Did you know the steps to request an Amazon lost package refund are fairly straightforward, but often consumers don’t know how easy these steps are to implement?
With the rise of eCommerce, you can get almost anything you want by shopping on Amazon within days, sometimes even hours. The downside to the simplicity of buying online is that sometimes our packages go missing.
What recourse do you have when your package doesn’t show up? Lost packages can be bad news for sellers and buyers, but there are steps in place to protect us.
We’ll dive into the steps needed to request an Amazon lost package refund to make sure you aren’t out of pocket whether buying or selling.
When to Start an Amazon Lost Package Refund Request
When is the right time to start an Amazon lost package refund request? This can be a little tricky because Amazon’s shipping and tracking system sometimes shows a package has been delivered prior to actual delivery. But, don’t panic, this little quirk means that it’s best to wait at least 48 hours after the supposed delivery date/time to submit an Amazon claim.
Submitting a claim can take a bit of time, so it’s often best to wait a couple of days in case the package turns up in the meantime.
Make sure you don’t wait too long though, because you must submit your Amazon lost package refund claim within 15-90 days depending on the item and who your seller is. If your item arrives but is broken, you only have 14 days to complete a broken item claim.
How to Submit a Lost Package Amazon Claim
After this 48 hour period, you can start by logging into your Amazon account and going to the ‘Your Orders’ page. Here you’ll click on ‘Track Package’ under the ‘Order Details’ heading.
You are looking for information about who to contact with your Amazon lost package refund claim. This page will let you know if Amazon received the product at one of their Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) warehouses and that it is their responsibility, or you will find that the package was shipped directly to you from a 3rd party facility.
Another option is that your package is listed as delivered, in which case you may have a stolen package on your hands and will have to submit a different claim.
If your product is still the responsibility of a 3rd party seller or facility, you will have to send a message to your seller before submitting a claim to Amazon.
This is easy, go to the order page and take a look at your purchase, under the heading it should tell you who your seller is. Simply click on the link to their profile and click the ‘Ask a Question’ button. Here you select that you need assistance with ‘an order I placed and then choose the reason for your question from a few choices in the drop-down menu. The one you’re looking for is, “Where’s my package”. Use the send message area to write a quick note about your Amazon lost package refund and what’s happened and let them know that in 24 hours you’ll be submitting a claim to Amazon.
How to Submit your Amazon Lost Package Refund Claim
Now let’s look at how to submit your Amazon lost package refund claim to Amazon. Either you’ve discovered that your Amazon FBA lost package refund is Amazon’s responsibility or you’ve already sent a message to a 3rd party and haven’t heard back within 24 hours.
You will head back to the ‘Your Orders’ page and click on the missing order, and then choose ‘problem with order’. Here you’ll be able to choose ‘where’s my stuff’ from the first drop down and outline the problem in the second one. Then you’ll choose how Amazon will contact you. You can choose phone or email.
What you Need to Have Ready Once Amazon Contacts You
The main thing you’ll need when Amazon contacts you to find out about your issues is the order number. This is the 17 digit number that appears on the top right-hand corner of your order. LIkely after you speak with them they will either send you a replacement item or refund your money. As a buyer this is fantastic and really helps to create a stress-free shopping experience.
What happens during this process if you are an Amazon seller?
If you are an Amazon seller, lost packages are a big concern. They can affect your ratings, reviews, and future sales. It’s important to take care of any lost packages as soon as you hear about them. If a buyer contacts you in the way listed above, you’ll first need to find out all you can about their shipment. If you use a 3rd party logistics company you’ll have to coordinate with them to find out if the package has been shipped and whether they or the shipping company, are responsible for the lost package.
If you use Amazon FBA then as long as your inventory is listed, and has the proper tracking numbers, specifically your FNSKU, then any issues should be Amazon’s responsibility.
Either way, it’s important to understand what went wrong so you can make sure you don’t have the same issue moving forward and mitigate any Amazon claims from the outset.
If the loss is your responsibility, make sure to send out a replacement item to your customer as soon as possible and follow up with them so they know it’s on the way! If you take care of the issues quickly, you might even be rewarded for it. Some of the best reviews come from customers who had a concern or issue addressed in a positive way.
Getting Amazon FBA Reimbursement for Lost or Damaged Items
As a seller, you are entitled to FBA reimbursement for any items that go missing or are damaged in any Amazon FBA fulfillment centers. It’s important to keep up to date on all the information Amazon sends you in Seller Central to make sure that you are being properly reimbursed. Most sellers miss Amazon FBA reimbursements equal to approximately 1-3% of their total sales. This can mean a lot of money depending on how much you sell.
FBA Reimbursement services like GETIDA can help you make sure you aren’t owed any money from Amazon. GETIDA will go back through 18 months of sales and cross-reference all of your orders to check for any discrepancies.
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