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Account Health · Intermediate · 5 min read · 8 steps

How to respond to an Amazon A-to-z Guarantee claim

By XENA Intelligence · · Last checked

The A-to-z Guarantee is Amazon's promise to shoppers that orders you ship yourself arrive on time and in the condition described. When a buyer says otherwise and you don't sort it out, Amazon steps in, decides, and if it decides against you, takes the money from your account. A granted claim also counts against your order defect rate.

Most claims are won or lost before they're filed. Amazon looks at whether you answered the buyer within 48 hours, whether you authorized the return, and whether your tracking holds up. This guide covers the clocks, the response, the appeal and the habits that keep the Manage A-to-z claims page boring. It applies to seller-fulfilled orders in the US store.

Part 01

Step by step

8 steps, in the order Seller Central asks for them.

  1. 01Know when a buyer can file

    Buyers have to contact you first. For a delivery problem, they must also wait 3 days past the maximum estimated delivery date. For a condition problem, they file a return request. Either way, you get 48 hours to respond before they become eligible to file a claim.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

  2. 02Answer every message and return request inside 48 hours

    Reply in Buyer-Seller Messages for delivery issues. For return requests, authorize or respond within 48 hours with a valid domestic return address, a prepaid return label or a returnless resolution. Amazon calls 24 hours best practice. If you deny a return, still tell the buyer why.

    Sources: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims, Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  3. 03Watch for the claim notice

    Amazon emails you when a buyer files a claim. You can also track every claim on the Manage A-to-z claims page under the Performance menu. Monitoring it is your job, not Amazon's.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

  4. 04Decide whether to refund or make your case

    You can click Refund customer while the investigation is open, which closes the claim but still affects your order defect rate. You can ask for the item back before you refund. If you believe the order went right, let Amazon investigate and give it evidence.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

  5. 05Gather the evidence Amazon asks for

    For delivery claims: dispatch method, proof of delivery, tracking number, the buyer's delivery address, signature confirmation and carrier details. For return claims: your domestic return address, return shipping details such as a prepaid label, and why a request was closed. Add any messages showing the buyer received the order or was satisfied.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  6. 06Respond to Amazon within 72 hours

    Go to Performance, then A-to-z Guarantee claims. On the default Action required tab, find the claim and select Respond to Amazon. Enter your comments, attach supporting documents and click Submit. Miss the 72-hour window and the claim is granted to the buyer and the amount is debited from your account.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  7. 07Appeal a granted claim within 30 calendar days

    Open the Option to Appeal tab, find the claim and select Appeal decision. Follow the instructions, upload proof of delivery or other documents that support your reason, and select Submit. If you choose Other as the reason, explain in the text box why the decision was wrong.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  8. 08Answer appeal follow-ups fast

    If Amazon needs more during the appeal, it emails you, and you must respond within 72 hours. On appeal Amazon can reverse the decision in whole or in part, which may include reversing the hit to your order defect rate or reimbursing the refund. After 30 days without an appeal, the claim closes for good.

    Sources: Seller Central Help, Appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim, Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Part 02 Compare

Compare the options: What happens to my claim?

Tap the situation that matches your order. Each row comes from Amazon's own A-to-z Guarantee claims pages.

Buyer says it never arrived

Buyer first
Messages you in Buyer-Seller Messages
Buyer waits
3 days past the maximum estimated delivery date
Your deadline
Respond and try to resolve within 48 hours
Best evidence
Tracking, proof of delivery, signature, carrier details
Watch out
No valid tracking means delivery claims go the buyer's way

Part 03

The picture

The same facts, drawn. Each chart links to the Amazon page it comes from.

The response clocks, in hours
  1. Hour 0Buyer or Amazon reaches out
  2. Hour 24Return reply, best practice
  3. Hour 48Your reply deadline
  4. Hour 72Info request deadline

Each clock starts at a different moment. The 24 and 48 hour marks start when the buyer messages you or requests a return. The 72 hour mark starts when Amazon asks you for information.

Source: Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim

Data desk by XENA Intelligence
A-to-z deadlines, in days
Reply to buyer2
Refund after return2 bus.
Buyer waits past max EDD3
Answer Amazon's request3
Return label or address5
Appeal a granted claim30

From Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims and Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim pages. 48 hours is shown as 2 days. The refund deadline is 2 business days after the return arrives.

Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Data desk by XENA Intelligence
From buyer complaint to closed claim
Buyer contacts youmessage or return request
48 hours passno fix, claim eligible
Claim filedemail plus Manage A-to-z claims
Respond to Amazonwithin 72 hours
Granted or notappeal within 30 days

The four outcomes after a claim is filed are a refund from you, an Amazon investigation, an automatic grant, or a withdrawal by the buyer.

Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Data desk by XENA Intelligence
Amazon grants the claim automatically when you
  • Don't answer a delivery issue within 48 hours
  • Don't authorize or answer a return request within 48 hours
  • Don't ship by the expected ship date
  • Ship without tracking and no valid tracking ID
  • Don't deliver by the maximum estimated delivery date
  • Don't refund within 5 days of receiving a prepaid-label return

From the automatic grant list on Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims page. These debit your account and affect your order defect rate. An undeliverable or refused package returning to you is refunded without an ODR hit.

Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Data desk by XENA Intelligence
Claim habits that hold up

Passes

  • Upload valid tracking for every shipment
  • Buy proof of delivery or signature when it's available
  • Cancel out-of-stock orders promptly and tell the buyer why
  • Suspend selling when vacation or illness stops shipping

Bounces

  • Use condition notes to hide missing parts
  • Leave a return request sitting past 48 hours
  • Close a return without explaining why
  • Ship late without telling the buyer

Based on Amazon's Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim best practices.

Source: Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

Data desk by XENA Intelligence

Part 04

Tricks the help page buries

The lines in Amazon's own documentation that most sellers scroll past.

  1. 1Buy Shipping is the cheapest insurance you'll find

    When you ship on time using Buy Shipping and answer buyer inquiries within 48 hours, granted delivery claims don't affect your account health or order defect rate. You may still have to reimburse the buyer, but your metrics stay clean.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  2. 2Attach proof when the buyer first asks

    Amazon says that replying promptly to a missing-order message with a signed proof of delivery, a delivery photo or the buyer's contactless delivery request makes a granted claim less likely. Without a signature or clear tracking, the claim leans the buyer's way.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  3. 3International return address needs a label

    If you authorize a return with an international return address, you must also provide a prepaid label with valid tracking, a returnless resolution or a full refund within 2 days. Otherwise the claim is granted automatically.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

  4. 4Late delivery accepted? Ask the buyer to reverse the refund

    If you refunded a delayed order and the buyer later keeps it, Amazon can't reverse a refund on a seller-fulfilled order without the buyer's consent. Ask them in Buyer-Seller Messages to start the reversal from the Problem with order page.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

  5. 5Set return requests to come to you, or auto-authorize

    Amazon recommends setting your account to email return requests with links to authorize, close or reply, or having Amazon authorize them automatically. Either way, nothing sits for 48 hours while you're busy packing December orders.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

  6. 6Withdrawn claims cost nothing

    If you fix the problem and the buyer withdraws the claim, it closes with no impact on your order defect rate. A polite message solving the issue is often worth more than a long appeal.

    Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Part 05

Questions sellers ask

Tap a question to open it.

How long do I have to respond to an A-to-z claim?

You have 72 hours to respond when Amazon asks you for more information. If you don't, the claim is granted to the buyer and the amount is debited from your account. Before a claim is filed, you have 48 hours to answer the buyer's message or return request.

Sources: Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim, Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Does an A-to-z claim affect my order defect rate?

A granted claim does, and so does a claim you close by refunding the buyer. A claim the buyer withdraws has no impact. An automatic refund for a package that tracking shows is undeliverable, refused or returning to you doesn't affect account health or ODR.

Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

How do I appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim?

Within 30 calendar days of the grant, go to Performance, then A-to-z Guarantee claims, open the Option to Appeal tab, select Appeal decision, upload proof of delivery or other documents and select Submit. Answer any follow-up request within 72 hours.

Source: Seller Central Help, Appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim

Can a buyer file an A-to-z claim without contacting me first?

Generally no. Buyers must first contact you and give you a chance to resolve the issue, apart from certain instant refund situations Amazon lists. For delivery problems they also wait 3 days past the maximum estimated delivery date.

Source: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims

Does the A-to-z Guarantee apply to FBA orders?

Amazon's seller help page describes the A-to-z Guarantee as covering orders directly fulfilled by you, meaning seller-fulfilled orders. It applies to all customers of those orders, including Amazon Business customers.

Sources: Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims, Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim

What evidence should I send Amazon?

For delivery claims, send the dispatch method, proof of delivery, tracking number, the delivery address, signature confirmation and carrier details. For return claims, send your domestic return address, return shipping details and why you closed a request. Include buyer messages that show receipt or satisfaction.

Source: Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim

Sources

Every fact above comes from these Amazon pages, opened on . Amazon updates them; if a step looks different in your account, trust Seller Central.

  1. Seller Central Help, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee claims
  2. Seller Central Help, Respond to an A-to-z Guarantee claim
  3. Seller Central Help, Appeal an A-to-z Guarantee claim
  4. Seller Central Help, Prevent an A-to-z Guarantee claim