When processing an international return for orders that you ship to
customers in the three North American marketplaces (United States, Canada, Mexico),
Japan, and the five European marketplaces (Italy, France, Germany, Spain, United
Kingdom), you must use one of the three methods listed below.
Return method options:
-
Returnless Refund: Offer a full refund without requesting that the item
be returned
- OR -
-
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 and will not have the option to provide your own prepaid return
shipping label to US customers. If you select this option, you must issue refunds
within two business days of receiving the returned item. Visit Prepaid returns for
seller fulfilled orders to learn more.
- OR -
-
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.
Important: For international returns, the cost of return shipping
is always the seller’s responsibility, even for customer-fault returns. If you offer a
domestic return option, you are not required to refund the cost of the original shipping
for customer-fault returns. For seller-fault returns, you must also refund the cost of
original shipping.
Note: Effective November 15, 2019, if you are fulfilling customer orders in
the US from outside the US, you must provide Amazon a valid US return address for items
under $10. Amazon will use this address to generate prepaid return labels for customers
on eligible return requests. If a US return address is not provided, Amazon will issue
the customer a refund for eligible returns without requiring the item to be returned
(Returnless Refund). Our International Returns Provider on the
Solution Provider Network may be able to help
if you do not have a local return address.
How to offer each return method
Method 1: Offer a full refund
without requesting that the item be returned:
-
From the Orders drop-down menu, click
Manage
Returns.
-
Select the return you would like to
refund, and then clickIssue Refund.
-
Select Buyer Return as the
reason for the refund, and process a full refund.
-
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.
Note: You can automate Refund without return for orders shipped to customers
in United States, United Kingdom, and Germany based on item price, category, and return
reason. To learn how to set this up, visit Returnless refunds.
Return method 2: Provide a local
return address. To update your local return address:
-
From the Settings
drop-down menu, click Account Info.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Click Submit.
Note: If you do not have a
local return address, an International Returns provider on the
Solution Provider Network may be able to help.
Return method 3: Provide a pre-paid
return mailing label for a return request:
-
On the Orders drop-down menu, click
Manage
Returns.
-
Click Authorize Request
for the return request you would like to approve.
-
In the Your return mailing label
section, select I will provide a pre-paid
mailing label for this request.
-
Upload a shipping label, select the carrier used, and enter the
Tracking ID if you have
it.
-
Set the return label cost to 0.00 to
ensure the buyer is not charged for return shipping.
Alternatively, you can email the
pre-paid return label to the customer from the Buyer-Seller Messages section of your
Seller Central account.
Examples of providers of pre-paid
labels include:
If we determine 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 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.
Implementing restocking fees and offering partial refunds:
In certain situations, it is appropriate to charge the customer a restocking fee
or offer a partial refund on the product being returned. Restocking fees or
partial refunds must comply with Amazon's policies on returns, including for Returns and Restocking Fees.
Offering partial refunds:
In certain situations, it might 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.
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.