An online seller said they’re facing major financial difficulties over Amazon’s handling of a recall of Kinder Chocolate. Ferraro issued a voluntary recall of a number of its Kinder-branded products this month, “because of possible presence of Salmonella,” according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency.
The seller said Amazon refunded every one of his orders for the impacted ASINs going back to January 2021.
The problem – the seller said Amazon didn’t require the buyers to return the recalled products. The seller’s supplier needs the physical stock in order to get a refund from the manufacturer, Ferrero.
That means the cost of the recall falls squarely on the Amazon seller.
The seller further suggested Amazon’s handling of the recall – by refunding customers without requiring them to return potentially unsafe product – is counter to consumer safety.
Amazon’s Recall policy does not say anything about the company refunding customers in the event of a recall:
“Recalls: We monitor public recall alert websites. We also learn of recalls from manufacturers and sellers. When we learn of a recall, we stop all impacted product offerings and hold any related stock in our Fulfillment Centers. We also contact customers that bought such products and sellers that may have offered such products, to tell them about the recall.”
Some sellers bundle Kinder products with other items that are not subject to the recall – if Amazon refunded buyers the full price for such bundles, it would impact sellers to an even greater extent.
Why would Amazon put the cost of the recall on the seller? We put that question to Amazon this evening when we saw the seller’s post. We’ll update this article if and when Amazon confirms it refunded buyers without requiring them to return the product and why.
Maybe because they don’t care about the seller. Its all about buyer happiness and nothing more.
Looks like there really can be a thing as free lunch. Have fun eating chocolate as lunch.