Amazon A-to-z Guarantee Policy for Sellers

The following policy applies to the purchases made on third-party sites using Amazon Payments.

The Amazon A-to-z Guarantee provides buyers with an opportunity to obtain a full reimbursement for their purchase or cancel their authorized payment if they are not satisfied with a purchase made on a third-party site using Amazon Payments.

The vast majority of buyers will never need this program, but for those who do, the guarantee gives us a chance to provide confidence and trust when they shop with of sellers who use our service.

When can a buyer file an A-to-z claim for an Amazon Payments transaction?

Buyers can file an A-to-z Guarantee claim when one of the following conditions applies:

• They did not receive an item
• They received the item later than the maximum estimated delivery date provided by you
• They received the item but it was defective, damaged, had missing parts, or not the item depicted in your description
• They returned the item as per their agreement with you but you did not provide the agreed-upon reimbursement after receiving the item
• You are not accepting the return of the item in accordance with the return policy posted on your website
• They believe that you charged an amount greater than the amount authorized for the purchase

To view the A-to-z Guarantee information that buyers see on the Amazon Payments website, see Amazon A-to-z Guarantee.

How do I view and manage my claims?

For every claim, Amazon Payments sends you an email with details, and requests a response, giving you an opportunity to represent your side of the issue. You can respond to a claim by replying to the email claim notification with the requested information. You can also manage your claims proactively by visiting the A-to-Z Claims page under the Performance tab in Seller Central.

What are my obligations once a claim is filed?

1. You have 5 business days to respond to Amazon Payment’s notification, but the best practice is to reply immediately. Within this period you can issue a refund to the buyer or represent your case to Amazon Payments. If the item has not yet been dispatched, you can cancel that portion of the order. If you do not respond within this time frame, we will automatically assign the claim to you. For assigned claims, we will reimburse the buyer and debit your Seller Account or cancel any future payment, as applicable.


2. For an "Item Not Received" or "Item Received Late" claim, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to Amazon Payments' email. You should also provide the following information:
• A verifiable shipment tracking number, or proof of dispatch date, carrier, method, and class if dispatched via a non-traceable method;
• Copy of the email provided to the buyer that indicated the delivery estimate(s);
• Copy of the receipt or order confirmation email you sent to the buyer that shows the date of purchase, delivery address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and for each item, its description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, its condition;
• Details of any communication you had with the buyer outside of the Amazon Payments communication manager.


3. For "Materially Different" claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to Amazon Payments' email. You should also provide the following information:
• Copy of the receipt or order confirmation e-mails you sent to the buyer that displays the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and for each item, its description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, its condition;
• Description of the disputed item and URL of the detail page where the disputed item is listed; and,
• Details of any communication you had with the buyer outside of the Amazon Payments communication manager.


4. For "Returns" or "Refund" related claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to Amazon Payments’ email. You should also provide the following information:
• Copy of the receipt or order confirmation emails you sent to the buyer that displays the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and for each item, its description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, its condition;
• URL of the page where your describe your returns policy and returns address;
• Copy of the return label provided to the buyer, if any; and,
• Details of any communication you had with the buyer outside of the Amazon Payments communication manager.


5. For "Charged more than expected" claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to email from Amazon Payments. You should also provide the following information:
• Copy of the receipt or order confirmation emails you sent to the buyer that displays the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and for each item, its description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, its condition; and,
• Details of any communication you had with the buyer outside of Amazon Payments communication manager.

If you fail to provide a sufficient response to the claim, violate the Amazon Payments User Agreement or if we determine you were at fault, we will reimburse the buyer and debit your Seller account for the amount of that refund, including item price, tax, and shipping. We may also cancel any future payment for the disputed order, if applicable. Any fees that you have paid on the relevant transaction will be credited back to your Seller Account.

Do buyers see the information I provide to Amazon Payments to investigate a claim?

Buyers do not see comments provided by you in the representation form or in response to our email; they are sent only to Amazon Payments investigators. Buyers can see the comments that you made under the “Contact Buyer” page on the A-to-z claims page.

How do A-to-z Claims affect my Seller account?

A-to-z guarantee affects your Order Defect Rate which is used to calculate your reserve. For more details, see our Reserve Policy page on the payments.amazon.co.uk website. Excessive A-to-z guarantee claims can lead to warnings, suspensions, or account termination. You should take care to minimize the number of claims granted against you on your account. Issuing refund is the easiest way to resolve the issue.

How does Amazon Payments prevent buyer from filing both an A-to-z claim and chargeback?

Amazon Payments denies an A-to-z claim under review once we receive a chargeback from the credit card issuer. If the A-to-z claim is already granted to the buyer for the full amount of the transaction before Amazon Payments receives a chargeback, we will represent the chargeback to the issuing bank.

How does Amazon Payments handle an A-to-z claim when I have already issued a refund?

Amazon Payments denies an A-to-z claim if you have already issued a full refund for the items in question. In order for Amazon Payments to track the refund, you must issue the refund through us and provide us necessary information.

If you have resolved the issue with the buyer outside of our knowledge and Amazon Payments has granted the claim to the buyer, Amazon Payments cannot guarantee recovery of funds. In such a case, you should summarise the resolution and send it to the buyer. You must send this communication from the Communications Manager in Seller Central.

You can also ask the buyer to reverse the A-to-z claim by informing them to do the following:

1. On the Amazon Payments website, go to Your Account.
2. On the overview page, find the order or transaction.
3. To view the transaction details, click the details link
4. Click View/File Claim to view the claim details
5. Click the Withdraw claim against the claim they want to withdraw

If the buyer follows through with this action, the order will be recharged and your account subsequently credited.

How can I appeal a claim granted against me?

If the claim is decided against you, you have up to 30 calendar days to appeal that decision in Seller Central. During the appeals process, Amazon Payments may request additional details from you about the transactions. If the decision is reversed by Amazon Payments, your account will be credited.

What if I have additional questions?

If you have more questions about the Amazon A-to-z Guarantee, contact us.