Overview

Amazon has rolled out a machine learning-powered feature that identifies orders at higher risk of being reported as lost or not received, and proactively recommends that sellers add signature confirmation to those shipments. The system analyzes factors like item value, product type, and buyer purchasing history to flag at-risk orders, with Amazon estimating that following these recommendations can reduce lost-order reports by roughly 35 percent.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Machine learning risk detection — Amazon's system automatically evaluates every buyer order against multiple criteria to determine whether it carries an elevated risk of a lost-package claim, removing the guesswork from deciding which shipments need extra protection.

• In-console alerts and banners — When an order is flagged, sellers will see dedicated messages and banners throughout Seller Central, including a "Signature confirmation recommended" notice displayed prominently on order and shipping pages.

• 35% reduction in lost-order reports — Amazon's internal estimates suggest that adding signature confirmation to flagged orders can cut reported lost shipments by more than a third, directly protecting seller margins.

• Enhanced claim review for confirmed shipments — When a buyer reports a package as lost or not received on an order that had signature confirmation enabled, Amazon performs additional checks on the buyer's account before approving any refund or claim.

• Appeal eligibility — Refunds or claims granted without seller involvement on signature-confirmed orders become eligible for appeals, giving sellers a stronger path to recover funds.

• Business-hour delivery benefits — Signature confirmation also encourages carriers to deliver during business operating hours, reducing failed delivery attempts and lowering the chance of packages being stolen from doorsteps.

How It Works

When Amazon's algorithms flag an order as high risk, sellers will notice new UI elements appear in their Seller Central workflow. On the order detail and shipping pages, a recommendation banner alerts the seller that signature confirmation is advisable for that particular shipment. When the seller proceeds to the Buy Shipping page, they can select either standard "delivery confirmation" or the stronger "signature confirmation" as the confirmation method. The cost of adding signature confirmation is bundled into the shipping fee, so there is no separate charge to manage. If signature confirmation is not available through a particular shipping option, sellers should look for a carrier or service level that supports it.