Countries
Read only
Customer Refund
Hello - We have just processed a refund for a customer who claims that a package was stolen from their doorstep. The customer has then contacted us asking to send the refund direct to a different bank account outside of the platform. We are unable to do that as it won't show the correct way through the platform and also there are obviously fee's to be refunded for us. The guys obviously going to put a complaint in and I don't know what to suggest to him to put it right? We have contact Amazon customer services who haven't been particularly helpful and said that our refund was successful so in theory we have done our bit. One thing I would say is we haven't had an email saying the refund has initiated?
Any ideas anyone and moderators?
10 replies
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
If you wish to refund, you should always do this via Amazon. If the customer is genuine, they will understand.
If you don't, you are potentially joining in a potential money-laundering scheme. Or just plain fraud.
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
You simply need to tell the customer that all refunds are done by Amazon, and have to be to the account that they have registered on the site, and it is not possible to refund to a different account.
Seller_mS10UjVYuuGor
When you activate the refund it will take a while before you get the email confirming the refund. The last refund I did it took about two days for the email to arrive. I hope the customer got notified quicker.
Never refund outside of Amazon. The custmer would still probably start an A to Z and get refunded by Amazon so you'd be out of pocket twice over.
Seller_d8YGbIjNqwFxn
Notification emails for refunds are currently taking between 2 and 5 days to come through once the refund has been initiated.
As long as the order page is showing the refund has been applied or pending you don't need to do anything else.
Don't send the refund outside of Amazon as if the customer raises an A-Z you will have no proof that you have sent the refund and Amazon will take the money from your account.
Also the stolen from doorstep may be true but it is also a well known scam. It is worth checking the tracking to see if a photo show where the item was left. Also worth raising with the courier.
Seller_ZOZTdubuqFBLp
Dont refund out side of the platform. No good will come of that. You are leaving yourself open to a second refund being taken by Amazon.
Seller_CszMeLyCnKpeE
This happened to me a month or so back, first time it had ever happened after selling on this platform for a decade on & off
When they open the A-Z claim and are refunded (almost certainly) keep appealing (maybe with the help of ChatGPT to write good appeals)
You can appeal more than once also by opening a case that mentioned the order number & A-Z claim
Maybe push the customer to get the police involved also, if something has been stolen from their property if see if a claim is possible with the carrier
Amazon did the right thing in the end by fully refunded the customer themselves and not forcing me to
Hopefully this 'stolen from the doorstep' nonsense is not a new trend
Seller_IQo80d99W2DzP
As others have said only refund via Amazon.
You could do a screenshot of the refund on the Amazon system, so that prooves you have refunded the Buyer.
You may also tell them to note Amazon are the ones holding onto their money, not you.
Amazon are now very slow at refunding the Buyerand getting far worse, it used to be just a couple of hours, it is now up to 1 week, and we have had bad feedback as Buyers think that is our fault, not that of Amazon. Clearly Amazon are getting hard up, as they want to annoy Buyers as well now with their holding onto money as long as possible tactics. That will stop customers buying, and they must know that, as well as Amazon Customer Services costs increasing from disgruntled Buyers.
AMAZON SPECIFY - Marketplace Returns, LINK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=1161010 - last paragraph shows: Sellers may issue full or partial refunds for an order as described on this page. Sellers can't charge a restocking fee during the initial returns period or if a product is returned because it's faulty. Refunds are typically processed by Amazon.co.uk Marketplace within 1 week of the Seller's request. The funds will be deposited back in your debit/credit card account and Amazon.co.uk will send you confirmation of the refund via e-mail.
Refunds
• When the seller collects an item, the seller has the right to recover the standard costs of collection from you.
• If you use a personalized prepaid return label, the seller is entitled to deduct the return postage from your refund.
==
Again, maybe show the above to the Buyer.
==
I also note First Scan refunds are now rare, so assume again, as Amazon want to hold onto any money for longer. Maybe that scheme can be scrapped, being actioned for some returns and not others is worse.
Similar Discussions
