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Customer Agreement and Policies

Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee for Merchants

The following policy applies to the purchases made on third-party sites using Amazon Pay. For details about A-to-z Guarantee protection for purchases made on the Amazon.com website, see Represent your side in an A-to-z Guarantee claim.

Over the years, Amazon has built a base of millions of satisfied customers by being responsive to their concerns and acting quickly to resolve these concerns. We extend this valuable customer trust to merchants like you who are using Amazon Pay services through the Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee program. The Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee provides customers 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 Pay.

We encourage you to answer all customer inquiries within 24 hours of receipt. Good communication with customers promotes good feedback for merchants.

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

When can a customer file an Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim for an Amazon Pay transaction?

Customers can file an Amazon Pay 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 was materially different from the item depicted in your description.
  • They returned the item 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 see the Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee information that customers see on the Amazon Pay website, see Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee for Customers.

What should I do to avoid a claim?

The Amazon Pay Customer Service Policy describes the practices that Amazon expects you to follow in order to offer a high-quality customer experience. We also encourage you to review the Customer service best practice tips.

Finally, these 4 tips are most useful in mitigating the risk of an Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim:

  1. Ship promptly and use a shipping method that ensures reliable delivery.
  2. Ship with tracking information and provide this information to the customer.
  3. For orders with a high value, ship with signature confirmation.
  4. Ship high-priced items with insurance.

How do I view and manage my claims?

For every claim, Amazon Pay sends you an email with details and requests a response, giving you an opportunity to present your side of the issue. You can respond to a claim by replying to the email claim notification with the requested information. If you have a Seller Central account you can also manage your claims proactively by visiting the A-to-z Guarantee Claims page in Seller Central (find a link to the A-to-z Guarantee claims page in the Performance section).

What are my obligations when a claim is filed?

  • You have 7 calendar days to respond to Amazon Pay's notification, but it is a best practice to reply immediately. Within this period you can issue a refund to the customer or represent your case to Amazon. If the item has not yet shipped, 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 customer and debit your account or cancel any future payment, as applicable.
  • 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 the email from Amazon Pay. You should also provide the following information:
    • A verifiable shipment tracking number or proof of shipment date, carrier, method, and class if shipped via a non-traceable method.
    • A copy of the email provided to the customer that indicated the delivery estimate(s).
    • A copy of the receipt or order confirmation email you sent to the customer that shows the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and the description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, condition of each item.
    • Details of any communication you had with the customer outside of the Amazon messages manager in Seller Central.
  • For "Materially Different" claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to the email from Amazon Pay. For claims on Amazon Pay purchases, you should also provide the following information:
    • A copy of the receipt or order confirmation emails you sent to the customer that shows the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and the description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, condition of each item.
    • A description of the disputed item and URL of the detail page where the disputed item is listed.
    • Details of any communication you had with the customer outside of the Amazon messages manager in Seller Central.
  • For "Returns"- or "Refund"-related claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to the email from Amazon Pay. You should also provide the following information:
    • A copy of the receipt or order confirmation emails you sent to the customer that shows the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and the description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, condition of each item.
    • The URL of the page where you describe your returns policy and return address.
    • A copy of the return label provided to the customer, if any.
    • Details of any communication you had with the customer outside of the Amazon messages manager in Seller Central.
  • For "Charged more than expected" claims, explain your side of the issue in the representation form in Seller Central or by responding to the email from Amazon Pay. You should also provide the following information:
    • A copy of the receipt or order confirmation emails you sent to the customer that shows the date of purchase, shipping address, total purchase price including shipping and handling, taxes, and any other charges, and the description, price, quantity, and, if it was not new, condition of each item.
    • Details of any communication you had with the customer outside of the Amazon messages manager in Seller Central.

If you fail to provide a sufficient response to the claim, violate the Amazon Payments, Inc. Customer Agreement, or if we determine you were at fault, we will reimburse the customer and debit your 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.

How does Amazon determine whether an item was not received by a customer?

Merchants are accountable for resolving Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claims for items not received. The claims will be processed according to the following policies:

  • Products shipped without tracking
    A merchant will be liable for a claim that an order wasn't received if the estimated delivery date (“EDD”) has passed and the order was shipped without tracking information. This policy applies to all orders, including those shipped by media mail.
  • Products shipped with tracking — in transit
    If a product is not delivered by the end of the EDD range and tracking information shows an expected delivery in the near future (and the product was shipped by the promised ship date of two business days from the order date), the claim will not be granted and the customer will be asked to wait for the product. The merchant will not be liable. If tracking information does not show expected delivery in a reasonable time frame, however, the claim will be granted and the merchant will be held liable. This will apply to packages lost in transit as well.
  • Products shipped with delivery confirmation tracking where tracking shows delivery but the customer claims item was not received
    The Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee team will investigate the dispute. Amazon Pay may contact the customer to confirm non-receipt. If no receipt is confirmed, the merchant may still be held liable for lack of fulfillment — Amazon Pay will not cover service errors, including loss, theft, or postal/shipping issues. Amazon Pay, however, will continue to protect merchants from fraudulent customers and Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee abusers.
  • Products shipped with signature confirmation tracking where tracking shows delivery but the customer claims item not received
    If the name on the signature confirmation matches the customer, the Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee team will deny the claim. If signature confirmation does not match the customer, the Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee team will deny the claim and ask the customer to follow up with the individual that signed for the package. Guarantee claims for packages that are signed for by a freight forwarder or an agent of the customer (for example, receptionist or family member) will be denied. If an investigation determines that the customer did not receive the order because of a shipping error beyond his or her control, however, the merchant may be held liable. We anticipate that this would be a very rare occurrence.

When is a signature required for an order?

For high-value orders, we recommend but don't require that you add signature confirmation to your shipment.

Am I required to allow returns for items that the customer believes are materially different, defective, or damaged?

As a merchant, you're responsible for managing the returns process for materially different, defective, or damaged items, including providing customers with a way to make the return and promptly processing the refund for the return. Failure to manage the return may result in a debit to your Amazon Pay account if the customer is refunded pursuant to an Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim, even if the item is not returned to you. You may also be held responsible if no response is received from you on an Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim or for declining to handle a return request that falls within required return policies.

Do customers see the information I provide to Amazon Pay to investigate a claim?

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

How do Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claims affect my account?

Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claims affect your Order Defect Rate, which is used to calculate your reserve. For details, see our Reserve Policy page. Excessive Amazon Pay 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 a refund is the easiest way to resolve the issue.

How does Amazon Pay prevent customers from filing both an Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim and a chargeback?

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

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

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

If you have resolved the issue with the customer outside of the knowledge of Amazon Pay and Amazon Pay has granted the claim to the customer, Amazon Pay cannot guarantee recovery of funds. In such a case, you should summarize the resolution and send it to the customer. If you have a Seller Central account, then you must send this communication from the Amazon messages manager in Seller Central.

You can also ask the customer to reverse the Amazon Pay A-to-z Guarantee claim by informing them to do the following:

  1. Go to https://pay.amazon.com, and then sign in.
  2. On Your Amazon Pay Activity page, find your transaction, and then click Details.
  3. To see the claim details, click View/File Claim.
  4. Click Withdraw claim.

When the customer has withdrawn a claim, the order is 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 from Seller Central. During the appeals process, Amazon Pay may request additional details about the transactions from you. If the decision is reversed by Amazon Pay, your account will be credited.

What if I have more questions?

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