Amazon announced two new updates coming to Seller Central on October 21, 2021.
Returns Performance Dashboard
The Returns Performance Dashboard is a new tool coming to Seller Central on October 21st, 2021. The purpose of the Returns Performance Dashboard is to help monitor your returns more closely, quickly address and resolve issues for customers. The tool will include detailed information regarding the metric definitions, and overall performance. This should be helpful for sellers and brands who want more insight into how well they are doing in terms of the big picture for returns performance for FBM orders.
Along with the new dashboard, there will be 3 New Account Health Metrics.
- Return requests approved in less than 24 hours
- Total declined return requests
- Return-related buyer contact rate
According to Amazon, the metrics will not be enforced right from the start. While the metrics won't initially go into effect (meaning it won't negatively impact your account health), oftentimes, as we’ve noticed over the years - Amazon tends to roll out new metrics as a "beta" (meaning it has not yet been officially released/put into effect) before making the metric a requirement. This allows sellers and brands some time to adjust to the change and put a strategy in place.
Returns Analysis Page
Amazon.com also announced a new Returns Analysis page that will be rolled out the same day. This page will help address listings that have high return rates and investigate further to identify any issues. Some common issues include incorrectly labeled SKU or UPC (resulting in customers receiving the wrong product), faulty or defective products, or false information displayed on the PDP. The page will have 3 different filters to narrow search: Product Category, Time Period and Product Order Type.
Returns have long been a struggle for sellers. One of the reasons why Amazon became so successful is their customer-focused business strategy. Customers can return their orders, for any reason, for 30 days; on top of that - they can file an A-Z claim for 90 days.
When it comes to return options for 3rd party sellers, they're limited. With the Prepaid Return Label program, and the Automatic Return Approvals being done by Amazon – sellers have little say when it comes to accepting a return request (unless your product is eligible to opt-out of the program). The Amazon Returns Performance Dashboard and the Returns Analysis Page will help sellers keep track of their returns. However, should Amazon decided to enforce the new metrics, it may cause new problems for sellers with high return rates.
It will be important for sellers and brands to start to produce a plan for how they will stay compliant with Amazon’s return performance metrics, so you are ahead of the game if (or when) they go into effect. We recommend familiarizing yourself with the dashboard upon rollout, and beginning to add processes into your day-to-day to stay compliant with the changes, as well as accommodating to customers and your overall Amazon business.
If you need help with creating a winning strategy that is sure to set you up for success, contact our team of experts to assist you.
Julia Asburry is the Senior Marketplace Support Analyst at Blue Wheel, where she plays a vital role in enhancing Account Health and Customer Service management. Her work empowers our clients to not just sustain, but truly thrive in the eCommerce landscape. With over half a decade of diverse experience in the industry, she wears many hats within the organization, bringing a wealth of expertise that propels us forward and helps set us apart.
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