Manage returns

To ensure a consistent experience for buyers, you must match or exceed Amazon's return policies.

Step 1: Return authorization

To ensure operational efficiency and a consistent customer experience, Amazon will automatically authorize all return requests that fall within the scope of Amazon’s Return Policy. You can identify automatically authorized return requests via the Auto-authorized flag on the Manage Returns page (Orders > Manage Returns) in Seller Central.

Any return requests that don’t meet Amazon’s returns policies will not receive an automated return authorization. Note that several categories and subcategories are exempt from automated return authorizations and that return requests of such items will be sent to you for manual review and authorization. This includes:

• Handmade
• Amazon Custom
• Items classified as ‘hazardous goods’ by Amazon
• Product subcategories Professional Medical Supplies and Professional Dental Supplies
• Product categories Grocery and Wine
• Product categories Video, Video Games, Software, and DVD
• Product subcategories Flowers & Bouquets and Fresh Cut Flowers
• Items classified as ‘hygienic’ by Amazon from product categories Baby, Beauty, Health & Personal Care, and Personal Care Appliances

For return requests that require manual authorization, make sure that you respond within 24 hours. For more information on how to manually review and process such return requests, go to Process Return Requests.

To monitor returns, go to Manage Returns or download a Return Report. To download a return report, go to Orders > Manage Returns > View reports. Additionally, Amazon will send you an email when a buyer creates a return request.

Step 2: Return shipping labels

You can select one of three return label options in your returns settings:

1. Unpaid return label: When a return request is approved, Amazon sends the buyer an unpaid return shipping label with your return address. By default, this return label is not prepaid and requires the buyer to add postage from the carrier of their choice.
2. Merchant prepaid return label: You can upload a merchant prepaid label from the carrier of your choice. Amazon will issue the buyer an unpaid return label if you have selected the merchant prepaid label option in your return settings but fail to upload a label. For more information on uploading labels, go to Upload a pre-paid return label and Pre-paid return label requirements.
3. Prepaid return label (PRL) program: When a return request is approved, Amazon sends the buyer a prepaid return shipping label with your return address. Go to Prepaid Return Label Program for details.

As return labels will show your return address, make sure that it is up to date. For details on how to manage your default return address, go to Multiple return addresses. Note that if no domestic return address is available in your return address settings, the return shipping label will show your business address.

Step 3: Issuing a refund

You are required to issue a refund within two business days of receipt of a return. If you do not take action regarding the refund, Amazon might refund the customer on your behalf and charge the amount to your seller account.

For more information on how to refund orders, go to Refund orders. We encourage you to wait until you receive a returned item before issuing a refund so that you can evaluate its condition. If you would like to issue a concession in addition to or instead of refunding order amounts, go to Issue concessions.

Professional and Individual sellers can now opt for prepaid returns label (PRL) program, where Amazon automatically authorizes all returns that fall within the scope of Amazon’s returns policy, and provides customers with prepaid return shipping labels on your behalf through Buy Shipping Services.

Once you enable this feature, customers will automatically receive a prepaid return shipping label from your seller account for return requests that fall within Amazon’s return policy, without the need of your one-off manual return approval. To optimize your time, you will only receive customer return requests that are outside of Amazon’s return policy or exempt from the automated returns processing for manual review.

You are in complete control of the products you would like to exclude from automated returns. If the buyer's request is not within the scope of Amazon’s return policies, we will inform you via email.

This feature can be used to process return requests covered by the integrated transporting carrier, available via Amazon Buy Shipping. Note that carrier terms and conditions apply, go to Terms and Conditions for details. Before enabling the Prepaid Return Label feature, please make sure that your domestic return shipping address is up to date. If you do not provide a return address, we will use your business address by default.

The requirement to issue a refund within two business days of receipt of a return remains unchanged.

For details, go to Prepaid returns for seller-fulfilled orders.

Amazon manages returns and refunds of orders shipped through FBA. To learn how Amazon manages FBA returns, go to Customer Returns for Orders Fulfilled by Amazon.

If you are located outside the country you are selling in, you must do one of the following:

• Provide buyers with a merchant pre-paid return label, where you are responsible for the return shipping cost. This cannot be deducted from the buyer’s refund, or
• Offer a refund without requesting return. To reduce manual effort, you can automate returnless resolutions. For more details, go to Returnless resolutions, or
• Provide buyers with a German return address for sales on Amazon.de. If you want to provide a German return address but are located outside of Germany, an international returns provider from theSolution Provider Network may be able to help.

See also

• About Our Returns Policies
• Prepaid returns for seller-fulfilled orders
• Set your return preferences
• Process return requests
• Process gift returns
• Returns policies
• Holiday Returns Policy
• Potentially Hazardous Returns