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◇Customer Service (General) answer

How much does refund fraud cost retailers?

SHORT ANSWER

The most-cited industry estimate: NRF and Appriss Retail reported that US retailers saw $743 billion in merchandise returned in 2023 (a 14.5% return rate), that return fraud contributed $101 billion in losses, and that retailers lose $13.70 to return fraud for every $100 of returned merchandise. These figures come from retailer data and survey responses, not audited accounts.

01

What to do now

  1. Use as context, not as a basis for judging individual customers.
What changes the outcome

Industry estimate (survey-based).

02

Who owns the resolution

Not applicable.

03

Evidence to prepare

  • Your account email or user ID
  • Screenshots or a confirmation number for the specific order/booking/transaction
  • Any messages you already exchanged with support about this
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I need practical help with a Customer Service (General) issue.

The policy question: How much does refund fraud cost retailers?
Useful context I found: The most-cited industry estimate: NRF and Appriss Retail reported that US retailers saw $743 billion in merchandise returned in 2023 (a 14.5% return rate), that return fraud contributed $101 billion in losses, and that retailers lose $13.70 to return fraud for every $100 of returned merchandise. These figures come from retailer data and survey responses, not audited accounts.

My specific situation: [Describe what happened, including dates and messages shown]
The outcome I want: [Refund, verification, appeal, account recovery, explanation, etc.]
Important constraints: [Country, deadline, booking/account status, documents already submitted, budget, or other limits]

Please:
1. Identify any missing facts you need before reaching a conclusion.
2. Separate platform policy, local law, and your own inference.
3. Give me the safest next steps in priority order.
4. Use current official sources where possible and flag anything that may have changed.
5. Draft a concise message I can paste to customer support.
6. Do not invent account access, guarantees, refund rights, or legal conclusions.
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05

Why this policy exists

The same release breaks returns down: 17.6% of online purchases were returned versus 10.02% for pure brick-and-mortar returns. It also reports which fraud types retailers said they experienced (wardrobing 49%, stolen merchandise 44%, fraudulent tender 37%, organized retail crime 20%).

AMS uses these numbers as industry context only; it does not apply them to any company or customer.

Last verified against the sources above on 2026-10-22. Policy and deadlines can change -- use the official support link below for the current rule.

06 · OFFICIAL SUPPORT

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AMS explains the rule but cannot access your account, issue a refund or change a platform decision.

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07

Related next step

Refund

Why can't customer service agents issue refunds?

Most companies separate handling a request from approving money. Front-line agents can log and explain; refunds outside the standard policy are approved by someone with a higher limit. That limit is internal and not published. Some refunds are not discretionary: when a seller cannot ship an internet or phone order within the promised time (or 30 days if none was stated), the FTC Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires the seller to offer you the option of a prompt refund.

Read answer →Refund

Why do companies offer compensation only after repeated complaints?

Often because the company compares the cost of another contact, an escalation, a chargeback or a lost customer with the cost of a credit, and pays when the credit is cheaper (AMS interpretation). That means persistence can be rewarded while people with the same problem who complained once get nothing. Repeated complaints are not proof of abuse; often the first contact simply did not fix the problem.

Read answer →Refund

Why do some customers repeatedly request refunds?

There are three different situations behind repeat refunds, and the count alone cannot tell them apart. Some products really fail often (perishables, fragile goods, unreliable carriers). Some requests are genuine disputes about whether a problem is the seller's fault. And some are abuse — fabricated photos, returning a different item, returning used goods as new. Only evidence identifies the last group.

Read answer →Refund

Can customers get refunds after 30 days?

It depends on why. There is no general federal law that lets you return a non-defective item for a change of mind; the store's own return policy sets that window. The FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives three business days to cancel certain sales made at your home or at a temporary location (generally $25 or more at home, $130 or more elsewhere), not ordinary store or online purchases. If the item is defective, the implied warranty of merchantability under UCC § 2-314 can apply well after 30 days, unless it was validly disclaimed.

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