@Online_Best_Digital (Online_Best_Digital) posted a new topic, subject "Don't send replacement unless they ask for it first". It read:

   We sent the wrong item to customer due to some discrepancy in the stock and a replacement was sent to rectify the mistake. As the customer wanted to return the original item, they issued a “wrong item sent” request to get a return label send back to seller.  
    Amazon automatically refunded the customer due to it a being a claim, filed for SAFE T Claim to plead our case and was denied reason stated “There is no replacement request from the customer via the Online Return Center for order xxx-xxxxxx-xxx. Only Free Replacement orders that are requested by the customer via the Online Return Center are eligible for a SAFE-T claim.”  
    Amazon has no interest in doing the right thing for FBM sellers, their policy is the law. A costly lesson learned, do not send replacement unless there is a policy requesting for one. Either way you will still get a negative account score.
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After which, @HDMS (HDMS) added

    Prior to the change to the return system Amazon never recognized replacements for 3P sellers. Since the change they will only recognize them if the buyer requested replacement instead of return through the return system. When this happens a new order is placed for $0 and it is set to pending. The buyer then have 7 days to ship the return (which causes the pending order to move to unshipped) or the request and pending order are cancelled.
    
    You're blaming Amazon for you not following the proper return/replacement process.
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So @ShoePeople (Shoe People) replied

    Online_Best_Digital:
    
    > a replacement was sent to rectify the mistake.
    
    As @HDMS stated, that just made another mistake, but nothing horrible, as long as below happens
    
    Online_Best_Digital:
    
    > As the customer wanted to return the original item, they issued a “wrong item sent” request to get a return label send back to seller.
    
    Now here is where you lose me on the story. Did they get a prepaid label from Amazon to return it? Is it in the process of being shipped back to you or not?  
    Because you say this:
    
    Online_Best_Digital:
    
    > Amazon automatically refunded the customer due to it a being a claim
    
    Which would make me believe that they actually filed an A-Z, or is that incorrect?
    
    Because if they are using the prepaid Amazon label and it is in the process of being shipped back to you (as in the carrier has it in their possession), then the system is working as it now is designed with Refund at First Scan (RFS).
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Then @Online_Best_Digital (Online_Best_Digital) said

    Thank you for your input, there are so many changes that its hard keep track. We just did it as a gesture to rectify the mistake we made immediately without thinking about the proper process. I was just venting here and trying to give a heads up to other sellers no tot be the nice guy and make the same mistake we did.
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After which, @Online_Best_Digital (Online_Best_Digital) added

    The customer got the prepaid label from Amazon through A-Z claim after we sent the replacement. By the time we received the claim the item was in the system to be returned to us and RFS. The customer sounded genuine and wanted to return the item and may not have fully understood A-Z claim or he did it intentionally to screw us over but that's another topic.
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After which, @FS2018 (FS) added

    Not sure that's right.
    
    Just had this issue:
    
      * Customer didn't read dimensions
      * Customer complained that item didn't meet their dimensions (L x W x H what do they mean?)
      * Customer returned item sure that we - magically - had the item that they wanted in the dimensions they wanted (even though though those dimensions - in our industry - only exist as a custom build) and that we had sent them the “wrong item”
      * They requested return / replacement
      * I explained in an email - politely - that the item they want doesn't exist, won't exist, and cannot exist unless I have it custom built for them
      * They ignored email
      * Once original was returned, pending order for $0, showed up on AMZ as outstanding order for $0
      * We had to cancel replacement / refund original / take the metrics hit for the cancelled order.
    
    
    
    Is there a way around that? Did I do something wrong? Genuinely curious.
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So @HDMS (HDMS) replied

    FS2018:
    
    > Did I do something wrong?
    
    No. Unfortunately some buyers think replacement means exchange for a different item/size when Amazon only offers a replacement for the same item.
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To which @ShoePeople (Shoe People) replied

    I know I'm not the smartest person on the forums, but the “order of operations” on this scenario doesn't add up to what Amazon's workflow seems to be.
    
    What I mean is why did this happen 
    
    Online_Best_Digital:
    
    > The customer got the prepaid label from Amazon through A-Z claim after we sent the replacement.
    
    I've never heard of them giving a prepaid label as part of an A-Z claim. Usually it is in their favor and they get to keep the item.
    
    This just makes no sense 
    
    Online_Best_Digital:
    
    > By the time we received the claim the item was in the system to be returned to us and RFS.
    
    Let me type through this just to make sure I'm not missing anything:
    
      * So you sent the replacement. (Okay whatever, even though Amazon says that that can be a satisfactory way to appease the customer, but doesn't accept it as valid unless it is done through them.)
      * And the customer wanted to return the original item, so they did the prepaid label and then it was RFS.
    
    
    
    Leaving an A-Z out of this, we are at:
    
      * Refund plus a free item. Your choice as long as you can resell the original, then it's all okay.
      * As they said you aren't eligible for SAFE-T because you sent the replacement, not using the system to do it, again your choice.
    
    
    
    But you say there is an A-Z, but if they found in favor of the customer, why are you getting a RFS hit as well? And can you ask the customer to retract the A-Z?
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@Online_Best_Digital (Online_Best_Digital) replied

    Customer used “wrong item sent” in the A-Z claim, because of this they can get a pre-paid shipping label that will be charged to us (we set the return and refund to auto RMA and AMZ to issue pre-paid as they get better shipping rates than us). Prepaid is issued by AMZ and then charged either to buyer or seller depending on the scenario, in the case “wrong item sent” it's the seller.
    
    We get notifications via email and by the time we saw the A-Z claim, we had already sent out the replacement and the customer had printed out the pre-paid label and sent it out the original item back to us, which resulted in RFS. We did try to contact the customer to reverse the A-Z claim but he has not replied.
    
    Yes, we did get back the original item and would be able to resell, the customer still got a free item from us, unless they are willing to reverse the A-Z claim. At current we are down 3 legs of shipping cost, 1 replacement item and a negative score on account health.
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To which @system (system) replied

    This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
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