Another A to Z question

Selling on Amazon FBM
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1

After getting burned on my last A to Z, I’m wondering if I should recommend them anymore.
Policy-wise I should.
Buyer receives damaged product, they should win the A to Z.
With the Buy Shipping guarantee the A to Z should be funded by Amazon.

Current case, buyer received 2 broken items in one order. (UPS sux!). She paid expedited shipping so UPS was the only fast option.

I got a message from her September 4th “…broken, I want a refund”. I responded with an offer to send replacements or refund if she prefers, she has not responded. I also asked if she took a photo - made it clear it was not required but would be helpful to me for a damage claim. Most buyers do send me photos when I ask.

She is not engaging with messages. I’m surprised she has not filed a claim yet.

I’m wondering if I should just refund her instead of letting it end up as an A to Z at this point. Useless guarantees are not guaranteed.

Here’s the last one I got burned on:
A to Z claim process changed? - help me help this buyer! Please.

2

To be clear:
You used Amazon’s buy shipping, you have a scan that shows it was shipped on time and delivered, buyer says items are broken?

If so, this is not your problem. If the buyer files a claim, Amazon should cover it so why refund yourself? If she doesn’t file a claim, she’s either returning it or not, and that’s a separate issue.

If the buyer files a claim, Amazon might fail in their coverage promise and you could be charged. If you issue a refund yourself, you will definitely be charged.

3

From NSFE

A-to-Z Claim Granted Without You? Here’s Why (And How to Prevent It)

:warning: A-to-Z Claim Granted Without You? Here’s Why (And How to Prevent It)

by Kris_Amazon

18 hours ago

Hey sellers! :waving_hand:

We’ve seen a lot of questions about A-to-Z Guarantee claims being granted before sellers even had a chance to respond. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know in one place.

:red_question_mark: What is the A-to-Z Guarantee?

The A-to-Z Guarantee protects customers when they experience issues with seller-fulfilled (MFN) orders — whether it’s a delivery problem or an item that didn’t match the listing. Before a customer can file a claim, they’re required to contact you first (via Buyer-Seller Messaging or a return request) and wait 48 hours for a resolution.

:red_question_mark: Can a claim really be granted without my input?

Yes. Once a claim is filed, Amazon either investigates it manually or grants it automatically. An auto-grant means the refund is issued immediately, your account is debited, and the claim counts against your Order Defect Rate (ODR)— which must stay below 1%.

:red_question_mark: What triggers an auto-grant?

A claim is automatically granted in the customer’s favor when any of the following apply:

  • You didn’t respond to the customer’s delivery-related message within 48 hours via Buyer-Seller Messaging
  • You didn’t authorize or reject a return request within 48 hours
  • You didn’t ship the order by the expected ship date
  • You didn’t deliver the order by the maximum estimated delivery date
  • You didn’t use a trackable shipping method and couldn’t provide proof of delivery
  • The tracking you provided shows that the order is undeliverable
  • You didn’t deliver the order to the address provided by the customer
  • The item was returned using a prepaid return shipping label and you failed to issue a refund within 5 days of receiving the return
  • The item was returned using a prepaid return shipping label and the return was lost in transit
  • The item was returned using a prepaid return shipping label, and the return is either undeliverable or being returned to sender due to an outdated or incorrect return address provided by you
  • You authorized the return request with an international return address but failed to provide a prepaid return label or returnless refund within 2 days of receiving the return request
  • Amazon requested additional information during an investigation and you didn’t respond within 72 hours

:red_question_mark: How do I prevent this from happening?

:open_mailbox_with_raised_flag: Check Buyer-Seller Messages daily — respond to every delivery-related inquiry within 24 hours. The 48-hour window is the maximum, not the goal

:package: Act on return requests promptly — authorize or deny every request within 48 hours. If you close a request, always explain why

:delivery_truck: Ship on time with trackable shipping — confirm shipment by the expected ship date and provide valid tracking. Using Amazon Buy Shipping gives you protection under the Buy Shipping Guarantee for INR (Item Not Received) claims

:bell: Set up notifications — enable email and/or mobile alerts for A-to-Z claims so you never miss a response window

:alarm_clock: During investigations, treat every request as urgent — if Amazon asks for additional information, you have 72 hours. Missing that deadline means an automatic loss

:red_question_mark: A claim was already auto-granted against me. What can I do?

You have 30 calendar days to appeal:

  1. Go to Performance > A-to-Z Guarantee Claims in Seller Central
  2. Find the claim under the “Action required” tab and select Respond to Amazon
  3. Provide clear, concise evidence — tracking info, screenshots of Buyer-Seller Messages, proof of delivery, or any supporting documentation
  4. Amazon will review and may reverse the decision if your evidence is compelling

:red_question_mark: Does an auto-granted claim affect my account health?

Yes. Every granted A-to-Z claim — whether auto-granted or decided after investigation — counts as a defect on your ODR. If your ODR exceeds 1%, your seller-fulfilled offers may be deactivated. You can monitor your ODR on the Account Health Dashboard.

Helpful resources

Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee claims — full policy overview and claim types

Respond to an A-to-Z Guarantee claim — step-by-step response guide

Monitor your account health — ODR tracking and thresholds

Have you dealt with an auto-granted A-to-Z claim? What helped you prevent or appeal it? Share your experience below — your tips could save a fellow seller’s account health! :speech_balloon:

Because you responded within the 48 hours of the buyer’s email, you met the first requirement for Amazon. Since the buyer has not responded, we would wait … you offered both the replacement or refund but you can not move forward without the buyer’s response. So WAIT it out.

