The booming development of cross-border e-commerce has benefited sellers around the world, but the issue 

of returns has always been a challenge that sellers cannot ignore. Especially on large e-commerce platforms 

such as Amazon, the efficiency and method of return processing are directly related to the seller's operating 

costs and customer satisfaction. According to data from 2023, Amazon's global return rate averages between 

5% and 15%, and in certain specific categories, such as clothing and electronics, the return rate may even 

reach 20% or higher. This article will introduce the Amazon return processing process in detail and explore 

how to optimize this process through professional service providers such as Ushipai.

Amazon Return Status

When buyers are not satisfied with the product they purchased, when they initiate a return request, 

they will see a drop-down menu in the buyer's backend with options to choose from:

Wrong purchase;

Item is damaged;

Item arrived too late;

Parts are missing;

The box is damaged;

Wrong item was sent;

Item is defective or non-functional;

No longer needed;

Does not match the website description

Below is a list of the best responses for sellers based on the different statuses of the return:

1. Sellable

Products listed as sellable will be automatically added to your inventory. If you are concerned that there is 

a problem with the item and it is actually no longer sellable, you can issue a product removal order and 

request to inspect the product in person. If you do not have such questions and the product has been sent 

to the Amazon warehouse in good condition, you do not need to take any further action.

2. Damaged product

If the buyer returns the product for damage, you need to pay more attention. Because product damage can 

be caused by a variety of reasons. The product may have been damaged in the FBA warehouse before shipment, 

or it may have been damaged during transportation. If the product was damaged during transportation, it may

 be Amazon's fault, so you can ask Amazon for compensation. Of course, the seller needs to investigate who is responsible.

3. Customer Damaged

Items that are judged to be "customer damaged" will not be returned to your sellable inventory.

"Customer Damaged" does not mean that the customer bought the product, broke it, and then tried to return it. 

"Customer Damaged" means that the customer has opened the product and the product is no longer in new condition.

 In fact, some buyers have opened the product but have not used it, and the product is still brand new.

For "customer damaged" products, the best thing for sellers is to issue a removal order and ask Amazon to send the 

product back to you so that you can judge for yourself whether the product is in good condition and new enough to 

meet the conditions for resale.

4. Carrier Damaged

If the goods are damaged during transportation, it is the fault of the transportation company (such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.).

 For these returns, you can reasonably request compensation.

5. Defective

Returns listed as "defective" by Amazon are either obviously damaged or partially defective, or the customer claims

 that there are defects. When this happens, the buyer will receive a refund. The return will remain in your Amazon 

warehouse as "unsaleable" inventory.

Conventional practice:

For damages 2, 3, 4, and 5, the best option for sellers is to issue a removal order to Amazon to remove the goods 

to a third-party overseas warehouse for inspection to determine the product's saleability and reduce losses by 

reselling. Because some buyers will use the defective goods as a reason to obtain free returns when returning 

goods, but the goods are not actually defective.

How to handle Amazon returns? Ushipa helps Amazon return processing

For a large number of cross-border e-commerce sellers, the process of handling Amazon returns can be very 

complicated and time-consuming. By cooperating with U-Speed, a professional reverse logistics service provider, 

the efficiency of return processing can be significantly improved.

U-Speed was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Hong Kong, China. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of 

Unitex Huilida Group. With its global return management system, U-Speed's services cover 26 countries and 

regions on five continents, including major Amazon markets such as the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. 

U-Speed provides the following services to Amazon sellers:

Multi-platform return and exchange reception: Centrally handle return requests from multiple e-commerce 

platforms such as Amazon to simplify seller operations.

Return quality inspection and classification: Provide professional return quality inspection services, and classify 

and process goods according to quality inspection results to ensure accurate and efficient return processing.

Repair and refurbishment: Provide fast and reliable services for goods that need repair or refurbishment to help 

sellers maximize the value of goods.

Labeling and re-listing: Ensure that all products meet the listing requirements of the Amazon platform and 

quickly re-list them through labeling and re-listing services.

Local warehousing and transfer: Provide local warehousing services and arrange product transfer as needed to

 optimize inventory management.

Return and destruction: For products that are not suitable for sale in the local market, provide return or local 

destruction services to ensure that the seller's inventory and logistics costs are controlled at the optimal level.