In this blog, we’re going to talk about Amazon customer returns, specifically how to find out why customers have returned your products and what you should be looking at when reviewing them.
Returns are part of the game. If you sell enough volume, you will get returns. The key is not trying to eliminate them completely, because that is unrealistic, the key is understanding them, tracking them, and knowing when you should be reimbursed and when you are liable.
Most of the time, customers do not go into huge detail about why they have returned an item, however, Amazon does usually assign a return reason, and this is where you can get useful insight. The issue is that many sellers do not actually know where to find this report because it is not obvious inside Seller Central.
Why Return Reasons Matter
Understanding return reasons helps you in several ways.
Firstly, it allows you to spot patterns. If multiple customers are returning an item for the same reason, for example “not as described” or “defective”, you may need to product and purchasing going forward.
Secondly, it helps you identify liability. This is important financially, If a return is marked as customer damaged, you are usually liable. If it is marked as carrier damaged, Amazon is typically responsible and you may be eligible for reimbursement.
If you are not checking this properly, you could be losing money without realising it.
Where To Find The Return Information
A lot of sellers struggle with this because it is slightly hidden away. See Link Below:
https://sellercentral.amazon.co.uk/fba/returns
This is where you will normally see the customer return reason that Amazon has logged.
Sometimes the customer will also leave a comment explaining why they returned the item. Not always, but when they do, it can give you extra clarity, especially if you are trying to understand whether it was genuine damage, buyer’s remorse, or a listing issue.
Customer Damaged vs Carrier Damaged
If the return is marked as customer damaged, you are generally responsible. That means you will not receive reimbursement, and you may have to absorb the loss if the item cannot be resold.
If it is marked as carrier damaged, that is different. In this case, Amazon or the delivery carrier is responsible, and you should be checking whether you are eligible for reimbursement. A lot of sellers miss reimbursements simply because they are not reviewing this properly. You can check this by following the below steps.
This will show you Amazons reimbursement amount for the item that’s been reimbursed.
Final Thoughts
Returns are unavoidable in Amazon FBA, but being unaware of them is important. You should regularly review return reasons, look at patterns, check liability and make sure you are not missing reimbursements. This small admin task can save you a significant amount of money over the course of a year. Once you understand where to find the report and what to look for, it becomes part of your normal operational routine rather than something that catches you off guard.
