Consider issuing refunds via money order on Amazon.com

ovidiu · #1 05-31-2009

If you've issued a bunch of refunds and you think that Amazon may be getting ready to bring the hammer down, consider issuing refunds via money order. You know the drill:

you go on vacation for a couple weeks, no sales, but a bunch of numbnut customers start demanding refunds. This will look BAD to Amazon, since they will think it's a nearly 100% refund rate due to your vacation (and lack of sales in the last 30 days).

Make up a good story if you decide to issue money order refunds (I am out of town, can't securely log into my account, etc etc). Try to use it on lower priced sales, reserving your credit card refunds for the big ones, because you'll swallow the Amazon fees when you refund via money order. I've used this a couple times in the last month (while I was on vacation) and it works great. If your customer was the argumentative type who you think might also be a crook, I suggest not doing this. He/she will pocket the money order and then possibly start a dreaded A to Z claim. Use your judgment:

low priced items
easygoing customers

Save regular refunds for big-time items that you would lose a bunch of fees on otherwise.

ebaykilla · #2 06-01-2009

I would not suggest this at all. Refunds outside amazon is just not a good practice. Best to assume all customers are crooks.

GreenBean · #3 06-01-2009

Agree 1000% with ebaykilla, aka amazonkilla.

The 'dumbnut' is not the buyer asking for the refund but the seller who went on vacation and left sales not resolved. Not a method to use successfully.

ovidiu · #4 06-02-2009

That might sound clever Greenbean :D, but on Amazon, we need to watch out until 90 days after a sale is made, which is a looooong time to "resolve" anything. You can't even resolve anything until the dumb buyer starts complaining, typically 30-45 days after he bought it. This happens two or three times a month. I stand by my method as successful, but as noted before, only do it when you have had to issue so many refunds that you know Amazon's just itching to suspend you.

GreenBean · #5 06-02-2009

I am aware of this. Just I know that vacations and being an online seller anywhere can be problematic. Nemisis is not only the selling platform be it Amazon or ebay but also the buyer.