Are you using the Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) program, Customer Service By Amazon (CSBA) program, or Amazon Prepaid Return Labels (APRL) for seller-fulfilled orders? Has

Amazon issued a refund to a Buyer on your behalf but there was an issue with the returned item? Was that refund issued within the last 60 days? Then you might be eligible to file a SAFE-T reimbursement claim!

As we have seen questions about SAFE-T claims in the Forums, we want to shed some light on: when you can file a SAFE-T claim, which scenarios are not eligible for SAFE-T and what to do if a SAFE-T claim is denied.

Examples of scenarios that are eligible for SAFE-T:

1. Issue with a returned product: A Buyer returns a damaged, incomplete or different product.

Note: When filing a claim, please upload photos of the returned item and the returned package with the return label clearly visible on the package.

2. Buyer received a replacement: The Buyer agreed to a replacement before Amazon issued the refund and you provided the replacement. Note: For such cases, the Buyer’s agreement to the replacement needs to be visible in Buyer-Seller-Messages and you must provide the tracking ID of the replacement shipment when filing a claim. Please note that we only consider claims for replacements that have been successfully delivered to the Buyer’s address.

3. Out of return window: The return was made outside of the return window. Note: There is an extended holiday return window for orders placed between November 1st to December 31st.

4. Buyer responsible for shipping costs: If the return shipping cost was refunded even though the Buyer was responsible for return shipping as per theReturn Reason codes for Prepaid Returns tables, you can file a SAFE-T claim to recover those costs. Note: There are several scenarios in which you must pay the cost of return shipping regardless of the return reason and are therefore not eligible for reimbursement of return shipping cost. This includes:

• Fashion items (see Free returns for fashion items).

• Items below 22.6 kg which are listed in the Seller Fulfilled Prime program (see Returns policy for Seller Fulfilled Prime).

• International returns (see Customer returns for international sales).

Examples of scenarios that are not eligible for SAFE-T:

1. Refund issued by the seller: Only refunds issued by Amazon are eligible for SAFE-T. If there is no Amazon-issued refund and the buyer returned an item in different condition, you may deduct (up to 100%) from the refund (please seepartial refund).

2. Orders falling under a different Amazon policy: You cannot file a SAFE-T claim for FBA orders or orders with AtoZ Guarantee claims or Chargeback claims.

3. Loss/damage in transit: Loss or damage caused by shipping carriers is not eligible for reimbursement from Amazon. Those claims must be filed directly with the carrier.

4. Return refused: If you have refused a return shipment, you are not eligible for SAFE-T.

What to do if a claim was denied:

Step 1: Understand why the claim was denied by going to the Manage SAFE-T Claims page and clicking View message on the respective claim. The message(s) from the investigator will highlight the denial reason and the corresponding policy.

Step 2: If your claim was denied even though it meets the eligibility requirements as per policy, you can appeal the decision within 7 calendar days by providing additional supporting evidence. To submit this evidence, simply reply on the claim and upload the relevant documents. Please note that you can only appeal a claim decision once and that we may stop responding to repeated appeal attempts.

Please make sure to review the respective SAFE-T policies for additional information:

• SAFE-T reimbursements for APRL returns

• SAFE-T reimbursements for CSBA orders

• SAFE-T reimbursements for SFP orders

Any other open questions? If there are any other areas of SAFE-T claims that are still unclear to you, feel free to ask questions below.

Let us know if you find contributions like this helpful by giving a thumbs up 👍 or down 👎, or leaving a comment. 😊

What’s a SAFE-T claim?

A buyer opens a return request and receives a pre-paid label. The item gets dispatched back to you and Amazon issues a refund. Or a buyer contacts customer support and receives a returnless refund from a seller using Customer Service by Amazon. It's a smooth, frictionless process... until it isn't.

Sometimes that new item you dispatched comes back dirty or damaged—or maybe never gets sent back at all. Perhaps that returnless refund shouldn't have been issued.

That’s where SAFE-T claims come in.

'SAFE-T' stands for "Seller Assurance For E-commerce Transactions". SAFE-T claims allow sellers to appeal orders that were fully refunded by Amazon for returns using orders that were fully refunded by Amazon, most often for returns using pre-paid return labels.

In other words: If you believe you should not be held financially responsible for a refund decision, you can lodge a SAFE-T claim for reimbursement and applicable restocking fees.

