What to Do If Your Amazon Refund Wasn’t Received

Now and then, you get something on Amazon you need to return. From broken hardware to shirts three sizes too small, items you ordered sight unseen might just need to go back to the warehouse. Amazon refund not received yet? What should you do if you returned your package and still haven’t gotten your money back? Here’s what to do if your Amazon refund was not received. 

First Steps

First, it’s important to make sure you went through the right steps to return your order. Follow these instructions:

• Go to your orders: Click on Returns & Orders, or click Your Account and then Your Orders.
• Select the item: Click on the product you want to return, then click Return or Replace Items. If you’ve already done this, it should say that a return has already been started. If not, go to the next step.
• Choose a reason for return: You must tell Amazon why you’re returning the item. They’ll present you with a dropdown menu where you can explain your reason for sending the product back. 
• Select your processing method: You can choose whether you want a refund or a replacement. 
• Provide return information: To finish the transaction, you’ll provide your payment info and print a return label. 

If you’re sure you followed all of these steps and still haven’t received your refund, check your refund or return status. Does it show that you already started a return or that it was completed? Read on.

Confirm Payment Method and Bank Details

When waiting for a refund, check your bank account or payment platform for any refund receipts — it might take a few days for the transaction to show up. If you’re the recipient of a gift, remember that you’re not eligible for an instant refund. Instead, Amazon will send you a refund as a gift card after they’ve processed the return.

You can check this by heading to your “Gift Gard Balance” in your Amazon account. If the refund was applied directly to your gift card, it will appear there instead of your bank account. Always double-check that your payment details — like your bank account, credit card or gift card — are correct during the return process to avoid delays or missed refunds. Taking a few extra minutes to verify these details can save you a lot of frustration.

Processing Time 

It takes time to process Amazon returns. Once you ship an item back, drivers must take it to the post office, where it will be picked up again. Employees will either put it on a truck or a plane. Eventually, someone will drive it to a warehouse. 

At the warehouse, a computer system tells Amazon employees what to do with the item. Even if it’s in pristine condition, employees often have to destroy it because shipping it out again would cost more than the item is worth. In fact, Amazon destroys about one-third of its returned items. 

Until an Amazon employee gets the actual item in their hands, you have to wait for your refund. This can take up to two weeks if you’re shipping within the country. Meanwhile, it can take up to 30 days to ship the item internationally. After that, you might have to wait another five days before the return appears in your bank account.

Wait until the appropriate amount of time has elapsed before contacting customer service. It might just be taking longer to ship than you’d expect. 

Returns Policy

There are some items you simply can’t return to the warehouse. This includes things like live insects — which the Amazon employees are probably grateful not to receive — as well as used mattresses, medications ordered through Amazon Pharmacy and theme park tickets.

Amazon’s Returns Policy page has an extensive list of what you can and can’t send back. A lot of it is common sense. Some items can be returned unless you’ve opened or used them, at which point they’re yours to keep. 

You must return most items within 30 days of receipt if you’re unsatisfied with them. However, third-party sellers can set their own Amazon refund timelines. Double-check the date you ordered your item, when it arrived and when you started your return. Also, check if it came from a third-party seller who doesn’t accept returns. 

Are you certain you’re still within the time frame in which you can return the item? Did you start the return weeks ago and nothing has happened? If so, the next step is to contact Amazon.

File a Claim Under the A-to-Z Guarantee

Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee has your back when buying from third-party sellers. It ensures you’re protected if your order doesn’t arrive, is late or isn’t as described. If you’ve already contacted the seller and they haven’t resolved the issue, you can file a claim as long as the delivery date was within the last 90 days. Go to your “Your Orders” page, find the order, click “Problem with order” and follow the prompts to submit your claim.

Make sure you include all the essential details — order info, screenshots and any messages with the seller — to strengthen your case. Don’t forget to document everything along the way. Clear records of your interactions with the seller and Amazon can speed things up. With this guarantee, Amazon helps you shop worry-free, knowing there’s a safety net if things go wrong.

Contacting Customer Service

It would be nice if Jeff Bezos lent customers his personal phone number, but you’ll have to go through someone else instead. Thankfully, Amazon customer service representatives tend to be very responsive and helpful. However, if you call the customer service line directly, you’ll probably end up going in circles as you’re redirected from one extension to another. 

The easiest way to get in touch with a human being, it seems, is to download the Amazon app for your phone. Once there, the app lets you chat with someone in real time. Then, customer service can call you directly if you want to speak with them. This usually doesn’t take long. Let them know that your Amazon refund was not received.

This goes without saying, but be polite to the person working the line. They’re probably just as frustrated as you are that you didn’t get your money back. Tell them that you already sent the item back, that Amazon shows you started your return a while ago and that the item may have gotten lost in transit. 

Explain why it’s important that you get a return or refund. Aside from it being the right thing to do, perhaps you ordered something you need, like a car part. Or, maybe you spent $100 on remodeling supplies that never arrived and need the money back to make home repairs. Be honest about your situation. 

If the customer service representative gives you a refund, double-check your Amazon returns page to make sure it went through. The money won’t be in your bank account just yet, but it’s coming. Thank the representative for helping you and being patient. After all, you only have to have this conversation once — they have to do it all day.

Keep Track of Communication and Documentation

When resolving refund issues, keeping thorough records can save you a lot of headaches. Make sure you save everything, including order details, confirmation emails and chat transcripts with Amazon or the seller. These documents can streamline your interactions with customer support by providing all the details they need to resolve your issue faster.

Whether proof of return, delivery delays or incomplete refunds, having clear and organized evidence can strengthen your case and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. It’s simple — the more prepared you are, the quicker you’ll get your desired resolution.

Leverage Social Media Assistance

Social media can be helpful if you’re not getting anywhere with traditional support channels. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook are perfect for reaching Amazon’s support team, especially since they respond quickly and offer help in 12 languages on their @AmazonHelp account.

To get noticed, post a polite but firm public message that clearly explains your issue without sharing personal information. Be sure to tag Amazon’s account so they see it right away. Public complaints often prompt faster responses because companies want to protect their reputation and resolve visible issues quickly. Social media can put your problem in the spotlight, helping you get the attention and resolution you deserve.

Seek Alternative solutions

If Amazon is taking too long to resolve your refund issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to your bank or credit card provider for help. Many payment providers let you dispute charges if your refund hasn’t come through, giving you another way to get your money back.

If you use Amazon Pay, you can also file a dispute directly with them. But keep in mind that it may take up to 45 business days to reach a decision. While these options are great safety nets, it’s always best to try and resolve the issue with Amazon first for a quicker and smoother outcome. Acting promptly and keeping things amicable will save you time and frustration in the long run.

Following Up

If five days have passed and you still haven’t received a refund in your bank account, contact customer service again. Explain that you’ve already contacted them, and they tried to issue a refund, but it didn’t go through. 

You can also call your bank and make sure they aren’t making an error on their end. 

This is the best way to ensure you receive your Amazon refund. 

Getting Your Refund

Amazon refund not received still? The final step is to check your bank account to see if the refund is there. If so, congratulations! All the red tape was worth it. Technical difficulties or shipping errors are part of life, but it’s still possible to work things out by chatting with customer service. 

Or, you could always try your luck with the robotic answering machine.

Original Publish Date 3/19/2023 — Updated 11/19/2024