Defining “Used Sold as New” Complaints
As an Amazon Seller, you have worked diligently to make sure your business runs smoothly on Amazon. However, sellers are quickly learning that you will need to do more than just follow the existing policies – you will also need to frequently check for policy updates from Amazon. For example, you may believe a new product is new as long as it has not been opened yet. Amazon has a more strict interpretation of what constitutes “new.”
In fact, anything that was returned, had damaged packaging, or was opened but not used cannot be labeled as “new” pursuant to Amazon’s conditions policy. Even though the product is brand new and never used, it may have damage to the packaging or even been previously opened and later returned. These issues regarding item condition are the source of many “used sold as new” complaints filed by Amazon customers.
What Happens When You Receive a Used Sold as New Complaint?
Most of the Amazon sellers who receive this form of buyer complaint find themselves bewildered upon receiving notice of the complaint. The majority of high-volume Amazon sellers limit themselves to only sourcing products that are 100% new, unused, and packaged according to both industry and Amazon standards. So why this type of complaint would become an issue at all for sellers who stick to brand new items tends to be a gray area.
Here’s the answer: all too often, these mysterious Used Sold as New complaints can be easily traced back to the FBA warehouse that stored your inventory. This is a good thing for sellers – if your inventory is sold via FBA, you will be relieved from any responsibility when it comes to damaged packaging. In addition, Used Sold as New complaints are out of an FBA seller’s hands for a major reason: returns sent back to the FBA center are left at the discretion of the warehouse employees. As a seller, you value your Amazon account in the highest regard – you would never resell a returned item that is clearly damaged. However, it is a common scenario where FBA warehouse workers may classify a damaged return as “resellable inventory”. When this happens, the used item is sold again, and another complaint may be issued.
FBA sellers have a major advantage in avoiding Used Sold as New Complaints – choosing to manually opt out of FBA Repackaging services ensures that any items returned will not be resold, only to risk another buyer complaint. For those who sell MF only, give FBA a try. At the very least, you are alleviated of handling packing and shipping, returns, and even customer service.