Free returns for seller-fulfilled orders

Free returns improve buyer’s experience and improves their trust shopping on Amazon. You have the option to offer free returns to your customers, by signing up at an account level or on specific items by uploading a selected list of SKUs. By offering Free Returns, Customers will see a Free Returns badge on the item detail page and on the Online Return Center for all of your enrolled items.

By offering Free Returns, you are unable to deduct the return shipping amount from the refund for in-policy returns, irrespective of the return reason. In cases where no prepaid return label was offered and the buyer has shipped the item back, you are required to refund the return shipping amount to the buyer. If Free Returns is not offered on your listing, you must adhere to the return shipping policy. To learn more, go to Refunding shipping costs.

Manage your Free Returns settings

1. Go to Settings in Seller Central and then click Returns settings.
2. Click the Return Program Settings tab.
3. Go to the Free Return Program tab and go to the USA marketplace.
4. You will have the following Free Returns program options:
   • I want to offer Free Returns for all items
   • I want to offer Free Returns for some items
   • I want to offer Free Returns to none of my items
5. By selecting:
   • I want to offer Free Returns for all items: Your entire selection of SKUs will be eligible for free returns.
   • I want to offer Free Returns for some items: SKUs that you select will be eligible for free returns. Please see ‘Offer Free Returns for specific SKUs’ below for details.
   • I want to offer Free Returns for none of my items: None of your SKUs will be eligible for free returns. Your Free Returns setting will default to ‘I want to offer Free Returns for none of my items’.
6. Select the Free Returns Program setting you would like to offer and click Submit.

Offer Free Returns for specific SKUs

You can also offer free returns for specific products in your inventory.

1. Go to the Returns settings page and then click Manage Return Templates.
2. Download the Free Returns template and follow the instructions in the file.
3. Once you have completed the Free Returns tab in the template, ensure that no Excel filters are applied, and then save the template. Save as an Excel workbook file in an accessible location on your computer. This will allow you to make changes after uploading the template.
4. Save the template as a tab delimited (*.txt) file in order to upload the file. Ensure the Free Returns tab is displayed before you save.
   Note: The returnless resolution request will not go through properly if you save and upload any other tab.
5. Go to your Return Settings page and then click Manage Return Templates.
6. Upload the file on the Free Returns tab delimited (*.txt) file that you saved.

To see which SKUs you have enabled free returns for, download the Free Returns report in your Return reports. Click View reports to generate a one-time report.

Exemption request status

You can check the status of all your free returns requests in Seller Central. To download your Free Returns Status report:

1. Go to your Returns Settings page and then click Manage Return Templates.
2. Go to Generate one-time report, then select Free Returns from the dropdown, and determine your timeframe.
3. Click Request.
4. Once the report has finished processing, click the Download Report to view the status of your SKUs.

Frequently asked questions

Will prepaid return labels still be issued for free return items?

Returned items that are within Amazon’s returns policy and are eligible for free returns will continue to be automatically authorized; and customers will receive a prepaid return label on your behalf though Buy Shipping Services. We will charge your seller account for the cost of the return shipping label once the buyer sends the item back. For more details, go to Prepaid returns for seller fulfilled orders.

What are the return shipping costs for the Free Returns Program?

You will continue to benefit from Amazon-negotiated rates through the prepaid return shipping labels provided. We calculate rates based on product size and weight, for details see Shipping costs for seller fulfilled returns.

How will my refunds capabilities change with free returns?

You are unable to deduct the return shipping amount from the refund for in-policy returns, irrespective of the return reason, for items where free returns have been offered. If no prepaid return label was offered due to an exemption, and the buyer has shipped the item back, you are required to refund the return shipping amount to the buyer.

If Free Returns is not offered on your listing, you must adhere to the return shipping policy. To learn more, go to Refunding shipping costs.

How will the ‘Free Returns’ badge be displayed for the customer?

We will display a “free returns” message on the product detail page and on the Online Return Center items for all of your eligible items, enabling customers to easily identify items that fall under the free return policy.

How long will it take for the ‘Free Returns’ badge to show on the product detail page?

Once you make changes to your Free Return Settings, it will take an hour to be live on the product detail page.

What happens if the item I receive is damaged or materially different?

Based on the condition of the original product and in line with the Reimbursement policy for Prepaid Return Labels (PRL) in the Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN), you may be eligible for reimbursement and can file a SAFE-T claim on Seller Central.

What happens if the return is lost in transit?

Selling Partners will be responsible for filing a claim directly with the carrier if a return is lost or damaged in transit. If this happens, process a full refund to the customer and file a claim directly with the carrier to receive a reimbursement.