FBA Customer Returns Report: Reason Code Meanings
Every row in your Customer Returns report carries two codes: what the buyer claimed (reason) and what the warehouse actually found (condition). Reading them together is the whole skill — here’s what each reason code means, the four steps to read the report, and a free tool that does the grouping for you.
Skip the manual grouping
Upload your returns CSV — see the codes grouped instantly
The free Return Reason Classifier reads your Customer Returns report and buckets every reason code into six categories — size & fit, not as described, quality, shipping, buyer intent — then shows top ASINs and monthly trends. Runs in your browser; the file never leaves your computer.
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Open the Return Reason Classifier →A reason code is a claim, not a diagnosis
Amazon’s own help pages are blunt about this: the return reason you see for a refunded order is what the buyer selected from a standard list — and reimbursement decisions are based on the actual physical condition of the item as assessed at the fulfillment center, not the selected reason.
Practical translation: DEFECTIVE means a buyer clicked “defective” — the unit might come back SELLABLE. NO_REASON_GIVEN means exactly what it says. Treat reason codes as a map of buyer sentiment, and condition codes as the warehouse’s second opinion. When the two disagree on the same ASIN repeatedly — “defective” claims that come back sellable — that gap is its own finding.
The reason codes you’ll see most — and what to do
The Customer Returns report uses a standard list of reason codes. These are the ten you’ll meet most, with the signal each one usually carries:
| Code | Meaning | Signal |
|---|---|---|
NO_REASON_GIVEN | No reason — “I just do not want the product anymore.” | Buyer intent. No product problem implied. |
UNWANTED_ITEM | Unwanted item. | Buyer intent — common after impulse buys or gifting seasons. |
FOUND_BETTER_PRICE | “I found better prices elsewhere.” | Price pressure, not a product defect. |
ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM | “I accidentally ordered the wrong item.” | Buyer error — but repeated patterns can point to confusing listings. |
DEFECTIVE | Item is defective. | Product problem. Pull the ASIN and check for a batch or supplier issue. |
QUALITY_UNACCEPTABLE | Product performance or quality is not up to my expectations. | Softer quality signal — compare against review themes before acting. |
NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | Not as described on website. | Listing problem. Fix the page (images, specs, expectations). |
MISORDERED | Ordered wrong style, size, or color. | Listing clarity — size charts and variant photos reduce it. |
APPAREL_TOO_SMALL | Apparel: product was too small. | Fit signal — a sizing note on the listing is the cheapest fix. |
APPAREL_TOO_LARGE | Apparel: product was too large. | Fit signal — same fix, opposite direction. |
That’s the short list. The complete inventory — all 33 customer reason codes from NO_REASON_GIVEN to JEWELRY_NO_CERT, grouped into six categories — lives in our Amazon return reason codes reference.
Note on grouping: the six categories used by our classifier (buyer intent / quality / description / size & fit / fulfillment / logistics) are KnowVault’s analysis framework; the codes themselves are Amazon’s.
How to read the report in four steps
- Download it. Seller Central → Reports → Fulfillment → Customer Concessions → Customer Returns. Download tab for a file now; Request tab to schedule recurring delivery. (Detailed walkthrough: how to download the FBA returns report.)
- Group rows by reason code. Sort or pivot on the reason column and rank the codes by count. A handful of codes usually explains most of your returns — that concentration is your to-do list.
- Split “no product problem” from the rest. Codes like
NO_REASON_GIVEN,UNWANTED_ITEM, andFOUND_BETTER_PRICEare buyer intent — they point at pricing, expectations, and listing clarity, not the product. What’s left is your real defect-and-fit pile. - Follow the money. Filter for units whose condition came back
DAMAGEDorCARRIER_DAMAGED— those are the two dispositions where Amazon takes ownership and compensates you. For each one, check the Reimbursements report for a matching payout. See our reimbursement estimator guide for what those payouts should look like.
Run the loop monthly. Reason-code mixes drift with seasons — apparel fit codes spike after gift season; “found better price” tracks your competitors’ promotions.
The six condition codes — the second half of every row
Every returned unit also gets a disposition from the warehouse. Six values cover all cases:
SELLABLE— came back sellable and returned to your inventory — no money involved.DAMAGED— unsellable damage where Amazon takes ownership and compensates you per the reimbursement policy.CUSTOMER_DAMAGED— the buyer damaged it — Amazon may charge the customer a damage fee; your reimbursement depends on whether one is charged.DEFECTIVE— the warehouse assessed it as defective — a product-problem signal in Amazon’s own words.CARRIER_DAMAGED— carrier damage — Amazon takes ownership and compensates you per the reimbursement policy.EXPIRED— set aside as unsellable near expiration and eventually removed for disposal; you can request return first.
One more column worth a glance: status (“Unit returned to inventory”, “Reimbursed”, “Immediate disposal”, and similar) tells you what actually happened to each unit after assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What do FBA return reason codes mean?
Each code is the reason the buyer selected from Amazon’s standard list when returning an item — for example NO_REASON_GIVEN (“I just do not want the product anymore”), DEFECTIVE (“item is defective”), or APPAREL_TOO_SMALL (“product was too small”). Amazon’s own help pages note these are what the buyer selected, not a verified diagnosis: the warehouse separately records what condition the unit actually came back in.
What is the difference between the reason code and the condition code?
The reason code is what the buyer claimed when returning (“too small”, “defective”). The condition code is what Amazon’s warehouse found when the unit came back (SELLABLE, DAMAGED, CUSTOMER_DAMAGED, DEFECTIVE, CARRIER_DAMAGED, EXPIRED). Reasons drive product and listing fixes; conditions drive reimbursements — a buyer can claim “defective” while the unit comes back perfectly sellable.
Which return reason codes mean I am owed money?
None — reason codes never trigger payment by themselves. Reimbursements ride on the condition code: DAMAGED and CARRIER_DAMAGED are the two dispositions where Amazon takes ownership and compensates you per the reimbursement policy. For every unit under either code, cross-check the Reimbursements report for a matching payout; a missing entry is an open claim.
How do I find my return reason codes in Seller Central?
Go to Reports → Fulfillment, then Customer Concessions → Customer Returns. Use the Download tab for an immediate file or the Request tab to schedule recurring delivery. Each row is a returned unit with its reason code, condition, SKU, and return status. The full step-by-step walkthrough — including the MFN report that lives elsewhere — is in our separate returns-report download guide.