Overview

Amazon has introduced a mandatory requirement that sellers must arrange a home pickup for returns of items classified as heavy or bulky. The rule applies to products weighing 31.5 kg (approximately 69 lb) or more, or whose longest packed side exceeds 175 cm (about 69 in). The change, effective immediately, is intended to smooth the buyer experience for large‑scale purchases, but it also adds new logistical responsibilities and costs for merchants handling oversized merchandise.

Key Points

• Weight threshold — Returns for items 31.5 kg (≈69 lb) or heavier now trigger the home‑collection mandate.
• Size threshold — Items with any packed dimension longer than 175 cm (≈69 in) are also subject to the rule.
• Mandatory pickup — Sellers can no longer rely on drop‑off locations; a residential pickup must be scheduled for qualifying returns.
• 48‑hour decision window — Return requests must be approved or denied within two days, and the collection process must be launched within the same 48‑hour period.
• Tracking and label obligation — A prepaid return label with a tracking number and an estimated pickup window must be sent to the buyer for every qualifying return.
• Customer consent for alternatives — Offering a partial refund or a part replacement is allowed only if the buyer explicitly agrees to the alternative.

How Home Pickup Works

1. Return authorization — Once a buyer initiates a refund‑based return for a heavy or bulky item, the seller reviews the request and decides within 48 hours whether to approve it.

   • Example: A customer returns a 35 kg treadmill; the seller must accept or reject the request by the end of the second business day.

2. Pickup scheduling communication — After approval, the seller must notify the customer within the same 48‑hour window that a collection has been arranged, providing an estimated pickup timeframe and attaching a prepaid label with a tracking ID.