Missing items from Inbound - Repeated Challenges with Reimbursements
Dear Amazon Team,
I am reaching out to highlight a recurring issue regarding reimbursement requests for missing items from inbound shipments. The process has become increasingly burdensome due to what appears to be a misalignment between our business model and the documentation requirements outlined by seller support.
Specifically, when we report missing units, we are asked to provide proof of ownership for all units of the SKU with missing items. While complying with this request is not an issue, our business model complicates this process: 1) Unique Nature of Sourcing: We typically purchase one unit per invoice, often spread out over weeks. 2) Refurbishment Process: As a refurbisher, our units undergo testing, refurbishing, and other production processes, which can take weeks. Additionally, refurbished returns are reintroduced into inventory, further complicating documentation alignment with specific shipments. Items required escalated repairs often take months to make it through the queue, further complicating the timing issue mentioned below.
Initially, we provide invoices for the units in the shipment, often spanning a few weeks. Seller support then requests proof of ownership for all units shipped to Amazon FCs during that period (invoice date range). Again, we provide invoices that account for all units shipped to Amazon FCs in the date range, but now the invoice date range spans a couple of months. Again, we have complied with the request, but due to the expanded invoice date range, this now includes an even greater amount of FC Inbound Shipments, at which point we are asked to provide invoices that account for all of the units.
Compounding the issue is that often these shipments are fully received at the original destination fulfillment center, only to be unreceived at a different fulfillment center. It appears that all units were originally accounted for, only to have units go missing after distributed placement possibly. It is frustrating to be asked to provide this much information given the fact that the item is likely misplaced at Amazon FCs and once found, the cash reimbursement can be swapped for inventory reimbursement.
Currently, we are dealing with this issue for the following shipments and corresponding shipments/case IDs:
FBA18G85XYNX Case ID 16630450841
FBA18DWB1PGW Case ID 16526272991
Despite our repeated attempts to explain the challenges and propose more practical solutions, we have received canned responses that fail to address the issue or, worse, case closures citing "insufficient information."
We kindly urge Amazon leadership to review this matter and consider the operational challenges faced by refurbishers like us. It is disheartening to face such an unsustainable process, and we hope for a resolution that reduces administrative burdens while ensuring fair treatment in reimbursement cases.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Ryan @ RTG
Missing items from Inbound - Repeated Challenges with Reimbursements
Dear Amazon Team,
I am reaching out to highlight a recurring issue regarding reimbursement requests for missing items from inbound shipments. The process has become increasingly burdensome due to what appears to be a misalignment between our business model and the documentation requirements outlined by seller support.
Specifically, when we report missing units, we are asked to provide proof of ownership for all units of the SKU with missing items. While complying with this request is not an issue, our business model complicates this process: 1) Unique Nature of Sourcing: We typically purchase one unit per invoice, often spread out over weeks. 2) Refurbishment Process: As a refurbisher, our units undergo testing, refurbishing, and other production processes, which can take weeks. Additionally, refurbished returns are reintroduced into inventory, further complicating documentation alignment with specific shipments. Items required escalated repairs often take months to make it through the queue, further complicating the timing issue mentioned below.
Initially, we provide invoices for the units in the shipment, often spanning a few weeks. Seller support then requests proof of ownership for all units shipped to Amazon FCs during that period (invoice date range). Again, we provide invoices that account for all units shipped to Amazon FCs in the date range, but now the invoice date range spans a couple of months. Again, we have complied with the request, but due to the expanded invoice date range, this now includes an even greater amount of FC Inbound Shipments, at which point we are asked to provide invoices that account for all of the units.
Compounding the issue is that often these shipments are fully received at the original destination fulfillment center, only to be unreceived at a different fulfillment center. It appears that all units were originally accounted for, only to have units go missing after distributed placement possibly. It is frustrating to be asked to provide this much information given the fact that the item is likely misplaced at Amazon FCs and once found, the cash reimbursement can be swapped for inventory reimbursement.
Currently, we are dealing with this issue for the following shipments and corresponding shipments/case IDs:
FBA18G85XYNX Case ID 16630450841
FBA18DWB1PGW Case ID 16526272991
Despite our repeated attempts to explain the challenges and propose more practical solutions, we have received canned responses that fail to address the issue or, worse, case closures citing "insufficient information."
We kindly urge Amazon leadership to review this matter and consider the operational challenges faced by refurbishers like us. It is disheartening to face such an unsustainable process, and we hope for a resolution that reduces administrative burdens while ensuring fair treatment in reimbursement cases.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Ryan @ RTG
10 respuestas
Seller_T7bkq3pJHibSr
Bump. Mods, could we get some assistance with this issue please?
Seller_Vjnwgi5MFIKNy
Yeah, I've noticed a lot of the same with altered inventory numbers from warehouses that weren't shipped to and Amazon seems to want this set up so they don't have to give reimbursements for as much "lost" inventory as possible.
Seller_T7bkq3pJHibSr
Is it possible to get some mods on this? Seller Support is refusing to assist us further with these cases.
Seller Support (via case ID 16630450841) has said "Please note that any further correspondence regarding this matter may not receive a reply. Thank you for your understanding."
On the other case (ID 16526272991), seller support mentioned on November 18th "unable to provide the requested documents. Hence, we are resolving the case". Since then they have not responded to messages (and invoice documents) that I have sent within the same case.
Seller support is closing or ignoring cases which I am actively trying to provide documentation that they are requesting. To restate, due to the non-standard method of purchasing for our refurbishing business, meeting the ever increasing burden of proof is challenging. Despite that, I have been able to gather the evidence requested and have since provided that to seller support. To have Seller support resign to assist us further is aggravating.
Here's an example -
Seller support on 12/03 - "We've reviewed and found multiple shipments at our fulfillment centers between the invoice date 07/23/2024 and the ship date 09/27/2024 for shipment ID FBA18G85XYNX."
Myself on 12/03 - "Please see attached invoice binder which includes invoices for -
SKU: XXXX
Date Range Beginning: 7/2/2024
Date Range End: 9/27/2024"
Seller support on 12/05 - "We've reviewed and found multiple shipments at our fulfillment centers between the invoice date 07/23/2024 and the ship date 09/27/2024 for shipment ID FBA18G85XYNX. We cannot proceed to investigate without the above documentation. Since you have been unable to provide the documentation despite multiple requests, this case would be now resolved"
To be clear - I provided an increased date range as this was the soonest date range where our quantity of units purchased exceed the quantity shipped to Amazon. How can seller support close a case when I have provided the information they requested (albeit a bit more than requested)?
Is it too much to ask for Amazon to follow their own policies?
Dominic_Amazon
Hi @Seller_T7bkq3pJHibSr,
Dominic from Amazon here, would like to provide additional information. Both of these shipments have been escalated to the highest possible authority and unfortunately the final decision has been made. In some cases we can escalate internally, however for these shipments this will not be the case.
Best,
Dominic
