Customer returns a competitor's product, still gets a refund
This happens about four to five times a year. We get a request for refund and the item is returned. Customer is fully refunded. The returned unit is not ours, clearly fraud/theft. What can we do to circumvent this event?
Customer returns a competitor's product, still gets a refund
This happens about four to five times a year. We get a request for refund and the item is returned. Customer is fully refunded. The returned unit is not ours, clearly fraud/theft. What can we do to circumvent this event?
12 replies
Seller_0rXAME9V4LQSx
This is amazon. They have the scammers trained. Only way to avoid would be to not sell on this platform. No other platform allows the customers to take advantage of the sellers like this.
Danny_Amazon
Hello @Seller_4RIO3Z6u4HHwh- thank you for posting. I am sorry to hear you received an item materially different from what was sent.
If you receive a return in a used, damaged, or materially different condition, you may charge the buyer a restocking fee. And, if the refund has been issued by Amazon for such items, you may be eligible to file a claim for reimbursement via a SAFE-T Claim.
Seller_hRcXofgyK9BVk
This is a huge problem on Amazon. And filing a Safe-T claim is a complete joke, they will deny it every time if it is an item of any value. We just had the same thing happen. They need to stop the refund at first scan, and start allowing sellers to get the return item first to verify it is not a buy and switch.
Seller_Ha6JyVvDK6Ybs
So now you know what is acceptable practice on Amazon! Safe-T is not consistent and many times you loose when this issue happens because the BOT does not understand. We se lots of items returned where it's not the item we sent where customer is swapping items out for better packaging and Amazon does not recognize this issue. We make it a policy ANY customer who returns item we will never ship any item to again!
Seller_p3VCG9GBgDbZL
Yes this happens to me many times a year. Many times its not even close to my product, but they wrap it in my packaging.
I used to call seller support and waste an hour to get a refund, which was way less than the MSRP. They always gave it, but it usually took an hour, and every time you get a new lost representative, you have to walk through the process again.
Then i realized its not even worth my time anymore. As another seller said, Amazon has buyers trained, they know they can get away with this.
Until they train the return employees to actually pay attention, or hold scammers accountable, nothing will change.
If you want just make the call. Take 4 pictures. The UPS label and package. The return slip, the LPN and the product. Just attach to case file as soon as you start talking to them. Then they will ask you for the return order #, as if theres ANY CHANCE your would have that. Just tell them you dont have it, too hard to figure that out unless your sales are very low and you know when you have a return.
Good luck
Seller_p3VCG9GBgDbZL
I sell athletic equipment and what the rep said here needs to be corrected. I get my exercise mats back in the most disgusting condition you could imagine, and I've tried to fight this 100 times and lost every time. Amazon clearly states that athletic apparel must be returned in the same condition, brand new and unused. That's baloney, I've never been given a refund once and fought some of the cases for weeks. It's always the same dead end, they claim they have leniency for the sellers and give them the benefit of the doubt, but we get the shaft. Lovely company
