Seeking a Refund on Amazon? Here’s How To Contact the Seller Directly
Shopping online can be a gamble. Products may arrive damaged, late or different from the description. When that happens, you need a refund. But what should you do when you buy the product from a third-party seller on Amazon?
Fortunately, Amazon makes it easy to contact their third-party sellers directly. Keep reading to learn how to contact a seller on Amazon.
What Is an Amazon Seller?
Amazon is an online marketplace that partners with businesses, re-sellers and manufacturers to sell their products. While Amazon does sell its own products, a lot of what you find on the platform comes from a third-party seller.
Your seller might be a retail giant or an individual with an Amazon dropshipping side hustle. Amazon has hundreds of thousands of verified third-party sellers, and although the company verifies those sellers, their product quality and customer service can vary. That’s why it’s important to check the seller’s history and make sure an Amazon deal isn’t too good to be true.
How To Contact a Seller on Amazon
If you have questions about your delivery or want a refund, you could contact Amazon’s customer service, or you could cut out the middleman and contact the seller directly.
Here’s how to contact a seller on Amazon before and after you make your purchase.
Before Ordering: Through the Product Listing Page
Before you place your order, you might have questions for the seller. It’s always smart to verify a product’s quality and features before you check out. You can do so by contacting the seller through the product listing page. Just follow these steps:
- Find the seller’s name. You’ll find the seller’s name in the right-hand panel on the listing page, under the “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now” buttons. If you’re using the Amazon app, you might have to scroll down to find the seller’s name. Click the link to see more information about the seller.
- Select “Ask a Question.” Under “About Seller,” you’ll see an option to ask a question. Click this link.
- Follow the prompts. Follow the prompts in the chat window until the message box appears.
- Type your question. This question will be sent directly to the seller, not Amazon’s customer service.
- Wait for a reply. Amazon’s code of conduct requires all sellers to respond to buyer messages within 24 hours. If more than a day passes without receiving a response, contact Amazon’s customer service.
After Ordering: Through the Orders Page
If you’ve already placed an order through Amazon, you can contact the seller through the orders page. Here’s how:
- Select “Returns and Orders.” If you’re using a web browser, log into your Amazon account and hit “Returns & Orders” on the right-hand side of the screen. In the Amazon app, click the hamburger icon in the lower right-hand corner and select “Orders.”
- Choose “Problem” or “Get Help.” On the Orders page, find the order you need help with. You’ll see one of two options: If the product has arrived, it will say “Problem with order,” and if it’s still shipping, it will say “Get help with order.”
- Follow the prompts and type your question. Follow the prompts in the chat box to speak directly with the seller.
Note that you can still use the product listing page to contact the seller after you’ve placed your order, but the prompts through the orders page might be more relevant to your problem.
Good To Know
After you’ve initiated contact with your seller, you can find the chat under “Your Messages” in your Amazon account.
The chat won’t expire after your order or return is complete — if you like the seller, you can stay in touch with them about future orders through the same message thread.
Prevent Fraud: Check Your Amazon Seller Before You Buy
Amazon verifies all the sellers on its platform. However, scams can still happen. According to Norton, scammers stole as much as $27 million through Amazon scams between 2020 and 2021.
Avoiding scams is one of the most important ways to protect your identity online. Before you make a purchase on Amazon, check out the seller’s page and selling history. Make sure they have a history of sales through the platform.
On top of that, never provide your payment information directly to the seller — the only way to buy an Amazon product is through the standard checkout. Make sure you only communicate with the seller through the Amazon chat system and don’t reply to external texts or emails.
Final Take
Amazon requires its sellers to respond to questions and refund requests through the platform. If you have issues contacting a seller, don’t receive a response, or feel like you’re being scammed, contact Amazon’s customer service right away.
Information is accurate as of Oct. 11, 2023.
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- Norton. 2023. "17 Amazon scams to know and avoid in 2023."
