Handling Post-Order Problems

The majority of end-of-year sales on Amazon.co.uk go well, but occasionally you may encounter a problem.  Let’s look at some of the most common things that could go wrong with an order and the ways to handle them.  

The buyer has made a mistake with an order and wants to fix it.

Here are the most common things buyers may ask you to do to fix an order and how you can respond:

Cancel the order.

• If you have not yet dispatched the order, you can cancel it.  Buyers only have a 30-minute window to cancel their own orders, but you can cancel them up until the time you dispatch them.
• If you have already dispatched the order, you can't cancel it, but you can ask the buyer to return it for a refund. It's best to wait until you have the item in hand again before you refund the buyer.

Upgrade the shipping.

• If you have not yet dispatched the order, it is up to you to decide whether to upgrade the delivery at the buyer’s request.  Sellers aren't obliged to provide a service that a buyer hasn't paid for or to accept promises of future reimbursement from buyers (sellers can't invoice buyers for extra costs, including postage).
• If you have already dispatched the order, provide the buyer with information about the delivery method you used, give them a realistic timeframe for delivery, and ask them to be patient.

Dispatch the order to a different address.

• If you have not yet dispatched the order, and the buyer says they cannot receive the order at the address they provided originally, you should cancel the order. The buyer can place a new order with you on Amazon.co.uk  using the correct address.  Amazon policy requires sellers to dispatch only to the address provided in their Seller Account.
• If you have already dispatched the order, and the buyer states that they won't receive the package at the address they provided, it may still be possible for them to get the package re-routed if they know the recipients. Undeliverable packages should be routed back to you and you can then refund the buyer.  Since there will be extra routing steps, the best course here is to ask the buyer to be patient.

Festive Season Selling Tip: Pack with Care

Many of the orders placed in the weeks before Christmas are intended as presents. Buyers not only expect to receive them on time, but also in excellent condition. Having to return items that got damaged in transit would not be a good buying experience at any time of the year – and even less so during the festive season, as it might mean that the buyer won’t have the item in time for the  gift-giving on Christmas Day.

Make sure buying from you becomes an entirely positive experience for the customer:

• When sending fragile items through the post, it's essential to package them carefully using bubble wrap or polystyrene chips (both of which are available from any Post Office).
• If the product is fragile we recommend you use a Fragile sticker (also available from any Post Office) or mark the package clearly.
• Put your item in its original box (if you still have it), then put it in a slightly larger box and fill out the gap with paper, polystyrene or cardboard. Shake the box and add more packaging if there's movement.

Learn more about our packaging guidelines.

Testimonial from French Seller Cinereplicas – Generate a maximum of sales with a minimum of effort

 

Cinereplicas, a French company, was created in 2005 and has fewer than 10 employees. They specialize in presents and collectable items and when they started selling on Amazon in 2007 they were able to double their sales thanks, they say in part, to Amazon. In 2008 they signed up for the Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) programme, the first French merchant to do so.

The managing director, Fabrice Bensoussan explains that the FBA programme is well conceived and very clear; Amazon provided a good explanation about how it worked. The programme is easy to use and, since being an FBA seller, Cinereplicas has been able to increase their turnover by 50 percent. 

Cinereplicas currently works with eight sales channels and intends to use Multi-Channel Fulfilment going forward, thus being able to scale back its logistic activity.

Mr. Bensoussan summed up the benefits of FBA in one sentence, ‘Generate a maximum of sales with a minimum of effort'.

To check out other FBA merchant testimonials please click here.

 

Returns/A-z Claims/chargebacks

For most sellers, A-to-z Guarantee claims and service chargebacks are a rare occurrence. However, when they do occur, please make sure that you take appropriate action to resolve them promptly. Here are some situations when you may need to refund, accept returns or cancel orders:

• You can't fulfil an order or part of an order.
• The customer doesn't receive your order.
• The customer returns an item.
• The customer files a credit card chargeback or an A-to-z Guarantee Claim.
• The customer requests that you cancel an order.
• The buyer is unable to receive the order at the address provided.

Learn more about Refunds, Returns & Cancellations.

To help prevent being held responsible for the reimbursement of a claim, follow our Community Rules when listing, selling and dispatching your items, and document shipment to the buyer and their receipt of the correct item. Check your A-to-z Guarantee claim pages daily, and proactively resolve any issues.

For more information, read about A-to-z Guarantee claims and chargebacks.

Dealing with negative feedback

When you sell at Amazon.co.uk, it’s your responsibility to work with the buyer to resolve any differences. Communication is usually the key--simply explaining a delay or reassuring a buyer puts most issues to rest.

But sometimes an order results in the seller receiving negative feedback from the buyer. If you receive a feedback comment that you are not happy with, we encourage you to contact your buyer, and work with them to resolve any issues regarding the transaction. Your buyer could then remove the feedback if they feel it would be appropriate.

Amazon will remove feedback only in the following cases:

* The feedback includes obscene language.
* The feedback includes personally identifiable information.
* The entire feedback comment is a product review.
* The entire feedback comment is regarding fulfilment or customer service for an order fulfilled by Amazon.

Remember that providing good customer service is the best way to avoid receiving negative feedback. Read our suggestions on how to distinguish yourself as a seller who cares about customer satisfaction.