An Amazon seller has reportedly exposed a loophole in the e-commerce giant’s return policy that allows bad actors to both get the refund and keep the item they ordered.
The video, which was posted by TikTok user Zac Janczak (@zacharyjanczak) has amassed over 330,000 views since its upload on Aug. 12. In it, he reveals how some customers exploit Amazon’s lenient return system to keep expensive items while still receiving full refunds.
“Returns on Amazon have gotten so ridiculous,” Janczak begins in his video. “You can order some expensive item, right, like a PS5 and return the most random [expletive], and Amazon will still refund you.”
How the incident went down
Janczak went on to describe a recent incident where a customer returned a “glove and a used [expletive] sock” instead of the pair of shoes they had purchased from his store. “It smells like [expletive],” he complained, while presenting the items as evidence for his audience.
The TikToker made it clear that sellers like him bear the brunt of the fraudulent returns, and not Amazon, urging viewers to reconsider such behavior.
“And, like, I get it. You wanna keep your [expletive] for free. You wanna do some fraud, like low-key fraud, but whatever. I get it. Do your thing, but please chill out with that because it is so [expletive] annoying as a seller. So please don’t do that. Thanks,” he concluded.
Viewers share experiences with Amazon’s return process
In the comment section of video, commenters shared their experience with Amazon’s return process.
One commenter wrote, “Meanwhile I return something and it takes months to get refunded.”
Another user confessed, “I can’t ever put in the work and effort to return something. I just throw it away and consider it a loss.”
The video has also led one commenter to question their own meticulousness when returning items. “And here I am packaging everything nice and neatly. Taking pictures of it for proof stressing myself! Why?” they wrote.
According to a PostageGuru article, “In most cases, Amazon does not actually check returns from third-party sellers. The seller you purchased from is responsible for issuing refunds and inspecting returns.”
However, the article further states, “Amazon may get involved if there is an issue with the return that the buyer and seller cannot resolve. They may step in to determine if the return is valid or if the seller needs to provide a replacement or refund.”
@zacharyjanczak ♬ original sound – Zac Janczak
The Daily Dot reached out to Zac Janczak via Instagram direct message and to Amazon via their press email.
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