Reduce returns with Customer Service by Amazon improvements
Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA) is an optional paid service for sellers that ship seller-fulfilled orders where Amazon manages your inquiries and returns on your behalf. Based on your feedback, we recently made the following improvements that give you more control over returns and smarter insights to grow your business:
More control over returns and fewer refunds
We've updated our process to reduce return-less refunds. Now, refunds without returns only occur when a customer reports a product not received by the promised date, a damaged or defective non-returnable item, or a product that's unsafe to return. This protects your revenue and significantly reduces the need to file SAFE-T claims.
Automatic reimbursements for delivery-related claims
If you purchase claims-protected labels through Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo, we will now automatically pay for SAFE-T claims related to delivery issues. Goodwill refunds issued by us are also automatically reimbursed to your account – no action needed from you.
Easier to qualify for free CSBA
CSBA is free for the first 90 days and stays free when you maintain a Contacts per Unit (CPU) below 3%. We've removed the 95% Valid Tracking Rate requirement, making it easier to qualify. Plus, if you have fewer than 30 orders per quarter, CSBA is free with no exceptions.
All contacts in one place
When our Customer Service team needs your input, you'll now receive alerts through Buyer-Seller Messages instead of email, so you can manage all Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), and Seller Fulfilled Prime contacts in a single location.
Smarter insights with Gen-AI
AI-generated contact reasons now detail the specific customer concern, and daily CPU monitoring helps you identify patterns between customer issues and fulfillment data. Learn more through the CSBA insights dashboard.
To learn more and enroll, go to Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA).
Reduce returns with Customer Service by Amazon improvements
Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA) is an optional paid service for sellers that ship seller-fulfilled orders where Amazon manages your inquiries and returns on your behalf. Based on your feedback, we recently made the following improvements that give you more control over returns and smarter insights to grow your business:
More control over returns and fewer refunds
We've updated our process to reduce return-less refunds. Now, refunds without returns only occur when a customer reports a product not received by the promised date, a damaged or defective non-returnable item, or a product that's unsafe to return. This protects your revenue and significantly reduces the need to file SAFE-T claims.
Automatic reimbursements for delivery-related claims
If you purchase claims-protected labels through Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo, we will now automatically pay for SAFE-T claims related to delivery issues. Goodwill refunds issued by us are also automatically reimbursed to your account – no action needed from you.
Easier to qualify for free CSBA
CSBA is free for the first 90 days and stays free when you maintain a Contacts per Unit (CPU) below 3%. We've removed the 95% Valid Tracking Rate requirement, making it easier to qualify. Plus, if you have fewer than 30 orders per quarter, CSBA is free with no exceptions.
All contacts in one place
When our Customer Service team needs your input, you'll now receive alerts through Buyer-Seller Messages instead of email, so you can manage all Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM), and Seller Fulfilled Prime contacts in a single location.
Smarter insights with Gen-AI
AI-generated contact reasons now detail the specific customer concern, and daily CPU monitoring helps you identify patterns between customer issues and fulfillment data. Learn more through the CSBA insights dashboard.
To learn more and enroll, go to Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA).
12 replies
Seller_xo4Akj7FBBnfC
Here are some seller comments in this forum about Customer Service by Amazon:
"The amount of SAFE-T claims became insane..."
"CSBA is meaninglessness and unhelpful..."
"Does Amazon train their CSRs at all..."
I didn't see any positive comments, so if anyone has some to share please do.
Seller_3bcZaJkMmBDuc
I am going to bet that this is a bad idea for any seller...
Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v
An optional paid service...
No, thank you. I will pass...
Seller_r9wMm8LrE5iKj
My main fear of using this is that CSBA seems to resolve problems simply by handing our money and product to THEIR customers. My main issue with the platform right now is the hostility towards FBA users, and the stupidity around forcing us to use shipping automations (or FBA) to avoid being unreasonably punished for things out of our control. Add in this: "refunds without returns only occur when a customer reports a product not received by the promised date" and the fact that we don't control the promise date, or the shipper behavior, or the weather (which Amazon says, in godlike fashion, only they will determine if it's severe, and will show the customer an extended date but not allow us to deliver by that date), and this is a guarantee that customers (especially scammers) end up with our product and money.
What I now want as a buyer is to see on the site which sellers use CSBA. All I have to do is order when tornadoes are predicted to arrive soon, and I get unlimited free stuff. Or, order 1000 products, return the 990 (for free!) that arrive on time, and get the others for free.
Also this: "customer reports". Even when the return reason and detail disagree (i.e. "Not as advertised" with a description of "changed my mind"). Will CSBA ask for any evidence of any of these claims? (that's rhetorical)
Why is VTR unimportant here, if it's good enough to shut down other accounts? You can't have us pay you to avoid punishment; that's called extortion.
I love you exactly as much as you love me.
Seller_nagFnCXudcJqj
I have a suggestion for Amazon: before rolling out more AI dashboards, “smarter insights,” and seller programs, how about fixing the basics of FBA.
I recently sold a product for approximately $250. A customer returned a completely different item in its place. Amazon accepted the return, sent me someone else’s product, and then made me spend my own time opening a case and providing evidence. The reimbursement I received was only $68; less than my cost.
As sellers, we pay FBA fees specifically so Amazon can inspect returns and prevent this type of fraud. If a warehouse employee cannot tell the difference between the product sold and the product returned, that’s not a seller problem, it’s an FBA process problem!!
Instead of announcing new features, focus on holding return centers accountable, identifying product swaps automatically, charging fraudulent customers, and fully reimbursing sellers when Amazon’s inspection process fails.
Sellers don’t need more dashboards. We need Amazon to do the job we’re already paying them to do!
Seller_0VPMLru17M7DZ
The best, easiest, most cost effective way to reduce returns
is to allow sellers to block abusive buyers.
Seller_tEZmu9AqcxI7H
I don't see how customer service where they don't understand your products will reduce refunds.
Allowing sellers to use their own return labels would help a lot more. Many times we are charged $70 for return labels through Amazon when our own rate is just over $30.
Seller_xo4Akj7FBBnfC
Part of Amazon's core mission is to squeeze as much value (that is, cost and pain) as possible from every seller.
That includes everything from steadily increasing fees to usurious financing that let you borrow your own funds while Amazon holds them.
So I'd expect to see more dubious add-on services in the future, not less.
