Over the years, Amazon has earned millions of satisfied customers by being responsive to customer concerns and taking quick action to resolve issues. Through the Amazon Marketplace Transaction Guarantee Program, we enable all sellers of goods and services on the platform to earn this valuable trust from buyers. Although most customers will not need to use this compensation plan, for those who do, this protection plan gives us the opportunity to regain customers' confidence and trust in shopping from Amazon's vast number of sellers.
Note: You are responsible for the returns and refund process. If you do not respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim, you will be held liable.
Amazon offers a guarantee for purchases made through the Amazon website. Please refer to the A-to-z Guarantee Claims Program for information about the policy that customers see on Amazon. However, we encourage buyers to contact the seller before filing a claim to try to resolve any issues.
Reasons for making a claim
Buyers may file an A-to-z Guarantee claim for any of the following reasons:
commodity
[Order not received]: The items in the order were never delivered or were delivered after the estimated delivery date. For more information, see A-to-z Guarantee: Order not received.
[The product does not match the description:] The product received by the buyer is seriously different from the product stated on the product details page. This includes merchandise that arrives damaged, defective, misclassified, misdescribed, or missing parts. Amazon makes the final determination as to whether there are material discrepancies between the products.
No Refund for Returned Item: The buyer returned the item, but the seller did not issue a refund.
Return Rejection: The seller refuses to accept a return request that complies with the applicable Amazon return policy.
Serve
[Service does not match description:] There are significant differences between the service and the service stated on the product details page. Amazon will make the final determination as to whether there is a material difference in the services provided.
Poor Service Quality: The buyer is dissatisfied with the level of service provided or the buyer's property is damaged.
Time frame for filing a claim
Claims can be made within the timeframes described below:
commodity
Buyer may file a claim as early as 3 calendar days after the estimated latest delivery date or 30 days after the order date, whichever is earlier.
Buyers have 90 days from the estimated latest delivery date to file a claim. However, Amazon reserves the right to accept claims later than this time frame if we find that the matter warrants investigation.
Serve
Buyers may file a claim up to 90 days after the service date. Amazon reserves the right to accept claims later than this time frame if we find that the matter warrants investigation.
Reply to claim
If the claim has not yet been approved, you can resolve the claim immediately by issuing a full refund to the buyer. Otherwise, you should respond promptly stating your side of the claim.
If you do not respond to the claim email notification within 7 days of the date the claim was filed, Amazon will approve the buyer's claim and debit your seller account for the full claim amount in accordance with your seller agreement. For more information on making your case, see Making Your Case for an A-to-z Guarantee Claim.
In some cases, Amazon will reimburse the buyer immediately after receiving a claim, even though the investigation has not yet been concluded. If the claim has not yet been approved, it is still very important for you to file a response and state your case. If your claim has been approved but you disagree with it, you can file an appeal.
Reply to claim
Amazon reserves the right to charge sellers for reimbursed claims.
For more information on making your case, see Making Your Case in an A-to-z Guarantee Claim. If you do not respond to the claim email notification within 7 days of the claim filing date, Amazon will approve the buyer's claim and debit your seller account for the full claim amount in accordance with your seller agreement.
When we debit your seller account for a claim, the deduction will appear on your payment report:
If you upload data using XML, the deduction will appear in the Other Transactions field.
If you enter data using a text file, the deduction will appear in the Other Charges field.
Buyer withdraws claim
Buyers may withdraw an A-to-z Guarantee claim at any time before the claim is resolved. To learn how a buyer can withdraw an A-to-z Guarantee claim, see Withdraw a claim.
If a buyer wishes to withdraw an A-to-z Guarantee claim after the claim has been approved or a refund has been issued by the seller, the buyer must contact [email protected] with the order ID and must allow Amazon to recharge the order to their credit card.
If the buyer completes this action, Amazon will re-debit the order and then deposit the funds into the seller's account.
Preventing claims
To avoid claims and credit card chargebacks, follow these best practices:
all
Respond to buyer's emails: We encourage buyers to contact the seller to try to resolve any issues before filing a claim. We have seen claims against otherwise well-performing sellers for failing to respond to buyers’ emails within a reasonable time frame.
Proactive refunds: Promptly investigate issues reported by buyers and refund buyers when appropriate, which can help avoid claims. If the problem is handled in the above manner, the possibility of buyers filing a claim will be reduced.
commodity
Describe the product accurately and provide clear images: This removes ambiguity in what the buyer can expect from the product. Each unit must be matched to the correct ASIN and must be assigned the correct condition according to our condition guidelines. For example, it would be inappropriate to publish a 3rd edition textbook as a 4th edition, and an attempt should be made to explain the difference in the product description or condition statement.
Ship with care: Package carefully, provide tracking information, and require the buyer's signature to confirm receipt.
Confirm shipment and provide tracking information: Confirm the order immediately after it is shipped and provide tracking information to Amazon. After you confirm shipment, Amazon sends the buyer a shipping confirmation email with any tracking number you provided.
Note: Amazon requires sellers to provide tracking information for 95% of orders, but there are individual exceptions. Once shipment is confirmed, Amazon sends the buyer a shipping confirmation email with any tracking number you provided.
Cancel any out-of-stock orders promptly: Notify the buyer via email why you are canceling their order to avoid them having to wait for the item to arrive. You should make every effort to minimize the number of A-to-z Guarantee claims filed against you. Sellers with too many warranty claims and/or service chargebacks may risk warnings, suspension, or account closure.
Serve
Confirm appointment: Use the buyer-seller messaging tool to confirm the appointment. For helpful information, see Scheduling Service.
Perform the service as outlined on the detail page: Make sure you complete all tasks, including everything listed on the service details page. When services are completed, ensure the buyer signs the Proof of Service document.
Solve the buyer's service quality issues: Remediate the buyer's quality issues free of charge. Taking a few minutes to address these situations can win buyers long-term patronage.
Amazon Marketplace Transaction Guarantee Explained
Amazon-to-z Guarantee claim: Order not received
