Can you file a theft report on a customer if they keep your merchandise after being refunded?
I have had several instances where a customer’s order is running late due to transit delays, but they have an itchy trigger finger and are demanding a refund, even though I am assuring them they will receive it and will gladly send them a prepaid return label to send it back for a refund. But, they don’t want to hear it… they want their refund NOW! Ok, I at least get them them to agree that if I give them the refund now, they will refuse my package once it is delivered. Package gets delivered, but the customer doesn’t follow through on their promise and accepts the delivery and keeps the item, knowing that they received their refund. To me, that is outright theft. Any recourse? Are we allowed to file a theft of mail report on buyers under these conditions?
0 replies
Seller_G3tKlxqw9EUfb
No, because this is not the jurisdiction of the Police Department. Items shipped across state lines become the jurisdiction of the FBI and they would only take the report for aggregate purposes.
If you sent it with USPS you could file a report with the Postal Inspectors for fraud, but I don’t know that they would pursue it seeing as how you offered them a refund. They will likely tell you that this is a civil matter, and that you will have to pursue the buyer in small claims court (which is against Amazon TOS).
#1: Use Amazon shipping to protect yourself from this abuse.
#2: Always let the Amazon system refund them automatically. Now you are not protected and cannot file a Safe-T claim. (Edit: For anyone else reading this, I want to add that you DO need to respond to the Buyer’s message or you may lose an AtoZ claim later)
Seller_p79tAvDjF3cYg
Well in my experience, whenever I have tried to appeal a claim, showing that the order was eventually delivered to the customer, they always respond saying that they “decided to uphold our original decision.” Why would they do that when the tracking clearly shows it was eventually delivered? It’s not right that the customer should keep the product when they have been refunded.
Seller_olet7eVOHxQZd
Are you no longer using AZ Buy Shipping? If you are, why are you issuing refunds?
Seller_spBEmM4GC9jW1
Just stop doing this. No return no refund. Make them wait out the clock and file an A to Z and be sure to use buy shipping.
This decision is what enables the bad behavior in the first place. Just say no.
Seller_nxBgvWLbjEIOW
Force the customer to go through Amazon procedures. Do not let the customer bully you to get the refund before the item is delivered and returned. Do not argue with the customer. Give them directions on how to file for a Return/Refund and end the communication there. If they continue to bully you, report them to Amazon. Choose your words carefully when telling customer that Amazon has a procedure in place to handle that and it is the Return/Refund procedure; you will not refund without going through the proper channels. Don’t threaten, just give them the facts. In my experience, 99% of the time they will disappear.
Seller_OJugQx1QkgTYg
Wow, tell the buyer to cool it and DO NOT REFUND until you have to. You don’t have any control over the item once it leaves your hands. Just cover your butt with the “right” shipping and/or insurance, chill. Do y0u think the guy in charge of FBA loses sleep over weather, broken trucks or addresses that are inaccurate? I had a $7,000+ loss in 2020 when the DeJoy express went off the rails. Tracking had items sitting in a sort center for over 10 days, facilitator made refunds, I sent DeJoy’s Jerks RTS notices but they still delivered the item once the logjam broke. Put the claim in against the carrier, they denied, my lawyer absolutely destroyed the bottom of the class lawyers that work for the US Govt. Retain a GOOD Business Lawyer, they earn every dime they get. I send many of these forum Q & As to mine and he enjoys the bad advice from the “outhouse lawyers” here but YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
Seller_CTnILhnNpau1s
This kind of cases happen to me on a regular basis too.
I'm not happy about this but also can't find any support or understanding from Amazon. I had an remembering order on Sun very late say 11.30 pm, next day is Bank holiday (Labor day) and nobody works (no USPS or warehouse). I fulfilled on Tue and on Wed A2Z automatically granted claim to buyer. No further appeals, nothing. Lost $100 product + $100 Refunded. Daytime robbery !!!
Seller_WtOwWhtSrFjva
If you buy shipping from Amazon (and even if you don’t, I think) you can tell them to file an A to Z claim. But they can only file three days after the delivery promise date has passed. Amazon should pick up the loss. If they do not, then file a saf-t-claim. The should cover the loss as long as your tracking shows you mailed it on time.
Do not refund. If you do then Amazon will not cover any cost.
Seller_UN2pt3nABQwNr
Hello, we have been actively selling on amazon marketplaces for more than 1 year. Many times our customers get refunds without necessarily returning at least 1 item in almost every fba submission. We were hurt and very angry, but we do e-commerce and we stopped looking for a solution by accusing every customer of stealing in a refund of $ 200-300-400. An experienced seller once told us: this is amazon, if you can’t handle a refund amount like 200-300-400$ etc, please don’t sell here and play elsewhere. This made us sad, but what they said was true. 