In this article, I’ll explain:

• What orders are eligible for SAFE-T claims
• Steps to lodge a SAFE-T claim
• Best practices for SAFE-T claim success
• How to appeal a SAFE-T claim

SAFE-T claims: What orders are eligible for reimbursement?

You may be eligible for reimbursement if:

• Amazon determines that the customer abused Amazon's return or refund policy.
• An item is returned to you in unsellable condition and Amazon determines you were not at fault. You can find examples of return reasons and faulted parties here.
• A materially different item is returned to you and Amazon determines you were not at fault.
• The customer did not return the product, evident by lack of "Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)" or a carrier’s "first scan" in a return tracking.
• Amazon issued a refund to the customer for return delivery label, even though the customer was responsible for paying for return delivery
• The customer said they never received the item, but I have proof through Buy Shipping Services or delivery signature confirmation
• Amazon initiated a return on behalf of a customer for an item that was outside the return window when the customer requested to return.

When aren't orders eligible for SAFE-T claims?

• You refunded the order, either fully or partially, to the buyer.
• The order was refunded through a granted A-to-Z Claim.
• The item was lost or damaged during the return shipment.
• The order was fulfilled by Amazon.
• You refused a return shipment for any reason.

Steps to lodge a SAFE-T reimbursement claim:

Once you know your order qualifies, here are the steps to lodge your claim:

1. From the Orders tab in Seller Central, go to Manage SAFE-T Claims.
2. Click File a new SAFE-T claim, in the top right-hand corner of the page
3. Enter the order ID for the return and then click Check eligibility.
4. If your order is eligible, proceed to the next step. If not, there’s no appeal option to request the claim be filed and reviewed for the order ID.
5. Select the reason that best describes your case for your reimbursement claim.
6. Attach all necessary support documentation, if applicable, then click Submit Safe-T Claim. You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your claim.

Best practices for SAFE-T claim success:

While we can’t guarantee the success of your SAFE-T claim, we do have best practices to help set you up for success.

• Provide details. In your claim, provide all the details as to why you believe Amazon should reimburse you. For example, state if you've been overcharged for the return label, or if the product was returned in an unacceptable condition. Be clear about what reimbursement you're requesting — product cost, return or outbound shipping cost, etc. Providing all the details in the initial claim description will help reduce churn between you and the SAFE-T investigators.
• Include photos — lots of them. We recommend a photo of the return packaging and label, photos of the item at different angles showing any damage or wear, the packing slip, or anything else that supports your claim.
• Attach all supporting documentation. This may include a supportive image of a damaged item (comparison between damaged return vs. undamaged product), shipping label, image of the Return Mailing Label, Tracking ID, delivery proof, or invoice (or other documentation showing the item and serial number). Anything you think may be necessary when reviewing your claim — go ahead and attach it. Red boxing or highlighting areas in support documentation can help investigators determine faster and provide a resolution to you quicker.
• Communicate directly with the SAFE-T team. Once you submit your SAFE-T claim, you should send all other correspondence via the Manage SAFE-T Claims page. Don’t submit Seller Support cases, as they don’t manage SAFE-T claim decisions.

How to appeal a SAFE-T claim:

If you don't agree with the SAFE-T's decision — and you have additional information and evidence to support your argument — you can appeal the SAFE-T claim. You must lodge your appeal within seven days of the claim decision.

To lodge your SAFE-T claim appeal, select the View Message button located on the Manage SAFE-T claims page for the corresponding order ID. Simply post your appeal information at the bottom of the page, replying to the claim decision.

You can appeal a SAFE-T claim only once, so study the denial reasons and provide additional information that will support your appeal.

Note: Be sure to check the reply by and appeal date. Manage SAFE-T claims page will indicate 'Reply by <Date> <Time>' against each claim. For resolved claims, the timeline to respond will be indicated as 'Appeal by <Date> <Time>' against each claim.

Want to learn more about SAFE-T claims?

Have a look at these helpful links:

Reimbursement policy for Prepaid Return Labels (PRL) in the seller-fulfilled network

Customer Service by Amazon refund reimbursement policy

Visit Seller University’s SAFE-T video to learn more.

How did we do? Let's hear from all of you:

For those of you who have experience filing SAFE-T claims:

• What tips or advice would you add on this topic?
• Do you have any of your own best practices on filing or appealing?