Amazon’s used goods marketplace has been rebranded as Amazon Resale, offering discounted items on used, pre-owned, and open-box products. Previously known as Amazon Warehouse, the company’s customer saved an average of 25% on products purchased through Amazon Resale last year. Items sold on Amazon Resale undergo a thorough inspection and are assigned one of four listing conditions: “Like New,” “Very Good,” “Good,” and “Acceptable.” These items are also covered by Amazon’s returns policy, ensuring customer satisfaction with their purchases. Other e-commerce retailers like Walmart and Target also sell pre-owned items as the e-commerce market continues to grow.
Total online returns reached $247 billion last year, with 17.6% of merchandise purchased being returned, according to the National Retail Foundation. Amazon has been a leader in setting the standard for free online returns, but has recently started charging a $1 fee for some returns at The UPS Store. Amazon has also introduced a feature that identifies “frequently returned” products, potentially leading to changes in the return policies of these items. To expand its physical footprint for returns, Amazon has made deals with brick-and-mortar retailers like Kohl’s and UPS Store, although there have been complaints from employees about increased stress and labor hours due to handling Amazon returns.
Amazon faces challenges with reselling returned products, with a Bloomberg report last month highlighting criticism of Amazon’s inspection process for selling used products as new. The growing problem of reselling returned products has impacted Amazon’s reputation and customer satisfaction. The company’s efforts to expand its returns process through partnerships with brick-and-mortar retailers have led to increased complaints from employees about the stress and workload involved in handling Amazon returns. Despite these challenges, Amazon continues to innovate and improve its returns process to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain its position as a leader in the e-commerce market. The rebranding of its used goods marketplace to Amazon Resale demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing discounted and high-quality products to customers while addressing the growing issue of reselling returned products.
