Overview

Amazon has begun enforcing a strict set of international‑return requirements for sellers who ship their own inventory to customers in EU and UK marketplaces. Starting now, any seller‑fulfilled order above the €25/£20 threshold that does not present an approved return option within four calendar days will trigger an automatic refund that is charged directly to the seller’s account. The change is designed to protect cross‑border shoppers and forces sellers to rethink how they handle returns abroad.

Key Points

• Four‑day response rule — Sellers must present at least one qualified return method within four calendar days of a buyer’s request, or Amazon will issue the refund itself.
• Automatic debit — When the deadline is missed, Amazon refunds the customer and immediately debits the seller’s balance for the full order value, including the item price and any applicable VAT.
• Value trigger — The policy only applies to seller‑fulfilled items priced higher than €25 on European marketplaces or £20 on the United Kingdom site, with tax already factored in.
• Three compliance pathways — Sellers can (1) list a domestic return address with a prepaid label, (2) provide a prepaid international label, or (3) issue a returnless refund through automated rules.
• Cost‑bearing options — Using a prepaid international label forces the seller to absorb all shipping expenses, which can become substantial for heavy or oversized goods.
• Returnless refunds save shipping — For low‑priced items where shipping exceeds product cost, a full refund without requiring the item back often yields the lowest overall expense.
• Third‑party returns provider — Amazon’s program partners sellers with local logistics firms that accept returns in the buyer’s country, potentially lowering per‑unit return costs.
• Seller‑fulfilled only — The rule does not affect FBA listings because Amazon already manages those returns; it targets merchants who handle fulfillment themselves.
• Mixed‑fulfillment vigilance — Sellers who use FBA for some SKUs and merchant fulfillment for others must audit each self‑fulfilled listing that meets the price threshold.