I am not aware of being able to turn off the "refund at first scan" option, if someone knows different I would like to know!

For opened games we generally do 50%, as I mentioned previously it seems to be the minimum that will allow an A-Z claim to be found in your favour. Most of our games are physical disk, however, so do have some resale value, whereas code in box units we tend to just write off (or give to a friend to try out).

be prepared for stroppy emails from customers! People generally aren't aware, or at least claim to be unaware, of the law regarding opening software, blu-rays, etc. or indeed any requirement to maintain goods in new condition whilst assessing them for suitability before returning. We do get negative feedback because of this, comes with the territory I'm afraid. Everyone expects all their money back irrespective - basically because if they bought it from Amazon directly Amazon would refund them in full because their staff don't care about making money or not :)

That’s brilliant really appreciate your help and thank you for going into such detail, it’s a massive help

I’ve had a look on my return settings today and set my Return Merchandise authorisation to seller authorised but was also trying to turn off return at first scan but I can’t seem find it. Any ideas how to do this? I’ve read previously that you can opt out of first scan. How true this is I’m not sure.

Very good advice regarding the partial refund, I was reading up regarding a restock fee which sounds like a similar kind of thing. I was thinking minimum 50% to cover original cost of goods and postage as like you said it won’t be usable again once opened. What sort of percentage have you usually been giving as partial refunds?

My main concern was same as what you said with it being a video game with download code only is that people would open the game, use the download code and then send back for a full refund. It suddenly occurred to me last night that this kind of product could be open to returns abuse potentially so was looking to come up with a plan to counteract this. Probably overthinking it due to some of the horror stories you read on the forums regarding returns and A-Zs

Thanks

Liam

@Seller_FJwyF3iu5qxUY It happens all the time, most Buyers know if they lie on Amazon, they get away with it! - they all want free return postage, and because Amazon let them get away with it, they do it over and over again.

If you do not give them a free return postage label after Amazon CS tell you, they give you bad feedback. Amazon CS should (but do not) tell them of Amazon Policy that the Buyer pays the return postage for unwanted items (Seller pays to ship to them, usually).

Examples now for you as asked:

204-6532950-2000305 = We provided a pre-paid return postage label, so a loss to us, as Buyer lied and said the phones had a battery issue. But this was Buyer fraud, we sold a Quad (4 handset) Cordless phone, we log the serial number (on Invoice, Seller Notes, and in email to Buyer about returning the item before it was sent back). The item returned says on the Base of the item it was a 'Trio' (3 handsets) and serial number did not match. Buyer still won the A-Z Claim, counts against us, and clearly A-Z Claims not read any of the information on the A-Z Claim given to them, including screenshots, photos, etc. = =

026-9953650-2480314 = Buyer returned item, Buyer said faulty, so, obtained a free return postage label, received back, but Buyer damage, plastic parts snapped off, damaged by the Buyer. We could tell an issue as Buyer impatient to get us to process a refund: 7 January 10.02am = Returned Item Delivered to Seller by Royal Mail (proof – see tracking). 7 January 2.17pm = Buyer chasing Seller about the return. (Amazon allow 24 to 48 hours to reply to messages). 7 January 7.36pm = After closing time, but Buyer impatient, chasing Seller again, saying ‘…it takes seconds to issue the refund …’ (which it does not of course, Sellers do not process refunds anyway, Amazon does after an update from Seller). 7 January 7.57pm = A-Z Claim Raised against Seller - NOTE: From time parcel delivered by Royal Mail, until the time of the A-Z Claim was less than 10 hours (7 working hours) – Amazon allow Sellers 2 full working days, 48 hours to action a return, as they know the Sellers have many returns to check and action, Sellers are not just waiting for 1 Buyers return to be received back and doing nothing else. AMAZON 'SHOULD' STOP ALL A-Z CLAIMS FOR AT LEAST 2 FULL WORKING DAYS AFTER THE ITEM HAS BEEN TRACKED BACK, instead, they just emailed to say refund/part refund, and must be done within 72 hours of them messaging, the claim should have been closed (to not count against a Seller). Then let the Seller process the return within the 2 working days allotted. If Buyer then wants to do an A-Z Claim, they may do so, but by then the refund or part refund will have been completed.

