A to Z claims, we want to hear from you!
Hello, community,
We’re eager to get your feedback on A to Z claims.
As we all navigate these claims throughout the Amazon journey, we want to know how we can improve.
What ideas and recommendations do you have?
We've also seen a lot of sellers win A to Z claims appeals; we'd want to learn about what you've done.
Christine.
A to Z claims, we want to hear from you!
Hello, community,
We’re eager to get your feedback on A to Z claims.
As we all navigate these claims throughout the Amazon journey, we want to know how we can improve.
What ideas and recommendations do you have?
We've also seen a lot of sellers win A to Z claims appeals; we'd want to learn about what you've done.
Christine.
0 replies
Seller_7LrAV0m5llaI7
Amazon forum moderators should not have to deal with reescalating A to Z claims that meet all the delivery requirements including signatures. This should be a regular seller support thing.
Have Amazon follow their own policies regarding a to z claims regarding the 48 hr contact window, and no auto approvals without humans looking into the buyer-seller conversation and case. It should not be a hit first, then appeal system. That's guilty until proven innocent.
Have Amazon follow their own policies regarding a to z claims regarding the signature requirement. If an order is delivered on time with a signature, whether it's Amazon integrated or not, If the seller is able to provide a signature confirmation of delivery via a tracked carrier, the claim should be reversed.
Have Amazon follow their own policies regarding late delivery. Sometimes a natural disaster hits, a truck/train accident in transit, unforseen delays and staffing issues with carriers. A to z claims should not get auto approved for late delivery, especially when there is confirmation that the item DID arrive and the customer kept the item. When an Amazon FBA item arrives late, us as customers don't get to just keep the item if we file a refund claim. Amazon makes us send the item back to them. Why don't they enforce that on FBM shipments? The double standard is unacceptable.
Also, Canada Post Standard Lettermail orders under $30 should not have a hit to ODR rate if a customer files a claim. It's policy in the Canadian marketplace that it can be shipped untracked as per Amazon.
Seller_dotifYADa0BWY
DUMP the A2Z process altogether since it is used to commit rampant fraud. Amazon needs to be more involved in the dispute process much like eBay's handling of disputes. The current Amazon process is handled by moronic AI or incompetent humans (with a skewed customer bias).
Every A2Z should be reviewed by a competent human before being closed. Confirmed fraud should result in an instant suspension for customers who cheat the system. Delivery A2Z should follow the same protocol as Amazon deliveries whereby a photo of the delivery is deemed acceptable. Amazon must unify the delivery confirmation requirement so what is good for Amazon is also good for the FBM seller. The double standard is unacceptable.
Seller_NFXUjGCtS4RaO
Issue #1 - "Item not received" A-to-Z reason
Amazon should really make a guideline to HOW MUCH was "higher value", just like other marketplaces do.
Otherwise it's just non-sense that selling a $5 order without signature (for sure), A-to-Z will grant it. So is that mean such as $10 we purchase signature, and same to $10 above? Determining whether customer "indeed" received an order based on signature ONLY was ridiculous.
There are TWO types of customers:
1) for no signature
Many buyers tend to take advantage for FREEBIE on orders without signature. If anyone or Amazon mods remembered back in Mid of May, there was an issue with Purolator courier's tracking not being recognized by Amazon, so many A-to-Z were granted. All those buyers messaged us the same question "My Amazon app showed my order was lost, so refund me", and they asked such more than 1 month since shipment delivered. So those people intentionally did it, and it was the loophole Amazon given them.
2) with signature
Many buyers will then say "I've never had any packages requiring signature here on Amazon, you are causing inconvenience to me". These people were never available to sign for delivery during the day, and never go to pickup from couriers either.
Some even worse customers will just open A-to-Z for non-receive, and of course will be granted. Although usually will not count to order defect, but just lost the shipping costs paid plus maybe undeliverable surcharge by couriers, which Amazon believed sellers should be penalized by this kind of costs.
So no matter there is or without signature, either way is causing a lot of hassles and troubles (i.e. feedbacks, arguments etc).
If Amazon was to provide protection (just like other marketplaces) on how much value would require signature, that would save a lot of ours and A-to-Z time/workload (unless Amazon assumed sellers would be = scammer at the beginning first).
Issue #2 - A-to-Z now having "Waiting for customer to respond".
Now this could bring challenges. Why? Because sellers won't be able to monitor this 24 hours a day.
