Amazon return costs belong in your contribution model. A US restocking-fee guide is not a general rule for consumer orders on Amazon.de. Separate the buyer's contractual rights, Amazon's marketplace conditions and the fees Amazon charges your business.
Three different questions
A refund may concern withdrawal, defective goods or a voluntary return. Its legal basis matters. Under German consumer withdrawal rules, compensation for diminished value is subject to the conditions in § 357a BGB, including handling beyond necessary inspection and the required withdrawal information. Opening packaging alone does not automatically justify a deduction.
Your processing, removal or write-off costs are internal business costs. They are not automatically charges you may pass to the buyer. Amazon's refund interface does not replace the legal assessment.
Document the actual case
Record order, return reason, arrival date, serial number and condition. Separate product damage from opened packaging. Keep photographs and the inspection result with the case. For FBA, review Amazon's classification and the applicable reimbursement process. For FBM, maintain a controlled inspection and refund procedure.
Model the economics
Illustrative example: 80 returns out of 1,000 shipped units, with an average economic loss of €6 per return, create €480 of cost, or €0.48 per shipped unit. That is a planning input, not a permitted customer charge.
Separate resellable units, reconditioning and total losses. Analyse causes by child ASIN and batch. Clear dimensions, compatibility information or stronger packaging may address the problem more effectively than disputed deductions.
Primary source
German Civil Code, § 357a, reviewed on 17 October 2026. Have the concrete refund process checked for the applicable law and marketplace before enabling automatic deductions.
