Customer returns for international sales

When processing an international return for orders shipped to customers in the three North American marketplaces, Japan, and the nine European marketplaces, you must use one of the following methods listed below.

Effective August 16, 2021, for international returns, if you do not offer one of the following return methods within five days of a return request; Amazon may refund the customer on your behalf and charge the amount to your seller account.

• Returnless Refund: Offer a full refund without requesting that the item be returned

• Provide a domestic return option: Provide a local return address in the buyer's country. For example, if you sell on Amazon.co.uk, you will provide a return address in the United Kingdom. If you do not have a local return address, an international returns provider on the Solution Provider Network may be able to help.
• Important: If you choose this return method for Amazon.com orders shipped to customers in the United States, you must use Amazon’s prepaid returns service. Additionally, you will not have the option to provide your own prepaid return shipping label to US customers. You also must issue refunds within two business days of receiving the returned item. Visit Prepaid returns for seller fulfilled orders to learn more.

• Provide prepaid international return shipping: Provide your own prepaid return mailing label for a return request from the marketplace in which you are selling. For example, if you are selling on Amazon.de and shipping from China, you will provide the customer with a return label from Germany to your location in China. We recommend that prepaid return shipping labels include tracking.

How to offer each return method

Returnless Refund:

Follow the steps below to offer a full refund without requesting that the item be returned.

1. From the Orders drop-down menu, click Manage Returns.
2. Select the return you would like to refund, and then click Issue Refund.
3. Select Buyer Return as the reason for the refund, and process a full refund.
4. Close the returns request by selecting Refund without return as the reason for closing the request and provide comments to the customer.
   Important: If you are issuing a Refund without return, you must refund the exact amount had the item been returned to you. Negotiating a partial refund is not an alternative to a return.

Provide a domestic return option:

Follow the steps below to provide a local return address.

1. From the Settings drop-down menu, click Account Info.
2. On the Seller Account Information page, in the Shipping and Returns Information section, click Return Information. On the Return Settings page, click Return Address Settings.
3. Select an existing local address as your default return address or enter a new default return address.
   Note: This must be a valid address that you are authorized to use.
4. Click Submit.

Provide prepaid international return shipping: Follow the steps below to provide a pre-paid return mailing label for a return request.

1. On the Orders drop-down menu, click Manage Returns.
2. Click Authorize Request for the return request you would like to approve.
3. In the Your return mailing label section, select I will provide a pre-paid mailing label for this request.
4. Upload a shipping label, select the carrier used, and enter the Tracking ID if you have it.
5. Set the return label cost to 0.00 to ensure the buyer is not charged for return shipping.

If we notice that you did not follow these requirements, we may pro-actively issue a refund to affected customers (allowing the customer to keep or discard the item).

As you consider how your customers will return items that they purchase from you, please keep the following options in mind:

Customs:

For international returns, you are responsible for complying with all the import and export obligations, and for payment of all applicable duties and customs fees.

Using Fulfillment by Amazon:

When you choose FBA, Amazon will handle local returns on your behalf for FBA orders in that marketplace, so you don't have to worry about providing a local return address. To learn more about FBA returns, see Customer returns for orders fulfilled by Amazon.

Offering partial refunds:

In certain situations, it may be appropriate to offer a partial refund on the product being returned. Full refunds should be given for returns, cancellations and out-of-stock items. Partial refunds should only be performed as a goodwill gesture or for compensation/dispute resolution issues (for example, the item arrived slightly damaged or there were minor discrepancies in the product description) and are made at the discretion of the seller. If you decide to issue a partial refund, we recommend agreeing on this with the buyer in advance to help avoid misunderstanding or a possible A-to-z Guarantee claim. For additional details, see Issue a Partial Refund.

Engaging a third-party international returns provider:

We have created a list of returns providers that can accept returns in your customers' countries. Depending on your sales volume and unit price, international returns providers may offer solutions that reduce the costs you incur when customers in other counties return your products. For example, some providers will consolidate returns and ship them back to you or ship them to another customer. Visit our Solution Provider Network for international return providers.