Amazon lets buyers return trash 19 times

We know you’ve been waiting for this. Reviews with incentives are finally here…sort of.

• Fraudulent returns aren’t a bug 🛑
• Your sales: PAUSED ⏸️
• Amazon hits $830B GMV 💰
• Walmart finally allows review incentives 🎯

BLACK MARKET

Ever feel like an FBA return is more trouble than the sale itself?

A frustrated seller (OP) went to the seller forums to share a case of repeat buyer abuse that’ll sound painfully familiar to many FBA sellers.

After months of reports, OP says nothing changed. Yep, stuck in support-loop limbo.

🚨 The nightmare in a nutshell

According to OP, the same buyer placed 19 orders and returned completely different items instead of the original product.

Here’s where it really went off the rails:

• Buyer repeatedly returned boxes filled with trash, sand, paper, and unknown substances
• OP repeatedly reported the abuse, with no meaningful action taken
• SAFE-T claims weren’t available because the orders were U.S.-based FBA
• Amazon still restocked the returns, despite clear red flags

🧾 Amazon’s response

A forum manager confirmed SAFE-T claims don’t apply to U.S. FBA orders. For wrong-item FBA returns, sellers should:

• Open a Seller Support case for each fraudulent return
• Request reimbursement for a materially different item received
• Submit clear photo evidence:
  • Unopened box
  • Legible LPN sticker
  • Contents after opening
  • Original item sent
• Keep using Report a Suspicious Order. Amazon tracks patterns over time

📌 Painfully slow 

For FBA sellers, stopping buyer abuse is slow, manual, and case-by-case. Documentation and repeated reports are still the only real tools, even when abuse is obvious. 

It’s not fast or satisfying, but those reports do build a paper trail inside Amazon over time.

TOGETHER WITH SELLER INTERACTIVE

What’s really holding your Amazon growth back?

You’ve optimized listings. You’re running PPC. You’ve read all the blogs. So… why isn’t it translating into real growth?

That’s where Seller Interactive comes in.

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From underperforming keywords to untapped ad opportunities, our team of Amazon experts will walk you through what’s actually going on inside your account—and where your next wins are hiding.

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Think of us as the partner who brings clarity and execution to your Amazon strategy.

Book a free Discovery Call

BITES OF THE WEEK

• E.U. De Minimis Ends: EU scraps low-value import exemption, reshaping ecommerce pricing, logistics, and customs strategy.
• Low Data, Low Prices: Study shows Temu collects minimal user data, ranking among the least invasive shopping apps in the US.
• Turkey Pulls Plug: Following suit, Turkey ends duty-free parcels, forcing Temu and Shein to halt cross-border sales.
• Creators Drive Commerce: TikTok says authentic creator content is powering social ecommerce growth toward a $1.2 trillion economy.

AMAZON NEWS

Amazon’s marketplace GMV has officially crossed $830B

According to Marketplace Pulse, Amazon’s total marketplace GMV topped $830B in 2025, almost triple what it was seven years ago! 

And guess what? Sellers are now calling most of the shots.

📊 Steady growth across the board

Both Amazon retail and third-party sales grew steadily, but sellers now drive most volume.

• Sellers now account for 69% of GMV, up from 60% in 2019
• Both Amazon retail and third-party sales grew roughly 9%
• Growth stabilized at 6–10% after the 46% COVID spike in 2020

Here’s a quick snapshot:

• First-party (Amazon retail) sales: $255B
  • Focused on high-volume, low-price categories: consumables, basics, private label
• Third-party (seller) marketplace sales: $575B
  • Sellers dominate higher-value and branded products
  • Since 2019, third-party sellers drove ~76% of GMV growth
  • Unit share plateaued at 61–62% for five quarters, highlighting structural nuances
• Rufus, Amazon shopping assistant, sales: $12B
• Same/next-day Prime deliveries: 8B+ items, up 30%
• The U.S. accounted for roughly 53% of global GMV (~$440B)
• That’s roughly 36% of the entire U.S. ecommerce market

📦 Amazon’s strategic positioning

Amazon’s growth is massive but maturing, with single-digit GMV gains. Sellers still drive most commerce, especially in higher-value niches, lean into niches, use AI/delivery tools, and stand out.

SELLER REFRESHER

Walmart approves review incentives…BUT

Walmart just reminded sellers that yes, incentivized reviews are allowed, but only through tight, Walmart‑approved programs. Going rogue with review incentives is a fast track to suspension.

⭐ The Post‑Purchase Reviews program

Walmart gives select sellers access to its Post‑Purchase Reviews program. Here’s how it works:

• Buyers can receive a promo code incentive after purchase in exchange for leaving feedback, but the key thing to remember is that Walmart controls the entire process.

Important limitations:

• Not all sellers or items qualify
• Eligibility is decided by an internal algorithm
• Incentives are issued by Walmart, not the seller

🚫 Absolute no‑no’s

Outside of Walmart-approved programs, incentivizing reviews is strictly off-limits.

Walmart explicitly warns sellers against:

• Emailing customers to request reviews
• Offering gift cards or incentives directly
• Adding promotional inserts inside packages
• Soliciting feedback outside approved providers
• Violations can lead to account suspension, or worse, termination
• Walmart also flags that customer reviews fall under FTC regulations

Outside Walmart-approved programs, incentivizing reviews is strictly prohibited

Walmart warns sellers against:

• Emailing customers for reviews
• Offering gift cards or incentives directly
• Adding promotional inserts in packages
• Soliciting feedback outside approved providers
• Reviews also fall under FTC regulations

Yes, Walmart allows incentivized reviews, but only within its sandbox. Outside those guardrails, it’s risky, non-compliant, and could cost your account.