer to reconsider the feedback having been refunded instantly which damaged the seller metrics.
