You recently purchased a product on Amazon, but once it got delivered to you, you’re disappointed with it for various reasons – the product is not how described, it is damaged, or you simply don’t want it anymore. If you find yourself in this situation, know that you can return the item and issue a refund on Amazon, although you’ll first have to make sure that returns and refunds are allowed for that specific purchase.
So, how does Amazon issue refunds? Keep reading to learn about it.
Refunds on Amazon
First, you need to know that when you return an item, your refund amount and refund method may vary, meaning that you could get less money back than you initially spent. After you asked for the refund, you can check the payment method that was refunded and the status of your refund in “Your Orders”. What we’re going to talk about in this article only relates to items bought from or Fulfilled by Amazon, so you won’t be able to return items to Amazon that were bought on Amazon Marketplace and shipped to you by the seller themselves.
Check the status of your refund
As we already mentioned, you can check how your refund is progressing, and also the payment method in the “Your Orders” section of Amazon:
- login to your Amazon account
- go to Your Orders
- next to the relevant order, select Order Details
- the refund status is displayed at the bottom of the Order Summary
After the carrier has received your item, it can take up to two weeks for Amazon employees to receive and process your return.
How refunds are issued
When returning an item, you can choose your preferred refund method – like getting an Amazon Gift Card with the amount of money used for the purchase in it, or getting the money directly on the credit card you used – in the Returns Center.
If you’re receiving a refund after Amazon received your item, it may take an additional three to five business days to process your return fully and issue your refund. Once Amazon issues your refund, it could take some more time for your funds to be made available in your account by your financial institution. Check the table below:
| Refund Method | Refund Time (After Refund Is Processed) |
|---|---|
| Credit card | Three to five business days |
| Amazon.com Gift Card | Two to three hours |
| Debit card | Up to 10 business days |
| Checking account | Up to 10 business days |
| SNAP EBT card | Within 24 hours |
| Gift Card balance | Two to three hours |
| Promotional Certificate | No refund issued |
| Prepaid credit card | Up to 30 days |
| Shop with Reward Points | Up to five business days |
Note that refund timing to a prepaid card depends on the issuer of the card: the refund can take up to 30 days to process based on the policy of the issuer. If you no longer have the physical card, the card is still stored within your account, and it can be used for future purchases on the account it’s stored in.
And if you used the Amazon Currency Converter when placing your original order, the refund will be issued in your local currency and calculated using the same rate used when you placed your order.
What about gift returns?
The type of refund or credit you receive depends on how the gift was purchased and how it was returned. Go to Return a Gift for more info. But Amazon can also determine that a refund can be issued without requiring a return. If you aren’t required to mail your item back for a refund, you’ll be notified in the Returns Center or by a customer service associate.
Partial refunds or restocking fees
There’s a variety of cases in which Amazon will not refund you fully, and these are:
| Item | Refund |
|---|---|
| Items in original condition past the return window* | 80% of the item price |
| CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, or vinyl records that were opened (taken out of its plastic wrap) | 50% of the item price |
| Items that are damaged, missing parts, not in the original condition, or have obvious signs of use for reasons not due to an Amazon.com or seller error | Up to 50% of the item price |
| Open software or video games for reasons not due to an Amazon.com or seller error | 0% of the item price |