Overview

Amazon Buy Shipping offers sellers two important protections when they purchase shipping labels directly through the platform: coverage against A-to-z Guarantee and SAFE-T claims for delivery-related issues, and On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) protection against late deliveries. These protections can significantly reduce the financial and account-health risks that come with fulfilling orders through merchant-fulfilled channels.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Two types of protection — Buy Shipping offers both claims protection (A-to-z and SAFE-T) against "item not received" complaints, and OTDR protection that prevents late deliveries from hurting your on-time delivery metrics.
• "Trusted" vs. "Not Trusted" labels — Shipping services are classified based on Amazon's confidence in on-time delivery. "Trusted" services have a high likelihood of arriving by the estimated delivery date, while "Not Trusted" services carry a higher risk of late arrival.
• OTDR Protected badge — Labels marked with the "OTDR Protected" badge ensure that late deliveries will not negatively impact your On-Time Delivery Rate, provided you also use Amazon's Automated Handling Time (AHT) and Shipping Speed Automation (SSA) features.
• Claims protection conditions — To qualify for claims protection, sellers must use a Buy Shipping label with a "Trusted" service and ship on time as verified by the carrier's first scan.
• No impact on Order Defect Rate — When all qualifying conditions are met, Amazon funds the buyer reimbursement and the claim does not count against your Order Defect Rate (ODR).
• API access available — Sellers using the SP-API can access these protected labels programmatically, though some setup steps are required.

How Claims Protection Works

When a buyer files an "item didn't arrive" claim on a Buy Shipping order, Amazon evaluates whether the shipment qualifies for protection. The order must meet all of the following conditions: the shipping label was purchased through Buy Shipping, the selected service was classified as "Trusted," and the package was shipped on time. Amazon determines on-time shipment based on when the carrier performs the first scan, not when the seller confirms shipment in Seller Central. If all conditions are satisfied, Amazon covers the buyer reimbursement directly, and the claim is excluded from the seller's Order Defect Rate calculation.