Amazon: returns

About this article

This article describes ChannelEngine's support for channel- and merchant-based returns on Amazon.

Amazon channel returns

ChannelEngine supports channel returns for fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and fulfillment by merchant (FBM) for administration purposes, and only when they are present and handled on Amazon's Seller Central. 

Channel returns for FBA orders

With FBA, Amazon provides fulfillment and customer service for your orders – including processing customer returns. FBA order returns include a status of the returned product:

• Unit return to inventory - the product has been returned to the sellable or unsellable inventory.
• Reimbursed - approved reimbursement. The product has not been returned to the inventory (allow five days for reimbursements to post).
• Pending repacking - the product is being repackaged.
• Repackaged successfully - the product is repackaged and returned to the sellable inventory.

The procedure for channel returns of FBA orders is:

1. Amazon Seller Central receives a return for an FBA order.
2. Once the order status is set to either Unit returned to inventory or Reimbursed, ChannelEngine imports the return with the status ExportedAt already set. This is done for administration purposes. It prevents the return to be exported to Amazon again and adds the correct order status on ChannelEngine.

Channel returns for FBM orders

With FBM, the logistics aspect is shifted to the seller’s side.

The procedure for channel returns for FBM orders is:

1. Amazon Seller Central receives a return for an FBM order.
2. Once the status is set to Approved, ChannelEngine imports the return with ExportedAt already set. This is done for administration purposes. It prevents the return to be exported to Amazon again and adds the correct order status on ChannelEngine.

Amazon merchant returns

It is possible to create a merchant return for Amazon via ChannelEngine. You can do this via the API or via the web interface.

The procedure for merchant returns via the web interface is:

1. The merchant receives a new return from a buyer. 
2. The merchant creates the return on ChannelEngine.
3. Once the item or items that were marked for return are received, the merchant can set the return to Received to trigger a refund.
4. Once the status changes to Received, ChannelEngine exports the return to Amazon as an OrderAdjustment with a refund amount.