Most major retailers have a detailed return policy to ensure customer satisfaction without compromising profit.
If you shop on Amazon, you probably want the option of returning items. So what is the Amazon return warning about returning too many items and getting banned? I wanted to know, so I looked into it, and here’s the scoop!
What Is Amazon’s Return Warning?
Amazon has a 30-day return policy on most items, but the retailer monitors returns for customer satisfaction and seller protection. Additionally, Amazon may send a written notice if you return too many items, although the number of returns varies on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if almost all of your Amazon shipments require a return/refund, Amazon may find this suspicious and limit your returns.
Keep reading to find out more about Amazon returns and how to avoid issues when returning items to this leading e-commerce retailer!
What Happens If You Return Too Many Items To Amazon?
Amazon has a generous 30-day global store return policy that applies to the vast majority of items, except for some goods from third-party sellers or perishable products.
Unfortunately, sometimes this return policy is seemingly taken advantage of, and that’s when Amazon steps in to prevent shoppers from abusing its fairly flexible approach to returns.
If you return a lot of items to Amazon, you may receive a warning from Amazon reminding you of the store’s return policies and the retailer’s ability to limit or ban your account at their discretion.
This message typically states that Amazon has observed an unusually high rate of issues with orders and requested returns. Amazon also notes that they evaluate each account individually and may close your account if required.
If you plan on shopping with Amazon for many years to come and want to avoid disruption to your shopping and subscriptions, then it’s best to only return items to Amazon when there’s truly an issue.
What Are Amazon Return Limits?
Unfortunately, Amazon does not publicly state its return limits. While this limit is not specified, it’s safe to say that Amazon will take notice of shoppers who return something with nearly every order.
If you make around 5-10 returns a month or even more, you may want to be on the lookout for a warning from Amazon. Many shoppers report receiving a warning or even being banned if more than 10% of their orders result in a return.
Another reason why Amazon may send a reminder of the return policy is if the value of returned items is higher than the items you purchased and kept.
If Amazon is essentially losing money on your transactions, but you appear to be a relatively regular customer, it makes sense for the retailer to follow it up.
So If you do receive a reminder from Amazon on the return policy, it’s best to cut back on your returns for the time being.
How Does Amazon Check Returns?
If you return one or two items to Amazon, it’s unlikely they will take a close look just because there are millions of transactions happening every day.
However, if you are regularly returning items to Amazon and getting refunds, staff may take notice and check your account activity.
This is especially true if more than 10% of your orders are returned or if you regularly contact Amazon for help with returns and refunds.
Remember that Amazon associates can see all of your account activity, so if you are ordering numerous items just to send them back a few days later, this may eventually appear suspicious.
Most of the time, there are valid reasons for returns, whether it’s that you don’t need the item anymore or you bought the wrong one, and if you can explain that to Amazon, your account shouldn’t be banned.
Can Amazon Ban Your Account For Too Many Returns?
Amazon doesn’t want to lose any customers unless it really has to. Most of the time, a warning about too many returns is enough to keep shoppers from going overboard.
However, Amazon may use its discretion on a case-by-case basis to occasionally ban shoppers from Amazon if they are abusing the return policy.
This usually only occurs when more than 10% of all purchased items are returned, and the customer provides little evidence of actual problems with any of the products.
While it’s true that sometimes shoppers just change their minds, Amazon, like any other retailer out there, does not want to cover the costs of constant returns.
That’s why it’s important to have photo proof and an explanation for your returns, especially if you have made multiple returns in a short period of time.
Amazon will contact you to let you know if your account is at risk of being banned or if it is shut down after repeated policy violations. You can read through the full return policy on Amazon’s website to give you a better idea of the company’s expectations and exceptions.
Keep in mind that, if Amazon bans you from shopping on their site, access to linked Amazon Associates or Amazon Seller accounts will also be removed. If you are affiliated with Amazon or selling items through Amazon Marketplace, make sure you are careful with how much your return.
Can You Contact Amazon If You Have Issues With Returns?
Sometimes, you may have genuine issues with Amazon products and orders. If you think Amazon has made a mistake by warning you about too many returns, you should contact the company and let them know.
Take pictures of damaged deliveries or items that are different from what you ordered. If you have a reasonable explanation to back you up, Amazon is less likely to take action, like canceling your account.
Reply to the Amazon email notification and explain the reasoning for your returns. The Amazon associate will likely take a closer look just to ensure there’s nothing else they can do to help with mistaken orders or faulty products.
If you do think you’ve gone overboard on Amazon returns, you may wish to respond to Amazon acknowledging their concerns and stating you will be more careful while shopping in the future. If you can keep the return rate at less than 10%, you shouldn’t have any more trouble.
To find out more about Amazon returns, you can also check our related articles on the Amazon return policy after 30 days, the Amazon drone return policy, and what does Amazon does with returns.
Conclusion
Amazon has a generous 30-day return policy on most items, and some products have an even longer return policy. However, the e-commerce retailer does monitor returns and refunds to ensure customer and merchant satisfaction.
While there is no given number of returns that Amazon lists as suspicious, generally, most shoppers who return 5-10 orders to Amazon a month may eventually get a warning.
If Amazon suspects suspicious return activity on your account, you will receive an email reminding you of the store’s return policies. If the activity continues, Amazon reserves the right to limit returns or shut down your account altogether.
That’s why it’s best to only return items when you really need to and avoid returning entire shipments, opting to send back just individual products instead.