I remembered a claim when customer had return request reason as "performance or quality not adequate" with comments "hard to configure". We've even provided user guides, Youtube videos for installation to customer. And as usual NO response from customer, he just returned it. Returned product was working perfectly, not difficult to configure as well. So we applied a small % of restocking fees. Half month later, customer opened A-to-Z for reason "Different then ordered". The status was "Awaiting for customer to respond", we had already prepared a respond to Amazon which would enable us to explain what happened, checked until 2am at midnight, still "Awaiting customer respond" so there was NO "respond to amazon" button available. However, the next morning when we are back to work, saw the claim was granted when A-to-Z fully refunded customer, just NO hit to order defect. Is that mean it is telling us don't sleep, monitor when the "respond to amazon" button will be available after customer responded to amazon suddenly.
So shouldn't A-to-Z give seller the opportunity to "respond" first??? A-to-Z simply allowed these abusive buyers to ABUSE the return policy because it would then make buyer believed "hey look, how easily to cheat with this A-to-Z option" and he could continue to do the same way on other sellers (FBM orders) because we don't believe he would receive email from ofm at amazon.ca for "Policy Warning" due to excessive # of returns.
Issue # 3 - returns NOT due to seller's fault but A-to-Z us
A-to-Z doesn't care who's fault was. Majority of those customers who opened A-to-Z for such reason, they just want FREE returns (some even said "I've never pay anything to return an order, and I had returned so many on Amazon"). It just looks like Amazon "wanted" to force sellers to take the loss and make customers happy so they would continue to shop on Amazon rather than its competitors.
Even after customer returned an order, the claim will still be "Under Review" status. So once refunded order, A-to-Z will have an excuse saying "Because you refunded order after claim was filed, so it counted to Order defect".
Shouldn't A-to-Z at least consider who's fault was initially for such return. It's more like if you don't follow the easy way, you are punished with ODR, simple.
Just not sure if some of the A-to-Z claims are processed by A.I. or not, but definitely claims should be all reviewed by "Trained" humans for better consideration.
Seller_VXA2aspMqpZ4o
The A-Z claim system is badly broken. I do not know who these " lot of sellers winning A-Z claims are" but from our own experience and from reading forum posts there is RAMPANT fraud being committed on this platform by a pretty large percentage of your customers' who know that filing an A-Z is almost a guaranteed refund!
Please clarify what you mean by a "a lot of sellers winning A-Z claims" with facts. What percentage of claims have been won via seller appeal vs those that have not? Stating "a lot" is a very vague term. A lot to Amazon? Or a lot from the sellers perspective? This a business platform. Please back up your claim with numbers, not general statements.
Your A-Z needs a total revamp or at the very least your A-Z team needs proper training. You need to STOP treating sellers like they are the fraudsters & delve deeper into these claims before just siding with the customer.
Recommendations (I am echoing what other sellers are saying but all recommendations are based on our own personal experiences) :
- Every A2Z should be reviewed by a competent human before being closed. Why bother taking the time to gather evidence putting a justified appeal together only to have a BOT deny the claim minutes later?
- Have Amazon follow their own policies regarding a to z claims regarding the 48 hr contact window. JPart2 said it best... Have Amazon follow their own policies regarding a to z claims regarding the 48 hr contact window, and no auto approvals without humans looking into the buyer-seller conversation and case. It should not be a hit first, then appeal system. That's guilty until proven innocent.
- Constantly siding with the customer when they return old, damaged products in the new box then opening (and winning) an A-Z claim when the refund is denied
- When assessing these appeals do your BOTS take into consideration the seller's history or the number of times a buyer has filed a claim? Your company seems to side with the buyer in almost all instances. Who is more likely to be the scammer? The seller who ships thousands of items a year with a 4.5 star rating or the customer who has filed 5 claims in the past year to get "free stuff"?
- No claim, either initial claim or appeal should be granted without a HUMAN perusing any email chain between the buyer & seller. There is frequently evidence in these emails that support the seller. We have on more than occasion requested on appeal in these cases to someone check the email history to no avail.
- If a signature is obtained by any person at the address that appears on the packing slip that should be considered as "delivered with signature" (if delivered by an approved carrier). Allowing customers to say "its not my signature" is another way scammers take advantage of the system.
Seller_9YP7YHagiaxYP
The customer shouldn't be able to file a claim if the return is in transit.
Seller_McsU5Q4ziB8Rg
I don't think even the a to z team can win a to z. Even if you claim otherwise, the system is completely in the hands of robots. When finalizing a to z, it is processed in a second, but when we object to it, we go through a rejection process that takes weeks. It already takes 60 days for an a to z to affect the account. It would be better for everyone to examine these requests with a more professional team. oh I forgot, if possible, you need to get solution-oriented people who will not remind us of amazon policies. because there is no seller who does not know these policies.
