What changed
Amazon's buyer protection for orders sold and shipped by third-party sellers
When
Updated October 2026
Who it affects
Shoppers buying from third-party sellers, and seller-fulfilled sellers
What to do
Buyers: contact the seller first. Sellers: answer messages within 48 hours

Key takeaways

  • Buyers must contact the seller and wait 48 hours before filing; the last delivery date must be within 90 days.
  • Each claim can count toward ODR, so sellers should respond fast with tracking and message history.
  • Prompt replies, tracked shipping and fast refunds on returns prevent most claims.

A-to-z claim timeline for a missing package

  1. Order should have arrived

  2. Buyer can report non-receipt

  3. Seller has 48 hours to fix

  4. Amazon asks seller for information

  5. Reported 72-hour window

  6. Last date a claim can be filed

What the A-to-z Guarantee covers

The A-to-z Guarantee protects shoppers who buy items sold and fulfilled by a third-party seller that provides its own customer service. It covers on-time delivery and item condition. Orders fulfilled by Amazon, including FBA orders, are handled by Amazon Customer Service instead, so most A-to-z claims involve seller-fulfilled orders.

Digital items, services, stored value instruments, Spot Buys and automobiles are not covered. If a shopper asks their bank for a chargeback, they lose eligibility for an A-to-z refund on that order.

When can a buyer file an A-to-z Guarantee claim?

Amazon's help page lists the situations that qualify. In every case the order must come from a third-party seller and the last possible delivery date must be 90 days or less in the past.

  • Package not received: three days after the latest estimated delivery date, or a delivered scan, whichever is sooner, and the seller was contacted more than 48 hours ago
  • Damaged, defective or not as described: return requested more than 48 hours ago and not authorized
  • International seller with no US return address, prepaid label or returnless refund
  • Return request closed by the seller, or a prepaid label with invalid tracking
  • Item returned but no refund seven days after delivery to the seller
  • Extra charges, such as customs fees, the seller did not cover

How to file a claim as a shopper, step by step

Amazon wants buyer and seller to try first, so the order of steps matters.

  • Message the seller from Your Orders and describe the problem
  • Wait 48 hours for a reply or a fix
  • Go to Your Orders and select Problem with order
  • Choose the issue and request an A-to-z Guarantee refund
  • Answer any questions from Amazon and watch your email
  • If denied, use the appeal option on the claim

What a claim means for sellers

An A-to-z claim is one of the three parts of Order Defect Rate, alongside negative feedback and credit card chargebacks. Amazon's long-standing target is to keep ODR under 1%, and a run of claims on a small order base can push an account into the danger zone and lower its account health rating.

Claims also cost money directly. If Amazon grants the claim, it refunds the buyer and debits the seller's account. Claims where Amazon finds the seller not at fault can be marked as not counting against ODR, which is why the evidence you supply matters.

How sellers should respond to an A-to-z claim

When Amazon asks for information, respond quickly. Seller help pages and guides report that Amazon grants the claim to the buyer if the seller does not reply within 72 hours, and that clock does not pause for weekends. Respond inside the claim in Seller Central, not by email.

Keep the response factual and short. State what happened, attach the proof and say what you have already done for the buyer, such as a refund or replacement. A refund issued before Amazon decides often ends the claim, although it can still count depending on the outcome.

  • Tracking showing delivery to the correct address
  • Carrier confirmation and signature proof, where available
  • Buyer-Seller Messages showing your replies
  • Photos of the item as shipped, for condition claims
  • Proof of a return label or refund already issued

Evidence that wins A-to-z claims

  • Tracking with delivered scan to the right address
  • Carrier confirmation or signature
  • Buyer-Seller Messages history
  • Photos of the item as shipped
  • Proof of refund or return label
  • Buy Shipping label details

How to appeal an A-to-z decision

If Amazon rules against you and you have new evidence, you can appeal from the claim page. Trade reports describe the appeal window as 30 days. Appeal only when you can add something new, such as a delivery photo or carrier investigation result, because repeating the first response rarely changes the outcome. For refund-related losses on returns, a SAFE-T claim is a separate route worth checking.

How to prevent A-to-z claims

Most claims come from slow replies, missing tracking and returns left unanswered. Fix those three and claim volume usually falls.

  • Reply to every buyer message within 48 hours, weekends included
  • Ship with valid tracking, ideally on labels bought through Amazon Buy Shipping
  • Authorize returns promptly and refund received returns within four calendar days
  • Set clear handling times you can actually meet
  • Package fragile items to survive the carrier
  • Answer pre-sale questions so buyers know what they are getting

Getting help with claims and account health

If claims are climbing, look at the pattern before the individual cases. One carrier, one warehouse or one product often explains most of them. Our guide to contacting Amazon Seller Support explains how to escalate a claim that was decided on wrong facts.

PPC Spider's catalog and account health service monitors ODR, claims and policy warnings daily and drafts responses with the evidence attached, so claims are answered inside Amazon's window. A free Amazon audit includes an account health review.

Sources

  • Amazon: A-to-z Guarantee (amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GQ37ZCNECJKTFYQV)
  • Amazon: Contact a Third-Party Seller (amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GLC8ZMBWMBTR6QZZ)
  • Tinuiti: Amazon A-to-z claims (tinuiti.com/blog/amazon/amazon-a-to-z-claims/)
  • My Amazon Guy: Amazon SAFE-T claim filing window shrinks to 30 days (myamazonguy.com/news/amazon-safe-t-claim-filing-window/)
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