We have a product with clear seasonal peaks. One month (January) had a high return rate (8.7%), above the category average. The other months are fine. Now the product got hit with the "Frequently returned item" badge, and conversion has tanked.
From what I understand, Amazon looks at return data on a 3‑month rolling basis. January's data was finalized at the end of March. February's data finalized end of April (2.73%, below average). March's will finalize end of May (1.62%, below average). April's will finalize end of June.
Questions:
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Will the badge disappear after February's data finalizes (since that brings the 3‑month average down)? Or does it only go away once the high‑return month (January) completely falls out of the 3‑month window – meaning we have to wait until June?
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Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? How long did it take for the badge to disappear after your return rate improved?
Thanks in advance.
Answers (7)
One more thing: Amazon doesn't just look at overall return rate – they compare you to similar ASINs in the same category. Even if your return rate is technically low, if competitors have even lower rates, you could still get flagged. Check the "Voice of the Customer" dashboard for your product's "suggested return rate."
How to accelerate removal:
Some sellers have also had success by opening cases with Seller Support once their return rate dropped below the category threshold, asking for manual review.
I had a similar situation. Got the badge in late March, and it disappeared in late August – about 4–5 months. The key was increasing sales volume. Between March and August, my sales grew about 60% (especially after Prime Day), which diluted the return rate. Without higher volume, the badge would have stayed longer.