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Seller-fulfilled prepaid returns are now offered through UPS for large and heavy items
Starting on November 4, 2024, we’ll update the Amazon Prepaid Return Label Program to provide UPS prepaid labels for seller-fulfilled returns of large and heavy items.
We’re automating more of our existing seller-fulfilled returns process for large and heavy items to reduce A-to-z Guarantee claims and the number of customers who contact you about returns.
Customers who make an eligible domestic return request for large and heavy items will automatically be provided a tracked prepaid return label through Buy Shipping services.
UPS, our sole shipping carrier for large and heavy items, will handle customer returns drop-offs.
A large or heavy package meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Weighs more than 90 lb
- Doesn’t exceed 150 lb
- Exceeds 96 inches in length
- Exceeds 130 inches in total length plus girth (length plus girth is defined as length plus 2 x width + 2 x height)
If the reason for the return indicates that the customer is at fault, you’ll still have the option to deduct the return shipping cost from the refund amount. For the list of reasons for seller-fulfilled returns, go to Return Reason codes for Prepaid Returns.
For packages that weigh more than 150 lb, exceed 108 inches in length, or exceed 165 inches in total length and girth, you’ll still have the option to provide a seller-fulfilled prepaid return label within 48 hours of a return request creation.
To learn more about return shipping services and charges, go to Prepaid Return shipping services.
0 replies
Seller_tEZmu9AqcxI7H
Does anyone know if we can use our own UPS or Fedex account instead of Amazon's for this? Amazon charges a lot more than our rates.
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
Aw, h*ll no. I know exactly where this is going based on our experience with Amazon, large/heavy, and especially DHL: "If the reason for the return indicates that the customer is at fault, you’ll still have the option to deduct the return shipping cost from the refund amount."
A) What you mean is "the reason indicates the customer ADMITS they are at fault" which is almost never, because the UI intentionally steers them away from taking responsibility, in what is a clearly malicious-to-sellers manner.
B) What you mean is "you can deduct the INITIAL charge of the return shipping cost" and Amazon/UPS will share the spoils when UPS comes back with a huge upcharge well after the refund deadline (this should be part of the customer's return cost, and there's no reasonable explanation you can give why it is not ... you are even saying in this very announcement that it's their burden, although that's a lie).
There is almost no scenario where we don't pay at least a portion (but likely all) of the return costs. And we're still out the price of shipping the item (if we want the buy box), because your goal is to remove all friction -- even reasonable friction -- from the buying (or "renting-for-free") experience.
You cannot turn couch purchases into try-n-return experiences, or people will start ordering couches for their Super Bowl parties and return them afterwards, claiming "not as described" and sticking us with huge 2-way shipping costs.
If you want to reduce A2Z's, then give the buyer some REASONABLE skin in the game, rather than creating a system solely designed to move money from OUR wallets into YOUR customers'. At least stop saying you give a d*mn about sellers when you continue to behave in this manner. It makes us think that not only to you hate 3PS, but you think us stoopid as well.
Seller_otDFihTxKiDRD
This has already happened TO booksellers long ago. It's never been fixed. Books ship via Media Mail, not UPS or Fedex. Those are much more expensive. We should have the OPTION to have our Media returned in the exact same shipping method as shipped out. Especially since most book returns are either book swappers or people that think booksellers should be libraries.
UPS is the most expensive way to send a book back and so not appreciated.
MJ
Seller_DdmPiA1p1S2Wu
So, I assume this means that Amazon is now going to be billing me hundreds of dollars for a return of an item that only costs sometimes as little as $12.25 to send. Am I correct? I sell items that are over 96 inches in length. UPS bills such items at 90 lbs. and adds a large surcharge on top of that. Unless Amazon has struck some special deal for reasonable rates on these returns, I guess I'll have to pull these items from being for sale on Amazon. Does this only apply to purchases made after November 4th, or does it apply to purchases made before November 4th but the return requested after November 4th? I need to figure out if I need to remove items immediately from Amazon or if I have a little breathing room.
Can I still enter in a prepaid label exemption for SKUs that are over $100? It looks like I can. So, it looks like perhaps I can prevent these horrid prepaid labels for items over 8 foot in length if the item cost is over $100 if I upload the prepaid label exemption file for the applicable SKUs, correct?
Seller_xRIuxn6A6xYiU
Hello Amazon Team,
Thank you for this update.
As a seller of electronics and office equipment, we have experienced issues with buyers not being able to request returns on backup batteries or UPS units (Universal Power Supplies). Some of these are heavy items, and this may help.
However, we also have an issue with these items because Amazon flags them as Hazardous due to the chemical composition of the battery. Instead of return requests being opened and pending to give the seller the opportunity to provide a prepaid return label, Amazon often refunds the buyer in full without requiring a return.
This is a major category of items for us as an Amazon seller., and we do not want to remove the products from the site.
Can you offer any suggestions or insight into how we improve this?
Seller_vyw2bKs6Kamc8
While Amazon claims to be a customer-centric company - pushing Amazon customer returns to use UPS instead of USPS is a very bad idea.
Give customers a choice between UPS and USPS return shipping labels - don't force customers to use UPS labels for returns.
Why break something that worked so well for the customers and sellers?
USPS is widely available to return packages - just stick your return into the mailbox and the mailman will pick it up and it's on its way. Drop it at the USPS post office - available everywhere.
Returning with UPS is a problem for many rural customers where they need to drive for 30 or more minutes or more to find a UPS store. Customers living in big cities find it inconvenient as well.
Requesting UPS pickup is not free - it's like $8-12 or something like that.
We see crazy customers' notes on return slips - like "Need to call Amazon to have them pickup a package or schedule a UPS pickup" Right - Amazon will jump right on it....
I understand UPS is preferred by Amazon as a shipping company due to reliability and we love them as well but forcing customers to use UPS for returns is an awful idea.
We see a lot of customer frustration with "new" return options pushing them to use UPS.
I am not sure why Amazon suddenly decided to give more business to UPS for returns shipping but so far we see a lot of customer dissatisfaction with Amazon services for not providing choice to pick UPS or USPS and forcing UPS return labels.
Amazon is big on surveys - run it by customers to see if they are interested in using UPS for returns as a primary return service instead of forcing them to use it and not giving a choice between UPS and USPS.
Whoever made the decision to push customers to use UPS return shipping labels is out of touch with what's convenient for Amazon customers.
While the change was made recently - we see nothing so far but customer frustration and dissatisfaction with Amazon's new forced UPS return experience.
This is still a free country - give people a choice which carrier to use for returns instead of forcing them to use what Amazon decides is good for the customer.
Third party sellers are paying for return shipping anyway.
Don't fix it if it's not broken.
Please undo the change - it's extremely inconvenient for customer return experience.
