Customers are taking advantage of replacement policies to commit fraud
Can a customer still get a refund on the original order after getting replacement items? This is fraud!
I reviewed my refund orders in the past 3 months and found that the status of 4 orders was "Return Not Expected" (other return orders were Returned to inventory or Return Started). At the same time, replacement orders were applied for these 4 orders.
Then I checked the reimbursement report, and there was no reimbursement for these 4 orders.
I opened a case, and the seller support team told me that it had actually been returned to stock.
For the original order, the items have been returned without reimbursement; for the replacement order, this replacement order is free for the customer and no forward side payment transactions exist on this order.
Does that mean that customers can apply for a replacement, get a refund after getting the item, and get it for free? I even don’t know why the customers are not satisfied with the former items!
Of my 4 replacement orders, the dates are 2 from the original order and the 4th days, 2 of them are the 2nd day.
ISN’T THIS FRAUD?
THIS IS FRAUD!
I checked the replacement orders from a longer time ago, and found that quite a few of them were like this: after getting the replacement items, they still got a refund!
After the items of the original order were returned, regardless of whether they were sellable or not, I did not receive any income or reimbursement, but I lost the items of the replacement order!
Customers are taking advantage of replacement policies to commit fraud
Can a customer still get a refund on the original order after getting replacement items? This is fraud!
I reviewed my refund orders in the past 3 months and found that the status of 4 orders was "Return Not Expected" (other return orders were Returned to inventory or Return Started). At the same time, replacement orders were applied for these 4 orders.
Then I checked the reimbursement report, and there was no reimbursement for these 4 orders.
I opened a case, and the seller support team told me that it had actually been returned to stock.
For the original order, the items have been returned without reimbursement; for the replacement order, this replacement order is free for the customer and no forward side payment transactions exist on this order.
Does that mean that customers can apply for a replacement, get a refund after getting the item, and get it for free? I even don’t know why the customers are not satisfied with the former items!
Of my 4 replacement orders, the dates are 2 from the original order and the 4th days, 2 of them are the 2nd day.
ISN’T THIS FRAUD?
THIS IS FRAUD!
I checked the replacement orders from a longer time ago, and found that quite a few of them were like this: after getting the replacement items, they still got a refund!
After the items of the original order were returned, regardless of whether they were sellable or not, I did not receive any income or reimbursement, but I lost the items of the replacement order!
0 replies
Seller_4zBzdtgCyS9EI
If a buyer does not return the to be replaced product, they will be recharged.
Seller_JeS3oqSV8GcwM
I checked my returns with replacement orders. I confirm the problem. No... THE PROBLEM. Replacement orders are completely broken because customers get a refund and a replacement order without malicious intent.
All returns with replacement orders are similar to this:
Refund Total Value: $49.82
Resolution: Replacement
Return requested 12/01/2023, shipped, received
Replacement order received 12/01/2023, shipped, delivered
Transactions 12/21/2023 - Released - Refund -$47.00
Customers handled returns with honesty and on time. No A-to-z claims.
File a SAFE-T Claim
"This order is not eligible for a SAFE-T claim because you have issued a refund to the customer. Only refunds issued to customers by Amazon, on behalf of sellers, are eligible for reimbursement."
Chat with Amazon seller support
Me: Why Amazon grants replacement orders AND refund for returns?
Amz: You can file a claim using the help page https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/202175000
Me: SAFE-T says "This order is not eligible for a SAFE-T claim because you have issued a refund to the customer. Only refunds issued to customers by Amazon, on behalf of sellers, are eligible for reimbursement."
Amz: Also, you can retro charge the buyer for the refunded order. With the buyer's approval, a previously refunded order can be retro-charged.
Me: this is new. how?
Amz: You can request that the buyer contact Amazon Customer Service by phone to give Amazon a new authorization to charge their credit card for the cancelled order.
Me: It's not realistic. customers will not spend their time to lose money
Amz: Please request the buyer to contact the customer service or You can contact the customer service to contact the buyer and charge them. The customer service team will contact the buyer and will retro charge them.
Me: But how is that possible?? Why Amazon is doing this? Sellers write on sellercentral forum this affects all replacement orders of all sellers
Amz: You can request the buyer to contact Amazon Customer Service by phone to give Amazon a new authorization to charge their credit card for the already refunded order. or you can contact the customer service through buyer account and let them contact the buyer and then retro charge them.
