On this label
- Amazon: most items returnable within 30 days of estimated delivery; refunds due within two business days of receiving a return.
- Etsy sellers outside the EU must state a return policy on every physical item listing.
- The FTC’s review rule bans suppressing negative reviews and using intimidation to remove them.
Returns and bad reviews feel like failures, but every seller gets them. What matters is handling them in a way that keeps you within the rules, limits the cost and turns the complaint into a better listing. The rules differ by channel, so start by knowing which ones apply where.
Returns on Amazon: Amazon’s policy applies
Amazon’s help page for seller-fulfilled returns states that sellers must follow Amazon’s return and refund policies, regardless of their own terms. Key points for US sellers:
| Amazon rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Return window | Most items within 30 days of the estimated delivery date; some categories longer |
| Authorization | In-policy requests are authorized automatically; manual requests need a response within 24 hours |
| Buyer’s shipping time | 15 days after the return window closes |
| Refund deadline | Within two business days of receiving the return; otherwise Amazon may refund and charge you |
| Return labels | US sellers are enrolled automatically in prepaid return labels through Buy Shipping; exemptions can be requested for certain SKUs |
| Wrong item returned | Contact the buyer; if unresolved, a 100% restocking fee may be charged while refunding |
If you refuse a return and Amazon finds the item was materially different from its listing, you may be held responsible for any A-to-z Guarantee claim or chargeback. Accurate listings are the best returns policy; see Writing Product Listings That Convert: Titles, Descriptions and Claims You Can Back Up.
Returns on Etsy: your policy, stated clearly
On Etsy, return and exchange policies are set by the seller and applied to individual listings rather than shop-wide. Sellers outside the EU must set a return policy whenever they create or edit a listing for a physical item, even if the policy is that returns are not accepted. Buyers in the EU have a legal right to cancel or return orders within 14 days of delivery, and Etsy shows a reminder if your window is shorter. Buyers see a copy of your policies, as of the time of purchase, in their receipt email.
Tip: Custom and personalized items are usually the hardest to resell. Many sellers accept returns on standard items but not on personalized ones; whatever you choose, state it on the listing.
Your own store
On your own store, the policy is entirely yours to write. Make it easy to find, state the window, who pays return shipping and how refunds are issued. If you advertise a shipping time, the FTC’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule applies, and if you cannot ship, the remedy is a full and prompt refund.
Reviews: what the FTC rule allows
The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect on October 21, 2024. For sellers, the main points from the FTC’s own questions and answers are:
- You may not write, buy or sell fake reviews.
- You may offer incentives for reviews, but not conditioned on positive sentiment.
- You may respond publicly to a negative review, but you may not make accusations about the reviewer you know to be false, and you may not use threats or intimidation to get a review removed or changed. The FTC says intimidation can include abusive communications and character assassination.
- On your own site, you may organize reviews, for example by helpfulness, but you may not suppress negative ones.
- If you merely host genuine customer reviews, you are not liable for fakes you did not write or buy; testimonials you choose to publish, though, are your advertising.
Replying to a negative review
- Wait until you are calm. A defensive reply is read by every future buyer.
- Thank the customer and acknowledge the problem in one sentence.
- State what you did or will do: replacement, refund, a fix to the listing.
- Take details to private messages.
- Keep it short and never reveal a customer’s personal information.
Turn complaints into fixes
| Repeated complaint | Likely fix |
|---|---|
| Smaller than expected | Add a scale photo and exact measurements; see Product Photos That Sell: Meeting Etsy and Amazon Image Rules With a Simple Home Setup |
| Color looks different | Re-shoot in daylight and correct white balance |
| Arrived damaged | Change packaging; see Shipping and Packaging for Small Sellers: USPS Services, Box Sizes and the 30-Day Rule |
| Took too long | Lengthen the stated processing time to match reality |
Two more Amazon details catch new sellers out. If your return address is outside the United States, Amazon requires you to give the buyer a prepaid return label within 2 days of the request, or instead offer a returnless refund or a valid US return address. And for requests outside the return window, you may accept or deny, but Amazon asks you to explain a denial through Buyer-Seller Messaging, since buyers can still file an A-to-z Guarantee claim.
Track returns and complaints by product. A product with a high return rate may cost more in shipping and refunds than it earns, even if it sells well. Our Marketplace Fees Compared: What Etsy, Amazon and a Shopify Store Take From a $40 Sale guide shows how fees and costs add up.