The technology giant has expanded its refund policy - known as the A-Z guarantee - which now covers hazardous items sold by third-party sellers. Amazon will directly pay most valid claims under £1,000, but only incidents that occur within a year of the date of purchase are covered.
Read on to find out exactly what Amazon’s A-Z guarantee covers, and how to report a dangerous product.
What is Amazon's A-Z guarantee?
When you buy a product from a third-party seller on Amazon, its A-Z guarantee protects your purchase.
If there are any major issues with your order and a seller fails to refund you, Amazon promises to give your money back. For example, you can request a refund under the A-Z guarantee if you don’t receive your package, or if it arrives faulty. damaged or not as described. You’re also eligible if you’ve returned an item but haven’t received a refund, or the seller refuses to accept a return request. In short, it's an extremely beneficial way to resolve post-purchase issues.
Before submitting a refund request, you must contact the marketplace seller, who has 48 hours to try to resolve the issue. Amazon’s refunds policy only applies to products sold and fulfilled (shipped) by marketplace sellers.
How will Amazon help if I'm affected by a dangerous product?
In the past, Amazon directed customers to sellers if an unsafe product caused injury or damage. But from now on it will handle complaints about faulty items and pay compensation.
Its new ‘A-Z Claims Process’ covers personal injury or property damage claims caused by products sold or fulfilled by Amazon as well as by third-party sellers. It may reimburse medical expenses, repair bills or lost wages as well as the cost of the item.
If Amazon judges a claim to be valid, it’ll pay compensation under £1,000. Higher claims will be investigated by an external claims specialist. If a seller or manufacturer fails to deal with a claim or is unreachable, Amazon told us it will ‘take appropriate actions in accordance with local legal regulations’.
The protection doesn’t just cover the buyer or user, so you might be able to claim compensation if a friend or family member is harmed by a dangerous product.
You can appeal if Amazon rejects your claim or you’re unhappy with the compensation offered. If you’re still unsatisfied with the outcome, you’ll need to take legal action.
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You’ll be asked to provide evidence to support your claim. Typically, you’ll need proof of the product (including the make, model or serial number) as well as photographs, medical records or repair bills documenting the injury or property damage.
However, Amazon told us it ‘will extend [its] standard claim resolution processes if required by local regulatory guidelines’. For example, you may be able to claim if an injury occurs after more than a year because there’s generally a three-year limit on claims relating to personal injuries under English and Welsh law.
You can also report a dangerous product via a product listing - look for a link underneath the description ('Report an issue with this product').
Amazon's product safety blueprint
Unlike traditional retailers, online marketplaces aren’t legally responsible for the safety of the products sold by third-party sellers. Which? investigations have often found unsafe products on marketplace sites, including Amazon.
The e-commerce site says it now emails customers who have bought an item that is subsequently recalled. It's also experimenting with incorporating safety information into the buying process for child car seats, cribs and baby products, and sending post-purchase emails and push notifications.
Tougher action needed to prevent dangerous products for sale online
Which? welcomes Amazon enhancing its A-Z guarantee and taking responsibility for damage caused by unsafe products sold on its shopping platform. It’s a step in the right direction, but we believe Amazon and other online marketplaces need to do much more to prevent unsafe product listings appearing in the first place.
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