Amazon has introduced a new product condition questionnaire for buyers, which is required before a return under the FBM program can be completed. This applies to purchases made in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The new process allows FBM sellers to decline ineligible returns, especially for unsealed hygiene or media products where the buyer has simply changed their mind. Such items can be declined under EU consumer protection law if they can no longer be disinfected and resold.
Sellers should note that due to the new process, more contact requests via the buyer-seller messaging system are to be expected, since buyers can no longer initiate an automatic self-service return if a sealed product has been opened.
What do sellers need to know?
When can a return be declined: Under EU consumer protection law, a return may be declined if a hygiene or media product has been unsealed and the buyer has simply changed their mind. The prerequisite is that, for hygiene reasons, the product can no longer be disinfected and thus cannot be resold. However, sealed products as well as defective or damaged items must always be accepted, regardless of the reason for return.
How the new questionnaire works: Before a buyer can complete an FBM return, they must indicate the item’s condition in the new product condition questionnaire. If they state that a sealed product has been opened and they have changed their mind, the self-service return will be blocked. The buyer can then only contact the seller via the buyer-seller messaging system, which may lead to an increased volume of messages.
Prepare communication in the message inbox: Since declined self-service returns will increasingly lead to direct buyer messages, we recommend preparing a clear response template for unsealed hygiene and media products. Refer to the legal basis under EU consumer protection law and explain objectively why the return cannot be accepted. This can help reduce escalations and negative reviews.
