Amazon Updates Seller-Fulfilled Order Customer Service Rules, Regulates 'Refund Without Return' Usage

Amazon has recently completed adjustments to the rules for its Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA) add-on service. Sellers participating in this program will now incur fewer refund expenses. CSBA is a paid service offered by Amazon where the company provides customer service for sellers' self-fulfilled orders (i.e., non-FBA orders). Some eligible sellers can use this service for free.

The details of this adjustment were published in an official announcement on May 22nd. Under the previous process, there were scenarios where buyers could receive a refund without needing to return the product. After the adjustment, such situations will only be triggered under three specific conditions: when the buyer does not receive the item within the promised delivery window, receives a damaged or defective item that cannot be returned, or when the product itself poses safety risks for return. This change is expected to reduce the need for sellers to file e-commerce Seller Assurance for eCommerce Transactions (SAFE-T) claims, directly protecting seller revenue.

Supporting rules have also been updated simultaneously. Sellers already enrolled in CSBA who purchase claim protection labels through Amazon Buy Shipping or Veeqo will no longer need to handle SAFE-T claims related to shipping issues; the corresponding claim amounts will be automatically paid by Amazon. Sellers also do not need to handle SAFE-T claims related to goodwill refunds issued by Amazon; the corresponding funds will be automatically credited back to the seller's account.

It is reported that this adjustment also relaxes the eligibility criteria for free use of CSBA. Sellers with fewer than 30 orders per quarter can now use the CSBA service for free. All newly enrolled sellers can enjoy free usage for the first 90 days. Sellers who subsequently maintain a contact rate of less than 3% per customer can also continue to use the service for free. The previous requirement of a '95% valid tracking rate' for free eligibility has been removed.