Due to a lack of stock in our nearby warehouse, we shipped the order from a farther location. We communicated with the customer and agreed that the delivery would take place between 12/17-12/19, and the customer accepted this arrangement. However, on 12/17, the customer seems to have forgotten the agreement and filed an A-to-Z claim. Amazon immediately refunded the customer, citing that the delivery date exceeded the promised date of 12/12.
We disputed the claim and contacted the customer to explain the situation. The customer promptly withdrew the claim, and the status updated to withdrawn at that time. The next day, we received a refund notification, and upon checking the claim again, the status had changed to granted. Meanwhile, the order had already been delivered and signed for.
We submitted multiple disputes to Amazon’s customer service regarding this claim, but every single time, the disputes were rejected. The response was always the same:
"We encourage you to contact the buyer directly regarding this claim. The buyer can then let us know the issue has been resolved."
We reached out to the customer to request a recharge, but their response was clear:
"You are causing me too much stress. I already withdrew per your request; you need to work with Amazon to get what you need."
The order has been delivered, and the customer has already withdrawn the claim. How many buyers would willingly agree to recharge after receiving a full refund? This is clearly an error in Amazon’s system. Why should sellers bear the burden of contacting customers repeatedly for a mistake that is not ours?
We’ve disputed this issue three times, and each time Amazon's response has been to "uphold our original decision." It’s beyond frustrating and disappointing.
This situation highlights that Amazon is not a fair or just platform. They ignore the evidence and facts, shift the responsibility onto the seller, and leave us with no place to escalate our complaints. This experience has been deeply disheartening.
Once Amazon issues a refund, the claim can no longer be withdrawn. When the customer initially filed the claim, it’s understandable that Amazon made a decision without fully reviewing the situation. However, if the option to dispute exists, why is the refund processed immediately upon the initial decision?
Once the refund is issued, even if the seller disputes the claim and the customer withdraws it—temporarily changing the status to withdrawn—the claim will still ultimately be marked as granted because the refund cannot be reversed. This is clearly a bug in Amazon’s system!
Amazon’s current process penalizes sellers unfairly. If refunds are irreversible, Amazon should delay issuing refunds until the dispute process is fully resolved, especially in cases where sellers provide valid evidence or the customer withdraws the claim. Without fixing this flaw, the system undermines sellers and creates unnecessary frustration
The current structure of Amazon's A-to-Z claim system has a critical flaw: once a refund is issued, the claim can no longer be truly withdrawn. This bug leads to the following issues:
Immediate Refund Without Full Review
When a customer files a claim, Amazon issues a refund almost instantly, even before the dispute process concludes. This premature action disregards the evidence that sellers may provide.
Withdrawn Claims Still Marked as Granted
If a seller disputes the claim and the customer withdraws it, the status may temporarily change to withdrawn. However, since refunds are irreversible, the system eventually reverts the claim status to granted.
Unfair Burden on Sellers
Sellers are left in an impossible situation where, despite providing evidence and even securing the customer’s withdrawal of the claim, they still bear the financial loss. This forces sellers to repeatedly contact customers to request a recharge, causing frustration for both parties.
Why This Is a Problem
This process discourages sellers and undermines trust in Amazon’s commitment to fairness. A dispute system should allow claims to be fully and permanently resolved based on evidence, not dictated by irreversible refund processes.
Suggested Fixes
Hold Refunds Until Disputes Are Resolved
Refunds should not be processed immediately upon the initial decision. Instead, Amazon should wait until the dispute window closes and evidence is reviewed.
Allow Refund Reversals for Withdrawn Claims
Implement a mechanism to reverse refunds in cases where claims are withdrawn or disputes are resolved in the seller's favor.
Clear Accountability for Errors
If a claim is incorrectly granted due to system flaws, Amazon should take responsibility for the financial loss instead of placing it on the seller.
By addressing these issues, Amazon can rebuild seller trust and create a more balanced system for both buyers and sellers.
you are required to deliver a product within the time frame given on the order. Arrangements you make with a buyer outside of this are not honored and Amazon does NOT want you to make such arrangements with customers. If you cannot keep the delivery promise, you need to cancel the order as out of stock. that is policy.
Amazon does NOT want you to contact the customer about ANY order problems. Amazon expects orders to be completed without the need to arrange alternative solutions with the customer directly.
Amazon's policies are "play as you go" they don't truly exist. they are a tool they use when it suits them and ignored when it doesn't, but never explained or justified.
Hello @Seller_tOpHZVwOHK3LW- and thanks for detailing this claim experience here on the forums.
As I reviewed the specifics, I also note the order did not use Amazon Buy Shipping, and the protections it offers, along with a delivery which occurred after the promise date range, and the order not meeting the ship by date as defined by the carrier. In such cases, the claim would generally by granted in favor of the customer, per our A-to-z Claim resources.
In light of working with the customer through a potential withdrawal of the claim though, I have escalated this internally to request some further review and assistance with this. While it may take several business days, especially during the holidays, to receive a response, I'll be sure to update this thread when I do have any further information to share.
Best regards,
Danny
This is not a bug, but a feature for the advancement of Amazon's pockets and the scammer's pockets.