Amazon unable to issue a refund due to buyer's bank, buyer files A-Z and counts against us
So we had a customer that we refunded on a return, in full. For reasons beyond our understanding, the customer's bank "refused" the refund from Amazon (that's what Amazon customer service wrote when sending us a message on behalf of the customer). The customer then requested the refund be given in Amazon gift cards instead - we directed them to Amazon for help because obviously we can't help with any of this ourselves.
Customer files A-Z claim, we provide all the above information to Amazon, asking Amazon to find a way to refund the customer but not affect our metrics because this is a payment issue between the customer and Amazon, not us. Claim found in customer's favor and they put it as hitting our ODR, which is completely unfair.
Do we have any recourse? Would a mod be able to step in here? Thanks.
Amazon unable to issue a refund due to buyer's bank, buyer files A-Z and counts against us
So we had a customer that we refunded on a return, in full. For reasons beyond our understanding, the customer's bank "refused" the refund from Amazon (that's what Amazon customer service wrote when sending us a message on behalf of the customer). The customer then requested the refund be given in Amazon gift cards instead - we directed them to Amazon for help because obviously we can't help with any of this ourselves.
Customer files A-Z claim, we provide all the above information to Amazon, asking Amazon to find a way to refund the customer but not affect our metrics because this is a payment issue between the customer and Amazon, not us. Claim found in customer's favor and they put it as hitting our ODR, which is completely unfair.
Do we have any recourse? Would a mod be able to step in here? Thanks.
0 replies
Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
One of many repetitive issues on Amazon......
Seller_DdmPiA1p1S2Wu
I saw another one like this not too long ago. In that one, the refund when Amazon tried to issue through the A-Z Claim was also returned and did not go through. I think the original charge method was no longer valid in that case. So, nothing got accomplished in that one except for an ODR against the seller that did nothing wrong.
Seller_tAfXR7sVBEoZS
@Dominic_Amazon @Topher_Amazon can one of you help this person. @Seller_zc50DVO3FE5fz you need to provide your seller support ticket or other details so the moderator can look at your issue. This will speed up the process.
Seller_awXLi6yKjXwau
same issue 2 yrs ago. Amazon provide pre-paid label for customer, and Amazon did a first scan refund, but nothing refund. Then customer raised A-Z and get granted, but still nothing refund, we lose ODR and customer lose money, we all lose only Amazon win.
Seller_NzEmZKTEdcpPZ
No recourse at all, unfortunately. SS can't/won't do anything. They will only say to appeal the decision through the A-to-Z case. This is another gray area of Amazon that can use a lot of improvement and human touch. I see all kind of different A-to-Z scenarios described by sellers in forums and I rarely see any favorable resolution.
Recently, we had an order where a customer bought a computer and tried connecting it to a third-party docking station, which, simply didn't work because they were not compatible. Customer initiated the return, citing "defective item" as a reason. False, but whatever...
Then, for some reason, he opens an A-to-Z case under "Different from what I ordered" reason (again, doesn't match up with what the return was about, but whatever), and in the comments he wrote "get the refund status". Then, a few minutes later he withdraws the A-to-Z claim. Amazon automatically issues full refund when we receive the product from the customer.
The computer is trashed, not in the original packaging, etc. We go to file a SAFE-T claim and a message pops up that we can't do that because an A-to-Z claim existed. End of story, and there is nothing we can do. SS can't help at all (Case ID 14553385141, in case Community Managers want to take a look at this). Cost of doing business at Amazon, they say...
Seller_HwHIGNZQwz1gV
How stupid. I recently lost an A-Z claim recently as a customer opened an A-Z for a return that had not yet delivered to us. Tracking shows it didn't deliver. I lost the original AZ and the appeal, still no product returned LOL.
SEAmod
Hi @Seller_zc50DVO3FE5fz
I would like to take a look at that A-to-z for you if you will provide the Order ID and/or a related Case ID. The circumstances of this refund are intriguing.
Thanks, Susan
Seller_z1JDNz6de1lqc
Amazon always blames us for their problems!
Seller_Lu3bFSNnS57zM
If you have chain of events that can be verified by an Amazon rep. Email Jeff at Amazon and/or JeffB @ amazon and even sometimes Safeharbor at amazon has helped.
DO NOT listen to others that say do not email Jeff because you will get suspended. Hogwash.
Seller_zYJwzYvS4PwEM
This is happening to us as well.
Several of our order refunds have not gone through since August. The refunds enter pending and then are never refunded.
Days or weeks later the customer contacts us, we refund again. Enters pending, we think it is good to go, then a couple days later the customer files a claim that is granted and counts against our ODR.
We have filed appeals that take weeks to resolve with about a 50% reversal rate.
We have also been encountering instant granting of claims on orders where we cannot authorize return requests (ones that were not auto-authorized for what ever internal amazon issue) and are getting "There was a system error. Please try again in 15 minutes." Been going on since early December. Cannot update auto authorized returns with our RMA or even authorize return requests that were not auto authorized.
There are several system issues that are related to returns and refunds where we the seller are performing the proper actions, but the Amazon system is not completing the task, and the system failure is not logged by Amazon so the Claims specialists have no reference. Even more frustrating we sellers cannot send the claims specialist a screenshot of the issue when we represent or appeal.
Sorry for the rant, but this needs to get to leadership that there is an issue with the returns and refund process that is severely impacting seller and their Order Defect Rate.