202-7148902-3202719 = Buyer was not given a free return postage, but as the item was not in the same merchantable condition as supplied (Buyer totally ruined the makers packaging, and marked the item), a 50% refund applied, after the return postage as well, Buyer had a £3.01 GBP refund (as a low cost item). A-Z Claims again ignored what had been said, also photos for the partial refund can be seen by them (what is the point of uploading photos otherwise, as that wastes a lot of time, far more than the item was worth), so why then ask us for more information, that was already supplied. The Buyer wants a full refund, including return postage!

If Amazon wants to give away free postage, then maybe they should give free labels out to Buyers and not charge Sellers (make sure with insurance though!), that way it is always Amazon's loss. Free returns though encourage Buyers to buy several items and return ones they do not want, for up to 3 months at this time of year. Often by then, used and have to be put in the bin, so more losses to the Seller. (again Amazon should make it clear that it is only items that are as new, unwanted items to be returned from 1 November until 31 January, not used and broken items.

Did you use Buy Shipping? + Are you on contract with Evri (via Amazon set-up?)

- If not, you probably have no chance until the 30 days have passed by and everything is on time in the interim.

First, you need to get Evri in writing to admit that the issues are their fault, and not yours in any way. Then send that as a reason, but even so, all the Buyers did not get their orders and you chose Evri, no one else, so Amazon will still see that as your fault.

I would have at least ensured a first scan of all parcels on the correct shipping date, without that Amazon will say your fault, as you need something in place to ensure that does not happen again.

How often don't Evri collect from you, if more than once and you are on a daily collection, you need to contact them to find out why, and address that. Amazon will need to see that has been resolved (in writing from Evri).

With Premium Shipping, you are only allowed 1 order per 50 to be late. Then that service is taken away. I think unfair, if you sent on time, but as you did not send on time, even if not your fault, then all those Buyers will not have had their deliveries and Amazon says that will reflect badly on all Amazon Sellers.

Perhaps, use a better courier for Premium Shipping, Evri are cheap for a reason, everyone knows how bad they are. Even for standard shipping, they only just about pass. I was told by our Delivery Driver (as we do not use them unless we can help it for outgoing deliveries), that they are not offering a 1-day delivery at the moment, that is now a 2-day delivery and even those are generally late. They had a van full of parcels to deliver just before Xmas, and they said they were so busy working 7 days a week, and long days and still not coping, Evri just kept giving them more parcels (they said to me virtually all by the time they were given to them were late if on the 2-day service).

ALL the deliveries to me in December (I had a lot of personal orders), were late when Evri delivered, and by several days. Amazon, Royal Mail, DHL, and DPD were all on time, or within 1 day of the estimated date in comparison.

Standard Shipping - they are 'padding' out all deliveries where Amazon can see late deliveries, even if the courier is at fault.

That means that due to Evri not collecting from you, that will have gone into their system, and other Sellers will also have been penalised, as Amazon consider your collection area has poor ratings.

Why not check tracking on say 10 random orders, if over 90% are not on the estimated date, that is why Amazon have 'padded' out the dates, to be more like the real delivery dates. Adding on padding of 1 to 3 days is common, 4 or 5 days and it really must have had serious delays (even if not all yours, but by other Sellers in the same collection or delivery areas).

I would suggest a new courier for Premium Shipping, and explain to Amazon that is how you are resolving. Maybe use Buy Shipping with DPD as they seem to be the best at the moment. Royal Mail Tracked 24 Signed seems to be reasonable as well.

If you also offer 2-day and not 1-day, but send all on 1-day, you then have a buffer of 1 day for the courier to take their time and you do not lose the Premium shipping (that would still not apply if they do not collect on time).

Royal Mail have not coped well either this year, but not as bad as Evri. At least, they tend to collect on time.

So, Evri letter saying entirely their fault, and a resolve of using Buy Shiping with a new courier on DPD or RM Tracked 24 to over come the issue?

Good luck, but I think they will do not re-instate for 30 days as per the Amazon policy.