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Unfair Refund Policy - Amazon Forcing Sellers to Cover Shipping Costs
Dear Amazon Seller Support Team,
I would like to bring to your attention a concerning issue regarding Amazon’s refund policy and its impact on sellers.
Order #114-1098885-9657001 case ID: 17468627961
Feb 12: The customer requested a return due to late delivery (even though the item arrived within the promised delivery window). We explained that return shipping costs would apply for non-defective returns.
Feb 21: The customer claimed that Amazon Support assured them that both the product cost and original shipping fee would be refunded upon return. We repeatedly clarified that original shipping fees (already paid to FedEx) are non-refundable for non-defective returns.
Feb 22: The customer stated financial hardship and insisted that Amazon Support confirmed a full refund (including shipping). Despite this, we offered 4 return labels to waive the return shipping fee for the buyer—even though we were not obligated to cover return shipping. And we have clarified again that the original shipping fee is deducted from the refunded amount.
Mar 8: Upon receiving the return, we promptly refunded the product cost. However, the buyer later forced a refund of the original shipping fee via an A-to-Z claim, even though Fedex has charged us.
This is unacceptable.
Amazon’s customer service misled the buyer by promising a full refund (including shipping) without seller consent.
The original shipping fee was already incurred and paid to FedEx—we cannot recover this cost.
We already went beyond policy by covering return shipping, yet Amazon further penalized us by refunding the original shipping from our account.
Sellers should not suffer financial losses due to Amazon’s internal miscommunication. We demand fair treatment and reimbursement for this unfair charge.
Other Sellers: Have you experienced similar issues? How could we do to protect our money?
3 replies
Seller_x4KlqN4R8imX1
@Joey_Amazon @Quincy_Amazon @Dominic_Amazon @Rose_Amazon @Tatiana_Amazon @Rose_Amazon @Dougal_Amazon @Jameson_Amazon @SEAmod @Jameson_Amazon @Ricardo_Amazon @Danny_Amazon
Seller_tzb0Adb4whsRu
Unfortunately, this happens way too often. If our FBM orders are not shipped and delivered on time then our OTDR takes a hit because Amazon made this dumb policy.
BUT... Amazon doesn't apply the same policies for FBA orders, the sellers STILL have to pay in some way shape or form.
Amazon is so quick to refund buyers without hesitation. They don't care because they already got their money from the sellers from all the dang fees they charge.
So why refund buyers on FBA orders and make sellers lose money when its Amazon's fault? This is poor business practice on their part but yet they continue to control the sellers and how they run their business.
This buyer stating "financial hardship" is a crock. It's a scam 100%. Buyers have figured out that Amazon will refund their money almost immediately without a care in the world for sellers "financial hardships" on this platform.
Amazon will refund, doesn't matter if the item is returned or not, AND the buyer still gets to keep the item. So they scammed the sellers out of money and free items when all the while Amazon is the ONLY one who made any money on such transactions.
Maybe DOGE should look into Amazon's business.
Seller_kZUOCMBionnbv
We understand the cost of doing business on Amazon and the importance of maintaining FBM standards. However, it’s frustrating that Amazon seems to assume merchants—who pay hefty referral fees—can simply absorb losses from theft, high return costs, and other challenges like they do.
This issue has only gotten worse over time. Previously, we could engage directly with customers, resolve return issues proactively, and handle service on our own terms. We even issued replacements without requiring returns. Now, even with these “improved processes” supposedly aimed at better customer experiences, issues like negative feedback and losses persist.
We’re stuck covering return shipping costs, often receiving products back damaged, incomplete, or entirely missing. To add insult to injury, we’re expected to file "SAFE-T" claims to recover these losses. SAFE-T? It feels more like safety for Amazon, not sellers.
We’ve even received products back with many types of hazardous bodily fluids, putting our staff’s health and SAFE-T at risk. Not only are these items unsellable, but we’re also forced to pay outside companies to dispose of them properly as hazardous waste. For example, a $20 sale for a bathroom toilet seat riser with slim margins can end up costing us four to five times the sale price just to receive and safely dispose of the item.
For reputable sellers, these practices should be left for businesses to manage. While it’s understandable that measures are needed to address bad actors, once a seller reaches a certain milestone on Amazon, there should be more discretion and trust in how they run their business. This would not only protect sellers from problematic customers but also strengthen Amazon’s partnership with its merchants.
