The Limitations of Amazon's A-to-Z Claims Mechanism for Us
Dear Amazon Seller Performance Team,
I am filing a formal appeal regarding the approval of the A-to-Z claim for order 702-3179448-6568263 (claim reason: refund not received in time for returned package) and the resulting Order Defect Rate (ODR) calculation. We request that Amazon review this case, revoke the "approved" status of this A-to-Z claim (or mark it as "resolved"), and remove the ODR calculated to our account.
Appeal reason: The buyer did not fulfill the return policy requirements, resulting in the seller's inability to process the refund in a timely manner
The buyer did not provide return tracking information (key points): The buyer filed a return request on June 9, 2025. According to Amazon's return policy, the buyer is responsible for providing valid return tracking information when returning the goods. However, throughout the return process, the buyer never provided us (the seller) with a return tracking number through the Amazon return portal or any other means.
The seller first learned about the return information from Amazon's notification of the A-to-Z claim: We did not learn from Amazon's notification for the first time that the buyer had provided Amazon with the return tracking information (specific information: return tracking code: 0103178101460286) until June 25, 2025, the day the buyer filed an A-to-Z claim. Prior to this, we had no idea whether the package had been sent back or how the return was progressing.
The seller's lack of information led to an inability to proactively refund: Since we never received the tracking number provided by the buyer, we were unable to proactively check the status of the package and refund after receiving it. Amazon's seller platform also did not provide any early warning information about the shipment or logistics status of this return package (until the claim was filed).
The willingness to refund immediately conflicts with the A-to-Z mechanism: After learning the return tracking information and confirming the package status through Amazon's A-to-Z claim notification on June 25, 2025, we were fully willing and prepared to immediately refund the buyer. However, since the A-to-Z claim already exists at this time, according to Amazon's A-to-Z claim processing mechanism, directly refunding the buyer during the claim opening period will automatically determine the claim as a successful buyer appeal and be forced to be included in the ODR. This forces us into a dilemma:
Choice A: No refund when not informed (because there is no tracking information).
Choice B: Want a refund after knowing, but the existence of the claim will inevitably lead to ODR inclusion.
A-to-Z claim approval is based on information asymmetry: Amazon approved the A-to-Z claim on the grounds that we "did not refund in time". However, the root cause of this "did not refund in time" is entirely due to the buyer's failure to fulfill his obligation to provide return tracking information. As a seller, we cannot fulfill our refund obligations in the absence of necessary information. Amazon may not have fully considered the buyer's negligence in this link when evaluating this claim.
ODR is unfair and not due to the seller's fault: The ODR calculated for this A-to-Z claim approval is not due to a defect in the product or service we provided (the product was successfully returned) or our intentional delay in refunding. It is a direct result of the buyer's failure to comply with the return policy to provide tracking information and the resulting interruption in the refund processing information flow. Calculating this ODR is an unfair penalty for our account health.
Our request:
Revoke the "Approved" status of the A-to-Z claim: Given that the buyer's failure to provide tracking information was the core reason for the delayed refund, and we immediately expressed our willingness to refund after learning the information (but were unable to do so due to the claim mechanism restrictions), we request that Amazon change the status of this A-to-Z claim to "Resolved" or "Revoked".
Remove the calculated Order Defect Rate (ODR): Request that Amazon remove the ODR calculated for this A-to-Z claim approval from our seller account performance. This defect was not caused by the seller's fault.
Confirm refund status: We understand that Amazon may have refunded the buyer through the claim process. Please confirm that the refund has been completed. If this has not been completed, we are willing to process the refund immediately (provided that the A-to-Z status has been properly handled to avoid double counting of the ODR).
@Ricardo_Amazon @Daryl_Amazon@Sunnie_Amazon @Ricardo_Amazon @Jurgen_Amazon @Lucre_Amzn
The Limitations of Amazon's A-to-Z Claims Mechanism for Us
Dear Amazon Seller Performance Team,
I am filing a formal appeal regarding the approval of the A-to-Z claim for order 702-3179448-6568263 (claim reason: refund not received in time for returned package) and the resulting Order Defect Rate (ODR) calculation. We request that Amazon review this case, revoke the "approved" status of this A-to-Z claim (or mark it as "resolved"), and remove the ODR calculated to our account.
Appeal reason: The buyer did not fulfill the return policy requirements, resulting in the seller's inability to process the refund in a timely manner
The buyer did not provide return tracking information (key points): The buyer filed a return request on June 9, 2025. According to Amazon's return policy, the buyer is responsible for providing valid return tracking information when returning the goods. However, throughout the return process, the buyer never provided us (the seller) with a return tracking number through the Amazon return portal or any other means.
