Does Amazon Notify You of a Gift Return?

Evan Gower June 14, 2019

Nowadays, many people do their holiday shopping and shopping for other special occasions on Amazon. This is great because it allows the receiver of the gift to easily return the gift and get something else if they are not thrilled with it.

Does Amazon Notify You of a Gift Return?

The only thing stopping people from returning stuff they got as a gift which they do not like is a shame. Somehow you feel guilty about it, and it applies to pretty much everyone. Luckily, on Amazon, there is no guilt because you can return the gift without the sender ever finding out.

However, in some cases, the sender has to be notified. Read on if you are curious about that and how you can return gifts you received through Amazon.

Getting Started

First off, there are some things you should know before you can return a gift on Amazon. Amazon is an online marketplace, meaning that every return goes through shipping companies or the post office. It is best to return gifts within 30 days of receiving them. Even after that, you can return many products, especially if they are defective in some way.

You should not return too many products in a short timespan however, because Amazon can decide to ban you from using their services. You can return products which you do not like or need, especially broken products and the ones that were sent to you by mistake.

Things you should know before returning gifts:

All products need to be returned exactly as they were when you received them, along with everything else that came in the package.
You have 30 days to get a full refund on products that do not fit the description, are damaged or otherwise defective.
You can only return products that have transparent free returns. This means there will be no questions asked. Other products usually require you to pay for shipping or restocking, i.e. the reason you returned them is that you do not like or want them.
Amazon offers full return benefits exclusively for orders which are fulfilled by them. Many third-party sellers use Amazon and these benefits do not apply to returning products purchased from them.

How to Return Gifts on Amazon

Returning a gift on Amazon is similar to returning a product you bought yourself. You need the order ID or, if you do not have it, you need the sender’s info (e.g. their name, phone number, the email they use for Amazon). The order ID can be found at the top left corner of the packaging slip you got with the gift.

This slip comes with the gift price and for that reason, it is often missing when you get the gift. In other words, you will have to contact the sender and admit to returning their gift. If their feelings are not hurt they will give you the order ID. They can also find it under “your orders” on their Amazon account if they lost the slip.

You Are Now Ready to Return the Gift

Follow these steps:

Make a new account on Amazon or log into your existing one. Access the Online Returns Centers.
Type in the order ID and press Search.
Choose the products from the order you want to return. Then choose the reason why you are returning them. If the purchase was made through a third party seller you will need to submit a return request.
Chose how you will send the gift back. This includes the shipping options and the return label. You can return the gift using Amazon Locker, you just need to choose a location.
When your return request gets approved, Amazon will give you a return label and authorization document which you can print out.
Put the authorization in the package alongside the gift you want to return.
You can use the original packaging, just switch out the labels with the new one you received. In case you do not have it, use a sturdy box and ensure the item will not get damaged.
In case your return was authorized, you will get a gift card added to the account you used to make a return.

When Does the Sender Get Notified?

If the seller on Amazon does not approve your return request, the gift sender will have to file an A-to-Z guarantee claim. This can be very awkward, so use it as the last resort.

You Shouldn’t Have

Often people get gifts they did not wish for, but you know that saying “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”. On Amazon you can actually avoid this situation and replace the gift, leaving the sender blissfully oblivious.