We use to ask for pics of damaged but no longer do that. Amazon frowns on anything that might put the burden back on the buyer.

If you used Amazon Buy Shipping, follow @HobbesIsMyTiger 's train of thought in the post above.

4

Reading your previous thread I think the customer may have been an abuser of the A-Z claims.

You only get a certain amount per year, and may have figured that being nice may con you.

The message you got on this one also screams typical scammer. Once you fall for one you tend to have them all come. It’s like there is a forum where people share the Suckers er sellers that fall for the scams.

I find the more I toe the line the less scammers I get.

Hold firm. They probably tried the “lets see if this is a refund monkey” scam and that may be the end of it.

I know you want to provide good customer service, but remember these are Amazon’s customers, not yours. Amazon encourages this behavior.

I was at the UPS store picking up returns on Monday and someone brings in 14 boxes all Amazon returns. Then brags how it was a bunch of gardening tools and stuff that he used for August and is now returning. Free tool rental.

5

When someone messages me this without any mention of returning the broken or defective, or proof thereof, and then does not reply to your questions (some may not answer because they want to fly under the A-Z radar or because of the crappy message system), I think “phishing for a freebee”. As long as you have all the details of coverage on your end (ship on time, acceptance scan on time, Amazon buy shipping), then I always force them to file an A-Z. Check your A-Z claims frequently so not to miss a claim reply.

6

I am suspicious of this. It is food, so not returnable and Amazon blocks the return.
I used Buy Shipping, tracking shows delivered.
A 4-pack, she claims 2 were broken. I have had a rash of UPS breakage lately, supported by photos provided by the buyers. So it is possible it’s true, but Amazon policy should cover the cost of this.

As for the earlier buyer, that was not a scam. She engaged in messaging - a lot - and sent photos and UPS tracking showed damage occurred half way there. She should have won that claim.

7

I thought that metrics protections was part of their buy-shipping “promise” ?

8

Amazon Buy Shipping protection works for INR (supposedly … read on)

Yet, earlier in Kris_Amazon 's post, one finds this …

Isn’t an order that is undeliverable basically an INR?
And if you (the shipper) didn’t deliver to the address provided by the customer an INR?

Amazon MODs often speak with a forked tongue. Part of the reason we posted Kris_Amazon was to show how Amazon is positioning itself to put the burden back on the seller when it comes to A to Z claims.

9

No, the tracking has to say “undeliverable” or something close enough that Amazon considers the same thing. If the tracking shows the package was damaged, delivered, etc then the seller should be covered.

Same thing, the tracking has to show that the seller bought shipping to an address other than the one on the order information.

I think that @Lost_My_Marbles’s mod quote is referring to claims decided against the seller, not claims granted as in covered by Amazon. In that case, the seller takes a metrics hit regardless of the circumstances.

10

This is all true, and identical to my previous buyer except Amazon (wrongly) denied her claim. Even though UPS noted the damage in their tracking. Since they denied it, it did not hurt my metrics or cause a debit to my account. I felt bad she was denied and sent her replacements because it was the right thing to do since Amazon failed her.

I will keep waiting for the buyer to respond or file a claim. I don’t get many scam attempts on food, my theory is they want to stay on good terms for repeat orders if they like it.

11

I thought Buy Shipping also covered arrived damaged, didn’t it originally? I am not finding anything on that now in their current coverage of the policy, just INR’s.

I have this screenshot from 2021 and it is a bit vague

image
image837×102 40.2 KB

Is damage a problem with delivery?

12

I completely understand where you are coming from. Just 2 things.

  1. The first buyer had tracking updates indicating the package was damaged. The second buyer just has “…broken, I want a refund.” I would suggest that while your Amazon and legal responsibilities were no stronger to the first order than this one, the evidence that the buyer was facing real damage provided with what you felt as a stronger moral responsibility to make that buyer whole. The second buyer has nothing but a 5 word email complaint and no further responses, maybe you don’t owe them the extra mile.

  2. These are Amazon’s customers. The difference isn’t just semantic, think about how many policies and rules burn us on a daily basis for the benefit (dare I say delight?) of the buyer and Amazon, or how much we are prohibited from doing because Amazon doesn’t like it. This is a situation where a tiny bit of that “arrangement” can benefit you. Let Amazon deal with the claim as they promise. If they don’t keep their promise and you feel compelled to do something about it, that’s a decision only you can make for yourself. But don’t jump in to take the hit on Amazon’s behalf.

That’s the way I’ve always interpreted it. Standard INRs are much more common so I have limited data, but Amazon usually covers it as long as the tracking says delivered.

13

I agree the buyer’s 5 word complaint is pitiful. Amazon has trained buyers to get refunded on a mere request - except if it is ‘sold by Amazon’; if FBA or sold by seller - our money is freely given away.

Since food is not returnable, there is never an item returned to assess damages.

I am very careful when I ask for photos but I resent having to be. We should be able to ask for proof of damage to use for filing claims with the carriers. What will UPS say if I file a claim based on ‘the buyer said so’? Everyone I know has a camera on the phone in their pocket, it is not the ordeal it used to be to attach a photo to a message.