This page provides information on how to process customer returns, including seller expectations and exception handling mechanisms.
Seller Fulfilled Prime returns can be initiated by the customer through the Online Returns Center. Customers can also contact Amazon Customer Service for this purpose. In the returns process, the customer is asked for a return reason. The customer can also provide additional, optional comments to provide more information on the return reason.
Amazon provides the customer the expected timeline for a refund and the expected refund amount. At the end of the process, a Return Mailing Authorization (RMA) is created along with a pre-paid label for return. In Italy, the return carrier for the pre-paid label is TNT. The customer is asked to drop off the package at the nearest TNT point.
In case of a Seller Fulfilled Prime enrolled SKU that exceeds the maximum dimensions (140x80x80 cm) after the customer opens the parcel (e.g. vacuum packed mattress), you can file an exemption from pre-paid return labels.
Using the feature “Return attribute override” (Orders > Manage returns > Returns settings), the prepaid return label will not be automatically generated and you will need to send a specific return label based on the parcel's characteristics.
The Customer Return carrier for Seller Fulfilled Prime is TNT. TNT provides customers with automatic pre-paid return shipping labels when they request to return Seller Fulfilled Prime products that meet standard TNT dimensions. You can find the tracking information for these returns by navigating to Orders > Manage Returns. (Make sure that you choose "View all" on the left filter pane and choose appropriate filters at the top of the page. Available filters included Date Range, Order ID, RMA, ASIN and Sales Channel).
Some products may be classified as "Hazmat" (Hazardous Material) by Amazon. Such product will not get a pre-paid label. Instead, either the customer or Amazon Customer Service may reach out to the seller to provide a Hazmat-compliant label to return the product. Seller must provide such a label to the customer and refund the customer within two business days of receiving the product back.
The primary responsibility to refund the customer for a return lies with the seller. Once the returned package is received at the seller’s return address, the seller is expected to refund the customer within two business days.
However, Amazon reserves the right to refund the customer at any time. If a customer contacts Amazon Customer Service because a refund has not been issued in time, Amazon Customer Service may, at its sole discretion, refund the buyer, and the seller may be charged for such a refund.
Initially, the seller is charged for the pre-paid label generated for a return. This charge occurs only at the time of "first scan" by TNT, so sellers will never be charged for any unused labels.
After you receive the returned package, the seller can deduct the
cost of the return label from the refund issued to the customer if the following conditions
are satisfied::
Sl. No. | Return Reason | Responsibility |
---|---|---|
1 | Accidental order | Buyer |
2 | Better price available | Buyer |
3 | The shipping box or envelope isn’t damaged, but the item is damaged | Seller |
4 | Missed estimated delivery date | Seller |
5 | Missing parts or accessories | Seller |
6 | The shipping box or envelope and item are both damaged | Seller |
7 | Wrong item sent | Seller |
8 | Defective or does not work properly | Seller |
9 | Arrived in addition to what was ordered | Seller |
10 | No longer needed or wanted | Buyer |
11 | Unauthorized purchase | Seller |
12 | Description on the website was not accurate | Seller |
13 | Damaged during delivery | Seller |
14 | Performance or quality not adequate | Buyer |
15 | Incompatible or not useful for intended purpose | Buyer |
16 | Damaged due to inappropriate packaging | Seller |
17 | Part not compatible with the existing system | Buyer |
18 | Excessive installation or did not install | Buyer |
In most circumstances, customers will use the return shipping method provided by Amazon. However, as an exception, some customers may need to use a different return shipping service. Amazon Customer Service has full rights to refund the customer the price of the label. As a requirement of this program, sellers must accept such charges. Such label charges are not reimbursable.
Sometimes the customer may be refunded by Amazon but the seller does not
get the product back. There may be different reasons why:
Sellers must not, under any circumstance, contact the customer to get the product back in the case of a valid return request. Depending on the situation described above, they may claim reimbursement from Amazon or the carrier.
If the returned product is damaged, then the seller must establish
whether this is carrier damage (e.g. damaged to packaging, transportation induced damage) or
customer damage (e.g. damage to internal parts).
Sellers must not under any circumstances contact the customer on issues related to damage to the product. Depending on the situation described above, they may claim reimbursement from Amazon or the carrier.
Amazon Customer Service will provide, and have sole discretion in determining, all post-order customer service to Prime items, including customer returns, refunds and adjustments to Seller Fulfilled Prime items (such as return-less refunds, partial or full refunds, change of fees charged by sellers, changes to the shipping speed and shipping price for an order, refunds of the shipping charge, cancellation of an order or returns including a refund outside the stated return window).
For all such returns authorized by Amazon customer service, even outside of the return window, sellers need to provide a full refund to the customer (unless damaged, in which case sellers can deduct up to a maximum of 50%) within two business days after receiving the product.
Check Customer Service for Seller Fulfilled Prime for more information.