Seller_V3f891hGmHY3W
For high-price product A-Z claims, Amazon should make fairer rulings rather than just basing on whether the customer returned it or not. For returns that are clearly due to customer-caused reasons (such as bought by mistake, no longer needed, etc.), the customer should be held accountable instead of siding exclusively with the buyer and demanding a full refund from the seller. This is unfair to sellers and discourages sellers from selling products on Amazon.
Seller_I243tlANJDFaQ
The main issue we have with A to Z are as follows:
1. Items with a signature should not be refunded except when the customer can prove the item was miss delivered. Sellers should not have to prove the customer is being dishonest. We have lost A to Z claims for large losses because a family member signed for the item and not the customer on the order. Purolator's policy is any family member at the correct address can sign and this is reasonable with everyone except bad actors.
2. When there is photo graphic proof of delivery and the house matches google maps, the A to Z team needs to push back and at the very least flag customers. Our experience with a decent volume of orders has been theft is almost non existent and it is more likely by a factor of 10 the item was moved by a household member or it is fraud. Customers need to get the message fraud will not be as easy as jumping on with the chatbot and asking for a refund. Most dishonest people will not continue the act if they are given some resistance.
3. A to Z claims should not be allowed when a return request has been asked for and granted. If the customer can return the item, they need to to do so and then A to Z can be an avenue if there is an issue with the return/ refund. Amazon should also not allow claims until 72 hours from the return of the delivery. Sellers can not do returns the minute the item is dropped off from the courier and require 48 to 72 hrs to refund the customers. We get claims often with in hours of the item being delivered to our location asking why it has not been refunded....A to Z claims on refunds with in 48 hrs of return to the seller should not affect ODR when they are refunded.
4. If Amazon is willing to spend money to keep customers happy that is your business model. Please do not spend sellers money when customers are making unfair and unreasonable claims. If Amazon wants to approve questionable claims and fund it them selves I think this encourages fraud, but it is better than trying to get a seller to pay the bill.
5. Many sellers have noted A to Z claims are meant to settle claims where the seller and the buyer can not come to agreement. If the buyer has not contacted the seller, there is no justification to file a clam. Amazon should encourage customers to contact sellers first and if sellers are not providing customer service then those sellers should be penalized.
6. Be consistent so sellers know what is expected, having too many rules that counter other rules and always finding a loop hole for customers to get a refund is frustrating. Make the process clearer so sellers know they are taking risks without signatures but also should be confident a picture of the correct address carries some weight to show the package was delivered. If an item actually got stolen we are happy to help the customer with a second shipment. I think this happens about 0.01% of the time vs. items being misplaced or fraud is closer to 1-2%.
We appreciate the effort to make things better as you can see this facet of Amazon's business is causing stress and frustration to the platform users.
Amazon should consider a sellers advisory panel so sellers feel they have a voice.
Hope that helps
Jason
Konquer Motorcycles
Seller_jkytlOaIXFuqf
Amazon does not want to solve it. I can't help.
Seller_F0vWfrwVpZ8w6
@Christine_Amazon @SEAmod @Tatiana_Amazon @Ka_Amazon
@Robin_Amazon @Cian_Amazon @Tiff_Amazon @Glenn_Amazon @Miguel_Amazon @Cooper_Amazon @Ricardo_Amazon
For improving A-to-z claim experience, here are my suggestions.
I think the same standard should apply for Item Not Received (INR) claim.
For FBA, when buyer claims item non-received claim (INR), Amazon has proof of photo as delivery, Amazon considers it as delivered and denies non-receipt claims. However, Amazon accepts non-receipt claim from buyer for FBM when seller provides photo as proof of delivery. Amazon only accepts signature which is a double standard.
In addition, for FBA, Amazon requests buyer to file police report to initiate item non-received claim, however, this is NOT the case for FBM. Amazon should request buyer to file police report for any non-received claim if the tracking shows as delivered.
Better training for Amazon staff. I have seen most staff who decides A-to-z claim are poorly trained and does not know the Amazon's policy on return.
Way to report abusive buyer. Currently, Amazon does NOT have any method to report abusive buyer. I have been ask to go to sellercentral and do abuse-submission.
#1 there is no option to report abusive buyer: where it be fraudulent return (product substitution) or falsely claiming to not received to get free product.
#2. The textbox to report is VERY VERY limited in terms of number of words you can fit in and it is impossible to provide full details.
#3. I have been told to select "An abuse issue that is not addressed by the other topics in this menu" as there is no option for abusive buyer but I get an email stating that this is NOT correct way to submit buyer abuse case. "Thank you for your submission. This is not the correct channel to dispute a Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) return or refund. FBA provides fulfillment and customer service for your orders, including processing customer returns and granting refunds."
Please see screenshot here
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