Me: I will not request anything from a buyer.
Amz: Please contact customer service team from your buyer account. The customer service team can contact the buyer.
Me: my initial questions is: Why Amazon grants replacement orders AND refund for returns? How to prevent it in future?
Amz: If the buyer request for a refund the customer service team as a goodwill refunds the buyer.
Me: the buyer does not request for a refund. Refund is issued automatically for returns
Amz: The buyer directly contacts the customer service team for refund
Me: why SAFE-T rejects this order? "This order is not eligible for a SAFE-T claim because you have issued a refund to the customer. Only refunds issued to customers by Amazon, on behalf of sellers, are eligible for reimbursement."
Amz: As per above This order is not eligible for a SAFE-T claim because you have issued a refund to the customer. Only refunds issued to customers by Amazon, on behalf of sellers, are eligible for reimbursement.
Me: Who issued refund for this order?
Amz: We are unable to find these details. you can contact customer service and they will be able to give you more details on the refund.
Me: I kindly ask you to escalate this case due to inconsistencies in given information
Amz: you can contact customer service and they will be able to give you more details on the refund
Me: This problem is addressed to seller support
Amz: Regarding the refund the customer service team will be able to assist
Me: My problem relates to SAFE-T and replacement orders. Customer support has no clue what is it
Amz: This order xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx has been refunded from your account
Me: by whom?
Amz: A Standard Refund was issued through Seller Central. Out internal tools show that it was refunded from your account. Hence This order is not eligible for a SAFE-T claim because you have issued a refund to the customer.
Me: Please escalate this case.
Amz: As already mentioned the order has been refunded from your account.
Me: This is an error of your tool. That's a reason of escalating
Amz: Our tools provide exact information
Me: Do you reject escalating?
Amz: As I have provided all the information regarding the order, if there is anything else you can let me know
Seller_aUbEyzlSSnsDJ
We refund when we receive the item back. If the replace order comes before the return, we cancel the replace. If the customer wants to know why, we tell them to reorder after they receive the refund. Works for us we just had 3.
Seller_ZauCYxA48vnYr
NEVER SEND A REPLACEMENT.
Refund the Customer, apologize and then ask them to re-order. If they are HONEST, they will. If they are LOOKING TO SCAM YOU, they will NOT REORDER.
This - among other schemes - happens to us all the time and AMZ does NOTHING to help protect us from the THIEVES amongst their customers. It is a HUGE systemic issue that AMZ has avoided fixing for as long as they've allowed 3rd party sellers on their platform.
Seller_TyNPnzv9SaYa3
"friendly fraud" is killing retail. The media is obsessed with shoplifters, when that is mostly hype promoted by failing chain retailers.
Friendly Fraud is the kind of fraud from people who would NEVER consider shoplifting or physical theft, but see no problem with buying an item and then demand a refund because the box was smudged or it arrived 1 day late.
Or buying an item to replace a missing part on the item they own and then returning the new item minus the missing part (like a remote).
Or "free" product rental . My co-worker does that often with camping gear - I don't even bother call him out any more because he does not care, he feels he is "savvy"
Or claiming an item is defective because a week after they ordered it, they found it somewhere else for $10 less.
Amazon is not even the worse. Other MP like W...mart will only reimburse sellers 20% if even if the item is trashed. They are even promoting a program now where buyers can return items to them, they give the seller 20%, but seller does not have to pay for return shipping and they "liquidate" the item (ie sell it for 10% off in store).
Allowing fraud is policy now.
Seller_QtqUOx5yvAJHy
I sold sharper image and customers would take advantage of no returns policy because of batteries so instead returning perfectly good units they would say it never arrived keep the item and get refunded ive sent proof to amazon about items being delivered but they do not care!
Seller_ylZJOLJTPooOe
This is the problem with selling on this platform. The infallible administration has given a green light for scamming. Our latest hit was a $600 order, which buyer a-zed with the comment "didn't arrive". USPS confirms that package was placed in a locker with which the buyer was given the key. No communication. Only the notification that the claim was approved. authoritarian justice.
