One of Amazon Prime’s best things is that you can have pretty much anything you want from Amazon delivered within a day or two. It is incredibly convenient. However, sometimes your purchases don’t quite work out as planned. So you risk ending up with a product that you don’t really like and, in rare cases, a product that is flat-out broken.
So, what is the Amazon refund policy for Amazon Prime users? Do you have the right to return these products for a refund, or will you be stuck with them forever? Let’s take a look.
Basic Amazon Return Policy
Amazon Prime returns are not that much different from the standard Amazon return policy. This means that you can return most products within 30-days of having them delivered. However, there are a couple of exceptions. For example, the standard Amazon Prime returns policies do not apply to the following:
- Any perishable items, such as groceries.
- Any items that you have had customized
- Any items that involve redeemable codes e.g. gift cards, subscriptions, or downloadable games.
Although, of course, if you receive one of the exceptions to the rules and it is not delivered in a good condition (e.g. perishable items have rotted, or customizable products are broken), then you can request a refund. You aren’t going to be stuck with a broken product.
Returning to Third-Party Sellers
We are purely talking about the Amazon return policy and how it relates to Amazon Prime orders here i.e. when it is Amazon that shipped the product to your door.
When it comes to third-party sellers, the rules may be ever so slightly different. They may have restrictions on whether you can return products to them. They may also have a different returns process. In almost all cases, you will have to pay for the return.
Do You Have to Return the Product in Original Packaging?
In an ideal world, yes.
If you are simply not happy with the product, then you should return it to Amazon in the original product packaging. If you do not, then they do reserve the right to reduce the amount of money that they refund you. After all, the value of the product has now been reduced. If you return the product to certain locations, you will also be required to have the original product packaging otherwise the return will not be accepted.
If the product is damaged or faulty in any way, then there is no requirement to send back the product in the original packaging.
How to Return Items to Amazon
Amazon makes the Amazon refund process dead simple. Just follow these steps, and you can get your hands on that refund as quickly as possible.
Beginning the Refund Process
To start with, you are going to need to tell Amazon you want to return one of the products that you have purchased. This means following these steps:
- Head to the ‘Your Orders’ page.
- Find the order you wish to return products from
- Select ‘Return or Replace’ items.
From here, you will be told to select the products that you wish to be returning. You will also be asked how you wish to return them. There will be two options available:
- Print a shipping label
- No label returns
If you print a shipping label, then you will need to hand the return over to a courier (Amazon will provide instructions on this). If you choose a no-label return, then you will need to head to a specific location. We’re going to talk about that in the next step.
If there is no ‘Return or Replace’ button, this means that Amazon does not allow returns on that particular product. If your item is broken, then you will need to get in touch with customer support so that they can help.
Most Amazon Prime returns are going to be free. However, in some cases, you may need to pay for the return. This normally applies if the product is over a certain weight, or if you have purchased the product from a specific seller. You will be told the cost of the return during the process. There won’t be any ‘surprises.
Shipping the Product to Amazon
If you have opted to print a shipping label, then Amazon will provide you with instructions on how to hand the returned item over to a courier. In the vast majority of cases, the courier will visit your home or business at a specific time. But sometimes, you may need to take the product to a drop-off point. You will need to make sure that the returns label is attached to the product packaging.
If you have decided to go for no-label returns, then you will need to take the Amazon return to a designated drop-off location. You will need to bring along the QR code that Amazon supplied you with. This will need to be scanned. Any one of the following locations should be fine to return your product:
- Amazon retail outlets
- Whole Foods Market
- Kohl’s
- Amazon Locker
The process for each of these locations will be slightly different but you can expect there to be prominently displayed instructions on returning products to Amazon. If there aren’t, then feel free to ask any of the staff.
Waiting for the Refund
The Amazon refund won’t be instant. You will need to wait while Amazon receives your return. This normally takes a couple of days. Once they have received it, the full refund will take a further 7-days. In rare cases, it may take upward of a month to receive your refund.
You will be able to track the refund process on the ‘Your Orders’ page.
Based on materials from SageMailer