The seller first learned about the return information from Amazon's notification of the A-to-Z claim: We did not learn from Amazon's notification for the first time that the buyer had provided Amazon with the return tracking information (specific information: return tracking code: 0103178101460286) until June 25, 2025, the day the buyer filed an A-to-Z claim. Prior to this, we had no idea whether the package had been sent back or how the return was progressing.
The seller's lack of information led to an inability to proactively refund: Since we never received the tracking number provided by the buyer, we were unable to proactively check the status of the package and refund after receiving it. Amazon's seller platform also did not provide any early warning information about the shipment or logistics status of this return package (until the claim was filed).
The willingness to refund immediately conflicts with the A-to-Z mechanism: After learning the return tracking information and confirming the package status through Amazon's A-to-Z claim notification on June 25, 2025, we were fully willing and prepared to immediately refund the buyer. However, since the A-to-Z claim already exists at this time, according to Amazon's A-to-Z claim processing mechanism, directly refunding the buyer during the claim opening period will automatically determine the claim as a successful buyer appeal and be forced to be included in the ODR. This forces us into a dilemma:
Choice A: No refund when not informed (because there is no tracking information).
Choice B: Want a refund after knowing, but the existence of the claim will inevitably lead to ODR inclusion.
A-to-Z claim approval is based on information asymmetry: Amazon approved the A-to-Z claim on the grounds that we "did not refund in time". However, the root cause of this "did not refund in time" is entirely due to the buyer's failure to fulfill his obligation to provide return tracking information. As a seller, we cannot fulfill our refund obligations in the absence of necessary information. Amazon may not have fully considered the buyer's negligence in this link when evaluating this claim.
ODR is unfair and not due to the seller's fault: The ODR calculated for this A-to-Z claim approval is not due to a defect in the product or service we provided (the product was successfully returned) or our intentional delay in refunding. It is a direct result of the buyer's failure to comply with the return policy to provide tracking information and the resulting interruption in the refund processing information flow. Calculating this ODR is an unfair penalty for our account health.
Our request:
Revoke the "Approved" status of the A-to-Z claim: Given that the buyer's failure to provide tracking information was the core reason for the delayed refund, and we immediately expressed our willingness to refund after learning the information (but were unable to do so due to the claim mechanism restrictions), we request that Amazon change the status of this A-to-Z claim to "Resolved" or "Revoked".
Remove the calculated Order Defect Rate (ODR): Request that Amazon remove the ODR calculated for this A-to-Z claim approval from our seller account performance. This defect was not caused by the seller's fault.
Confirm refund status: We understand that Amazon may have refunded the buyer through the claim process. Please confirm that the refund has been completed. If this has not been completed, we are willing to process the refund immediately (provided that the A-to-Z status has been properly handled to avoid double counting of the ODR).
@Ricardo_Amazon @Daryl_Amazon@Sunnie_Amazon @Ricardo_Amazon @Jurgen_Amazon @Lucre_Amzn
0 replies
Sunnie_Amazon
Hello, @Seller_LtCxu1GTO9roo
I know this situation is really frustrating, and it's having a big impact on your business. I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
Amazon has something called the A-to-z Guarantee. It's there to make sure customers get what they ordered, in good condition, and on time - whether they buy directly from Amazon or from other sellers like you.
Sometimes things go wrong, and that's okay. We give you time to gather information and explain your side of the story. We look at each case carefully and try to be fair to everyone.
Not only that, but we know that sometimes packages get delayed because of shipping problems or customs issues. This can happen to anyone, even Amazon!
If a customer doesn't get their order by the date we promised, they can contact our customer service. We'll look into what happened and might send a new item or give a refund.
Here's some helpful info:
If we decide in the customer's favor, they don't have to send the item back. But don't worry - you have 30 days to appeal if you think we made a mistake. This is your chance to give us any new information.
Here are some additional tips on A-to-Z Guarantee claims:
Preventing A-to-Z Claims:
- Ship orders on time and use a reliable carrier
- Clearly communicate your shipping policies to customers
- Package items securely to prevent damage
- Respond promptly to customer inquiries
Handling A-to-Z Claims:
- Gather all evidence and documentation about the order
- Communicate proactively with the customer to resolve the issue
- Submit a detailed appeal within 30 days if you disagree with the decision
- Provide tracking information, delivery confirmations, and any other relevant proof
The key is to be transparent, responsive, and provide as much supporting evidence as possible. This gives you the best chance of successfully appealing an A-to-Z claim.
These help pages have more information for you:
- Amazon’s A-to-z Guarantee claims
- Appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim
- How to respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim
- Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim
Before I raise this concern to our escalations team, could you please share your Case ID where you can confirm you already sent all proof and any applicable details?
-Sunnie
