Returns and refunds process for Seller Fulfilled Prime

This page provides information on how to process customer returns, including seller expectations and exception handling mechanisms.

Customer return process

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.

Return carrier and tracking information

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).

Hazmat returns

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.

Refund responsibility

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.

Charges for the return label

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::

1. If the item is in the product category of Clothing, Shoes, or Handbags, returns are always free, irrespective of the return reason. Label cost cannot be deducted.
2. For other cases,
   
   1. If the return reason is "seller-responsible", then the return is free. Label cost cannot be deducted.
   2. If the return reason is "buyer-responsible", then the label cost can be deducted.

   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.

Returnless refunds

Sometimes the customer may be refunded by Amazon but the seller does not get the product back. There may be different reasons why:

1. The tracking shows the item was delivered; however, no return request exists, yet the customer has been refunded. This may be because the customer never received the product. In this case, sellers may claim reimbursement from Amazon. For more details on the policy or process, please see Seller reimbursements for Seller Fulfilled Prime.
2. The tracking does not show the item was delivered. The promised delivery date has passed and the customer has been refunded. This may be because the package was lost or misplaced in transit by the carrier. In this case, sellers should contact the carrier for reimbursement.
3. The tracking shows the item was delivered, and a return request exists for the order. Look at the tracking ID for return (available in Manage Your Returns page for the order). If the customer has returned the product but it has not reached the seller, then it may be because the package was lost or misplaced in transit by the carrier. In this case, sellers should contact the carrier for reimbursement.
4. Some products (like hygienic products, grocery or food items, etc.) are non-returnable by law. Those products are not eligible for return, and Amazon customer service may refund the customer without a return. Such orders are not reimbursable.

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.

Damaged returns

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).

1. Carrier damage: Any such damage must be reported to the carrier and reimbursement claimed directly from the carrier.
2. Customer damage: For customer damaged returns, the seller can deduct up to a maximum of 50% of the product price from the refund to the customer. If the refund is provided to the customer by Amazon Customer Service, then sellers may contact Amazon Seller Support for a possible reimbursement. Sellers may be asked to provide evidence (photo or video) of the customer damage to Amazon. For more details, see Seller reimbursements for Seller Fulfilled Prime.

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.

Returns authorized out of standard policy

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.