This is a very recent change. I received a ‘return to sender’ today on an order that I just shipped 5 days ago on July 8th (that is amazingly fast). Vacant, unable to forward.
I tried to message the buyer to let them know and offer to resend if they had an address correction. It appears the buyer was sending it to someone else. The only message option available was ‘offer a courtesy refund or replacement’ and there was no ability to add a note explaining why a refund would be given. I have always messaged buyers in these circumstances in the past and they have always appreciated it.
Our customer service matters not to Amazon.
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If you choose the send replacement option for FBM, it will send them a message so you can confirm the address.
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I didn’t choose that because I didn’t want to get stuck sending it to the same address. I’ve already refunded with ‘undeliverable’ as the reason on this one.
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On any other platform, I’d do as you, trying to fix the situation. But on Amazon, anything out of “the box” just seems to cause chaos and confusion, mainly for the buyer. For the most part, they don’t even want to have a clue.
I have had about five books come back to me undeliverable over the past couple years. The first two, I tried to get it to them. Fail. The next three I figured if they wanted their book, they would contact me. None of them did, or left any kind of feedback. Like they just fizzled into the ether. One was a nice priced art book I was happy to sell again elsewhere.
YMMV
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@primetime I think unfortunately you’re stuck where @booknut7 was. I mean, we all are. Maybe this is a short-sighted effort by Amazon to cut down on Buyer scam shenanigans?
Only as far as they can convince us to pay them for it.
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Hmmm, usually when we have to message a buyer there is an “other” or “clarify” shipping box to check.
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I have found the buyer usually does not even respond to our message.
Wondering how many actually see/read any email messages from Amazon at all.
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The available evidence would suggest that Amazon’s incessant penchant for spamming Buyer Accounts with marketing messages long-ago prompted many to relegate most any message to the trash bin.
When, beginning largely with the ill-fated decision to throw open the US Marketplace to PRC-based 3P Sellers & 1P Vendors, the e-mail marketing deluge ramped up even more-significantly, Amazon responded in 2016 by offering the Buyer Community an opportunity to opt-out of any communications from sellers.
There’s a workaround in place, but it’s not always effective, given that so many have come to consider Amazon messages as little more than spam.
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This is before shipping. After the order is shipped the only option with a live link is courtesy refund. I have previously messaged buyers on return-to-sender packages with moderate success, within the past year. One, in fact, was sent to the correct address the first time, no idea why it was returned. I did send it again to the same address after the buyer confirmed it was correct and it was delivered the 2nd time.
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We do custom items and send a verification email for the customization info before the item is made/sent. Because we do this, we always have a way to email the customer even after it has been delivered.
If one was to send an email to verify something on each order, one would always have a way to open an email after the order was sent/delivered.
One would have to be careful to not make it look like you are just spamming your customers but trying to service their order with requesting or relaying some information about the customer’s order. This would probably not be for a volume seller; however … for custom and hand made items or limited sale sellers, this could be an option.
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That is a good option for you and makes sense on custom orders. It would look like spamming from me. The need for follow-up contact is rare on my items, basically only when an order is returned un-deliverable, that does not happen often.
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Not for me, I have been able to message under “issue with your shipping” and/or “other” after purchase is shipped.
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I have Courtesy Refund, Send Invoice Message Template, and Other as available options for my FBM shipped orders. Not sure why the Other option was voided for your order.
If you check other shipped orders, maybe from different days, do you have that option?
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@primetime - yes you certainly can “Contact the customer after …”
Do not be shocked. I have my reasons. That said here are some REAL NUMBERS - REAL TIME (as it was done yesterday).
I messaged 112 SHIPPED orders yesterday.
83 Messages went though - 75% success
29 Messages bounced - 25% failure.
If there is a failure, then the only way to (NOW) contact is to
- Go to the messaging - and enter the order number.
- That Order will appear (as you had sent a message)
- Then at the top (where the Amazon Anonymized email ONCE WAS) there is a tiny little mail icon. click and copy the email
- Then in your email program, paste the email and IN THE…
- SUBJECT LINE enter [IMPORTANT] ( Exactly - with the [ ] )
- and of course copy/paste your original reason for the contact.
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If we might inquire (and we understand if you wouldn’t want to answer), what was the nature (purpose) of your messages to 112 shipped orders?
