Beating the Red Light: How to Cancel a Return on Amazon

Last updated on March 9th, 2023

Written by Ken Zhou

When driving, the stoplight first turns orange to serve as a warning sign before it goes red. This is when drivers slow down before heading to a full stop. The same scenario happens when a customer returns an item on Amazon. From the point they decide to return the item until it's shipped, they still have the chance not to forgo the return.

Yes, customers may still change their minds with their returns. If they purchased from you, they might contact you to ask for help. As a responsible Amazon seller, you should do your best to help them how to cancel a return on Amazon. This might be overwhelming especially if you don’t have enough knowledge about the subject matter, but this article will help you make your customers understand how to cancel a return on Amazon.

What is an Amazon Refund and Return?

Before dealing with returns, you must first know the difference between a refund and a return on Amazon. Unfortunately, most sellers and buyers use these terms interchangeably when it shouldn't be the case.  

Amazon refund is when a customer returns an item they bought from a store and wants their money back; the seller gives a refund through the platform, and customers will get their refunds the same way they paid for the item. This situation arises because the item may be damaged, the shopper may have changed their reason for the purchase, or the item may not be exactly what was depicted in the listing.

On the other hand, an Amazon return is when a customer chooses to send back a product they have already purchased and asks for a different size, color, or repair because the item is damaged.

These two processes are distinct from each other by their process and desired outcome but are equally important in terms of the shopping experience of every Amazon customer. Basically, a refund is when you give the seller's money back after they've returned an item, while a return would only require you to replace the item. 

Reasons Why a Buyer Might Want to Cancel a Return

In some situations, buyers canceling a return they initiated is not an impossible circumstance in online shopping. Some of the possible reasons for cancellation of an Amazon return can be any of the following:

The buyer doesn't want to undergo Amazon's return procedure

When customers buy something on Amazon, they have 30 days to return the item for a refund. Sometimes, they change their mind about canceling a return since it would take more time. On the other hand, they might have realized that they can already live with the issues they might have seen initially

The buyer receives incentives instead of returning an Amazon product 

A new rule has been implemented that allows Amazon to suspend or deactivate a customer account if they commit excessive returns of items. Amazon knows how complicated it is on your end as a seller so this policy would favor both the seller and buyer. That's why they also penalize customers with a bad track record requesting excessive returns. 

The customer will not be able to access their account or shop on Amazon during this time; however, once the suspension is lifted, they can resume their normal shopping activities. The deactivation or suspension will last a while to reduce the waste generated by returned items and make Amazon more efficient and sustainable.

The buyer has already lost the urge to talk with the seller

In this situation, negotiation is important. Time is also essential to negotiation, so these two are related. The ability to handle returns and exchanges in a perfect time with appropriate communication is one of the most significant aspects of customer service. So a buyer who might already lose interest in negotiating or not have the energy to deal with this might want to cancel their returns instead. 

The seller acknowledged the mistake and ensured the customer understood what had happened during the shipping process

Suppose your customer's reason for cancellation is a damaged product due to the shipping process. In that case, it's important to talk to them so they can understand why the issue happened and what you can do to prevent it from happening again in the future. Most buyers understand, especially if you exercise good communication with them.

The buyer might be shy to proceed with the procedure

Some clients might be shy when discussing returns with sellers on how to cancel a return request on Amazon. 

As a seller, it's your responsibility to make the process easier for them. Here are some steps you can take to encourage customers to return goods:

1. Have a transparent and simple return policy. This step will inform customers of your expectations and the procedure for returning goods.
2. Ensure that your staff has received the necessary instruction to deal with the cancellation request of your customer politely and helpfully.
3. Think about rewarding shoppers who return items with a deal or another incentive.

Steps on How to Cancel a Return on Amazon

As an Amazon seller, you need to understand where the process is going and take the initiative to help your customer in this cancellation process. 

First, you must know your customer's reason to know where to start. Since we already tackled that in the section above, we'll dive right into how to cancel a return on amazon. Ask your customers to do the following steps:

1. Visit the Returns Center page on Amazon.
2. Select Manage returns.
3. Select Cancel this return.
4. If they want to cancel the return, a text box will appear asking them for confirmation. Click on Cancel this return.

After withdrawing the existing return, they’ll have the chance to request a new one. They can choose whether to ignore pickup attempts if they requested a pickup for their return or get in touch with the carrier to reschedule the pickup.

Reaching the Green Light: Final Takeaways

If you ever feel that you're at fault for something, there's nothing wrong with admitting it and telling the customer exactly what happened. This interaction is crucial for keeping customers satisfied and encouraging them to buy more from you on Amazon. They might even change their mind about their returns because of your proper communication and handling.

It’s understandable if you’re having some troubles understanding how returns and cancellations operate. At Seller Interactive, we are here to help you deal with these complicated situations. After all, we believe that selling on Amazon doesn't have to be hard!

You can deal with this with us and won't have to go through all of these alone. Reach out to us by booking a call at 1-800-820-3746 to learn more on how to cancel a return order on Amazon and send us your requests for any seller-related problems we can help you with, and our team of experts will keep in touch with you!