Customers have made Amazon the world’s favorite online marketplace. With its quick shipping and unparalleled commitment to customer care, Amazon has clearly found a winning strategy. On top of this, this titanic platform offers over 12 million products, making it the best place to shop for almost any item you can imagine.
On this scale, customer returns are inevitably a significant part of doing business. Amazon has responded to this issue by offering customers a painless return policy that allows them to send back just about anything. This can be a good thing as customers can make purchases confident that they can return whatever products don’t suit them. However, this can make life challenging as a seller.
There might be times when Amazon’s return policy impacts your business, and this is when it is essential to understand how to navigate your way around Amazon returns. Keep reading to find out how to make Amazon’s policies work for you and your bottom line.
How Does Amazon FBA Returns Work?
If you are an FBA seller, it is essential that you understand the Amazon Return Policy. Generally, items that customers purchase on Amazon can be returned within 30 days of their shipment. This applies to many situations including cases in which the item is damaged, defective, or simply not correct. During Q4 or the holiday season, the return window is extended to 60 days to facilitate the return of gifts and potential gifts.
When a product is sold through the Fulfillment by Amazon option, customers will not incur any fees associated with shipping the item back. This does not apply in the case of international shipping.
In order to get the return process started, customers need to go to the Orders page of their Amazon account. Next, they need to choose the Return or Replace option, and choose their method of return. Possible return methods include Printing the Label, Label-Free Shipping, Box-Free Shipping, and Drop-Off Location.
The fact that returns are so effortless has helped to make Amazon a preferred choice for customers. Choosing to make a purchase is much easier when buyers know they will be able to send the item back if it does not suit their needs.
However, there are still limits to customer returns. If abuse of the return policies occurs, Amazon can take action against the buyer’s account.
What Can Customers Return to Amazon?
For specific health and safety reasons, Amazon does not allow customer returns for certain categories. Occasionally, exceptions may be made for certain cases, but the following categories have greater limitations for returns:
- Live Plants
- Gift Cards
- Downloadable Software
- Pet Supplies
- Jewelry
- Hazardous Materials
- Items that have been tampered with
- Grocery products
It is worth noting that Amazon may also opt to provide a returnless refund. These are mostly applied in the case of FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) sales. Customers may be awarded a return for their item in the event that the FBM seller fails to respond to a customer's request for a refund. Amazon may less often award a returnless refund to an FBA seller.
This type of return can hurt any seller’s bottom line. Losing the money from a sale, and not getting the product back, is a disappointing experience. On a practical level, this also denies the seller the chance to inspect the product to find out why it did not meet the customer’s expectations. Without completing an evaluation of the product, sellers miss out on a crucial quality control opportunity.
Minimizing the Impact of Amazon Returns
With $80.46 billion in third-party seller service revenue in 2020, there’s no doubt that Amazon operates on a staggering scale —and this comes with a substantial number of customer returns.
You might be tempted to shrug and just accept the impact that customer returns are having on your business. This is a mistake because you may be eligible for reimbursement from Amazon for some of your losses.
Keep in mind that if an item is not returned after the refund is processed, you may be owed money from Amazon in the form of an FBA refund. This is also the case when Amazon fails to add the item back to your inventory, and when replacement products are issued but the original product is not returned.
FBA refunds can help mitigate your losses, but it is essential that you submit your claims within Amazon’s designated time frames. If you fail to do this, your money will not be coming back to you.
Surprisingly, quite a few sellers don’t even know they could be getting FBA refunds, and all their potential cash goes unclaimed.
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Making FBA Refund Claims
If you are curious about filing for FBA refunds of your own, you have a few options to consider.
Some ways you can claim your FBA refund include:
- Filing your claims on your own.
- Getting help from a Virtual Assistant (VA).
- Enlisting GETIDA’s FBA refund software.
If you are just starting out as an Amazon seller, you might be tempted to try filing your own FBA refund claims. This could be the right choice for you, but it is worth considering the value of your time to your business. The task consists of fully auditing your account, and conversing with seller support until your refunds are secured. Depending on the scale of your enterprise, your personal attention may be at a premium, making this process a tediously consuming one.
Some sellers seek the support of a VA to complete their FBA refund claims. When going this route, it is critical that you choose the right VA. The experience level of the VA could directly impact the size of your FBA refund. In addition to this, you must be able to trust them with private account information.
Sellers who wish to maximize their FBA refund, and maintain peace of mind, should enlist the services of GETIDA. Since GETIDA is the industry leader in FBA refund services, your account will be in capable, and trustworthy, hands. While you attend to the other aspects of your business, GETIDA will use specialized software to thoroughly audit your account for potential refunds. Once these claims have been filed, GETIDA’s knowledgeable case managers will handle all communication with Seller Support to ensure you get your money back.
Going Forward with Amazon Returns and FBA Refunds
Customer refunds are a part of life for Amazon sellers, but there are ways to ease the impact this can have on your bottom line. You may be eligible for FBA refunds that can put money back in your pocket. When pursuing these refunds, remember to choose the claims method that is right for your business. GETIDA’s blend of specialized software and experienced staff make their services an ideal choice.
Consider signing up for a free estimate of your FBA refund today. Amazon might owe you more money than you think!