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I was going to ask the same thing.
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I imagine it was to request some sort of review/feedback, but could be wrong. One seller I do a good bit of work for still does that without issue.
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I will try to be brief.
I sell mostly under $10 items - Actually $6.99 ( I survive b/c I sell ALOT of them)
As you can calculate ($1.05 in AZ fees @ 15%, and $4.05 Postage with Tracking (ave of zone 2 - 8), plus labor overhead, and PRODUCT), the cost would eat up the entire sale.
So I do not send with Tracking - instead I send USPS FCM Letter Rate.
This is Amazon legal per rules, and in regards to VTR is exempt.
BUT this is NOT legal per every other metric Amazon has had for a few years, and recently even more so.
First, beginning late ?, last year, amazon changed its website (somehow), and now I am getting a rash of A-Z Claims. Without tracking - a seller loses everytime.
No matter that I respond the same day, AND offer a refund or replacement if the customer has not received.
From 2015 to 2023 - I received about 20 - A-Z Claims in total
In the last 10 months alone - I have received about 100 A-Z claims - Lost all of them (and believe me, I have tried every conceivable way to write them). And if you are wondering about my ODR, my volume can (barely) handle without going over 1%, which is VERY BAD if you do.
THEN early this year - another BIG HIDDEN CHANGE.
First to note, I ship the same day, all orders received, and ship on Saturday up to 1pm., and through shipstation API, Amazon receives notification instantaneous.
The Change?
Amazon now posts to the customer the following on all UNTRACKABLE ORDERS
.
Can you imagine that !!! I ship and they are telling customers I HAVE NOT SHIPPED.
(also I have about 20 messages from customers telling me - WHY the message?, I have received the product - take it off - FIX IT)
because of this I am getting SLAMMED with messages from customers, and my A-Zs (above have gone bezerk).
I respond at once, and explain that the message is False, I have shipped, look in your mailbox, bla, bla bla, but you know customers are all over the place.
- Some respond - “You IDIOT - Of course I look at my mail”
- Others - Thanks, I found it.
- Others, I found it but, my event is over - please refund
- Others, stay silent and never pursue.
- Others, stay silent and A-Z me.
- Others stay silent and claim on returns
So, this last weekend, I downloaded my entire FBM shipments, and went 1x1 with the A-Zs, with the returns, with the Messages that I have sent a replacement, that I have credited myself.
and the results are shocking.
These changes has caused me thousands in refunds, replacements, bad Feedback. It is getting ugly.
So, I said F**k it. and am attempting to do an end around, as a test for a month of orders and see what the results will be 1-2 months down the line.
I just started yesterday by chance - we will see.
I can of course increase my price $3 (to cover tracking), but my sales will crash. I already do 2s, and 4s, etc. I really do all I can, but these last moves by Amazon I am afraid will be the end of me.
Yes I do FBA as well
that the story,
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Tough road to be going down …
What about trying to do it as adding shipping as charge (so it shows as shipping to customer) on FBM? … Maybe do a test on a few average selling items.
Every time we have had to up our price … we cringe and wonder what will happen. We try to be as low as we can but still have to make a living. We actually take a look at the average order of a take out burger or taco bell. If we stay in the range of how these items are increasing, we seem to be able to weather the increases. We have customers from 15 years ago that come back and buy now. They were paying say $15 and now pay say $30 … and have no problem and are still happy.
On Amazon, shipping is included (only because it keeps it simple). On our site, shipping is extra. Total price is basically the same (on our site the customer gets a break when they buy more than one … so they save).
Thank you for taking the time to give us the insight … please let us know how the test goes for you.
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Interesting work around, thanks for the tip!
I have 5 sticker sku’s that I send this way, no A-Z’s so far but I’m not sending hundreds. I get a rare few undelivered buyer messages and just send out a replacement. The FCM cost of a stamp allows for a reasonable price $3.99 - $9.99 and the lack of tracking cost makes up for the few replacement freebies.
I received a free case of cardboard CD mailers, I trim one side to create a rectangle because USPS won’t consider a square shape as a letter to qualify for the FC letter rate. They have a nice heft that probably helps them not get lost for the most part.
ETA - I was not aware that Amazon shows the not yet shipped message 
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