We don’t get many returns and just deal with whatever happens with RFS and only file Safe-T claims if the buyer says the item arrived late but tracking provided shows it was on time. Today I got the following buyer message and am not sure how to respond without telling them they can pick different reasons for a return and some are paid by the buyer. I had to go back to our listings to make sure they don’t say “free returns” and confirmed they don’t. What is the likelihood I will get bad feedback removed for this order if the buyer doesn’t change their return reason to get a free return?
“I ordered these with the knowledge the it said free returns when purchasing. That means free. You are trying to charge me almost 5 dollars to return and I won’t pay it. Pay for shipping or refund me now. Thank you.”
If you need help in processing your return, please contact Amazon for instructions on how to complete the process.
Thank you
{{ your store name }}
Then you might want to mark the customer email as abusive demand.
Whether we can or can not get a feedback removed would not affect how we would respond. Our feedback is strong enough that one feedback over return shipping cost wouldn’t bother us.
As you may have noticed, the entire return process is automated and controlled directly by Amazon. We have no input into the automated creation of return labels, and the return fee is assessed directly by Amazon. We are not involved in this process in any way. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Amazon directly.
This depends entirely on what they put in the feedback, down to the specific words used. However, this is not the easiest feedback to get removed in general, though it is not impossible.
Unless you are a small seller with very low feedback and 1 negative feedback could cause significant problems with your account, I would not spend too much time worrying about it.
I used your language at the end. I will continue to cut and paste it if this thing gets into a back and forth. I told them the listing never had a “Free Returns” badge and said free return eligibility varies widely on Amazon depending upon the category, seller and reason but they should click in the “Free Returns” link on any listing to learn about any exceptions.
100% sure the reason will change to a free return reason after they contact Amazon or I get bad feedback for this.
I hear you on this. I didn’t want to coach them on what to put to get a free return to appease them but this is one of our branded listings and didn’t want a current feedback to be a bad one. I wasn’t sure if they would put it in as a product review or seller feedback.
We would only reply one time more if they reply back and restate what was stated the first time. After that, their messages would be marked as abusive demand and no reply needed.
Don’t get into a back and forth battle … never ends good.
I agree on not telling buyers how to abuse the system.
As far as feedback goes, that would apply to your seller account, not the listing. That would be a product review. If the buyer left negative feedback, nobody shopping for this item would see that, only if they looked at your seller profile, but feedback can damage your account where a review really doesn’t.
I like this. I would go further and frame the issue as “customer and seller vs Amazon”.
Blame Amazon for everything. There is no profit in telling the customer that they are an idiot and they did not read Amazon’s insructions/descriptions clearly. This is likely to blow up in your face.
Instead, tell them that you are unhappy because Amazon sometimes posts misleading or outright false insructions/descriptions. Blame Amazon and thus give the customer a way out: if they agree that Amazon is at fault, then it follows that you are not, nor are they.
Take the customer’s side in this newly reframed scenario. Include actions. Don’t just point and passively blame Amazon.
Do something active and invite the customer to act along with you. Tell the customer that you will complain for the 187th time to Amazon about the misleading text, and if they complain also, maybe this time Amazon will fix it.
Assuming they sent back the correct item to you, I would just refund the 5 bucks here. Risking a negative feedback, negative product review, or an ODR for 5 bucks? That’s a losing bet. Plus if they want to make a stink about it to Amazon they’ll get it back anyway, and if they change their return reason to something like not as described that can negatively impact your listing/account as well.
You gotta pick and choose your battles on Amazon. Fighting a customer over a 5 dollar return label isn’t a battle worth fighting.
If they leave a negative feedback because they had a negative customer service experience with you, that’s a valid feedback (even if you followed policy) and will likely stick.
Buuuuutttt…that doesn’t matter if they’ve seen it on other items. They saw free returns on Amazon prime orders (and I assume OP’s order was not Prime) but didn’t see it on OP’s listing because they don’t offer free returns.
It’s like people who assume any item ordered on Amazon is supposed to be there in 2 days or every shipment bought on Amazon should have “a picture of the delivery at my door” even if sent UPS, USPS, etc. (eye roll).
Assuming this was a FBM, Amazon would have automatically deducted the return label cost so even if the buyer files a claim, OP will have it funded by Amazon and not count on ODR.
It is FBM. This buyer must have started a return and stopped when she realized she would be responsible for the return shipping. She may not buy/return much on Amazon as she didn’t just indicate it was defective etc. to get free return shipping. I got the “Reported Unresolved” email/message this morning and just responded to the customer saying she should contact Amazon if she needs any more help completing the return.
Well if they didn’t open a return / return it, it’s kinda not your problem. Don’t think they’ll get an A-Z granted if they’re not going to actually return it.
If they do open a return and continue making a stink about it I would refund in full once it’s returned. Till then I would be inclined to provide minimal help to them.
