hargebacks
Note: You must respond to any chargeback notification within 7 calendar days of the e-mail notification date. If you do not respond to a notification, we may debit your Payments account for the transaction. Also, be sure to reply to any additional requests for information within the time-frame stated in the request.
What is a chargeback?
A chargeback occurs when a cardholder contacts their bank to dispute the charge for an order placed on Amazon.com. Chargebacks are also known as "charge disputes" and they can be filed for a variety of reasons, ranging from non-receipt of the item ordered to unauthorized use of the credit card.
Why did I receive a chargeback notification?
A charge dispute was filed for an order you fulfilled. When a customer contacts their credit card company to request a chargeback, the credit card company will contact Amazon.com to request details about the transaction. In turn, Amazon.com will contact you to request transaction information.
How do I respond to a chargeback notification?
You can issue a refund immediately, or you can represent your case to the credit card company via Amazon.
To issue a refund, go to Manage Orders. If you issue a full refund, we will debit your account for the full amount of the transaction and then credit your account for all relevant fees. For more information about issuing refunds, see Refunding Orders.
If you choose to represent your case, we will ask you for the date the item was shipped, the shipping method used, and any tracking information for the shipment. We may also ask you for item information, especially when the customer claims that they received a different item from what was listed on the website.
You are required to provide all the information outlined in our chargeback notification regarding the disputed transaction. Additionally, we encourage you to include any correspondence you may have had with the customer in your response to our notification.
To represent your case, follow these steps:
Select Chargeback Claims on the Performance link.
Click the "Represent your case" button for an order.
Review the order under section 1, "Review the Chargeback and Order Details.
Enter details and explanatory comments under section 2, "Represent your case."
Click "Continue" to submit your response.
You also can represent your case by replying to the chargeback e-mail notification with the requested information.
Customers do not see your comments. These are only for Amazon investigators.
If you fail to provide a sufficient response to a chargeback, do not adhere to the terms and conditions of the agreement, or the card issuer rules in favor of the cardholder, we will debit your account for the chargeback amount.
What happens after I submit the information requested in the chargeback notification?
An Amazon.com Investigator reviews the information provided, creates supporting documentation ("representment"), and submits it to the issuing bank on your behalf. We will contact you if further information is required. To expedite the chargeback dispute process, be sure to include as much information as possible in your initial response.
How will I know about the outcome of a chargeback?
The final outcome of a chargeback can take up to 90 days to be received from the date the charge was represented to the issuing bank. In rare cases, it can take even longer. We will inform you of the outcome only if you are held financially responsible for the chargeback. The e-mail notification sent regarding the funding decision will outline why you have been debited. Otherwise, you may assume that the information you provided was sufficient.
What if I object to being billed for a chargeback?
If you feel that you were debited for a chargeback in error, let us know by replying to the notification you received about the debit. We will review your dispute. However, in the vast majority of cases, the credit card issuer's decision is final and there is no recourse to appeal that decision.
If you have questions about a decision on a prior chargeback, reply to the e-mail chargeback notification you received, or write to chargeback-billing-reply@amazon.com.
For more information on how to respond to claims and chargebacks, see A-to-z Guarantee.
Am I held responsible for all chargebacks filed on orders I have fulfilled?
As outlined in our agreement with you, sellers are responsible for chargebacks filed for service-related reasons, such as material difference in the merchandise and non-receipt. Amazon Payments bears responsibility for any payment-related fraud chargebacks, such as stolen credit cards or other payment fraud attempts.
How can I protect myself from being debited for a chargeback?
To prevent a debit for any dispute, follow good shipping practices. First and foremost, don’t change the shipping address provided to you by Amazon.com because you are liable for any disputes filed for orders you have sent to a different shipping address.
You can further limit your liability by using a shipping method with a tracking number and signature required for high value merchandise. We would strongly encourage you to keep records of the date the merchandise was shipped, the shipping method used, and any available tracking information for at least 6 months past the order date for orders placed through Amazon.com.
What does a chargeback notification look like?
Chargeback notification e-mails all have the same subject line: "(Order #) Your Immediate Response Required: Charge Dispute Inquiry."
This is a sample chargeback notification:
Greetings from Amazon Payments.
We are writing to let you know that the credit card issuer has contacted us on behalf of the buyer of the transaction listed below because the buyer received merchandise that was damaged or defective. Please request that credit be issued to the buyer or explain why credit is not due.
Order Date: 'ORDER_CREATION_DATE'
Order Number: 'ORDER_NUMBER'
Items Purchased: 'ITEMS_DESCRIPTION'
Shipping Address:
'SHIPPING_ADDRESS'
The easiest and quickest way to respond to this chargeback is to use online Chargeback forms. By doing so, you will help resolve this issue faster for both you and your buyer.
Please do not reply to this e-mail if you use the online Chargeback forms.
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Here are instructions on how to represent your case:
* Go to your Seller Central account by typing the following web address into your browser's address bar: www.amazon.com/sc-chargebacks
* Sign in when prompted.
* Click "Represent your case" for action-required Chargebacks and follow the instructions.
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If you do not use the online forms, then you must reply to this e-mail requesting that credit be issued to the buyer or explaining why credit is not due.
Please note that if you do not respond to this inquiry within seven (7) days of this e-mail with sufficient information, we may debit your Amazon Payments account up to the amount of the transaction.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping resolve this matter and look forward to receiving your response.
Thank you for choosing Amazon.
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com