Amazon third party seller doesn't have to pay return shipping back?

I bought a CD that was over graded, quite a few scratches for the Very Good Amazon grading and not like this would bother me too much (and the price was right), all I care about is 100% test and copy CRC match EAC rip and it won't rip on any of my drives.

So I went to initiate the return and the seller sent me an aggressive email saying what did I expect for a 30 year old CD and that I'd have to pay a restocking fee if it played in his CD player. At this point I just called Amazon and they offered to open an A-Z return for me which I've only used one other time a while ago. The seller waited the entire period until the claim period had to be closed to finally provide me with a return shipping label.

Except it just has the return code on it, his address and it says postage not paid? I'd normally not even care if this was Goodwill, or equivalent like those charity bookshops but given his attitude and trying to get out of paying the least hit to his end return, with the mention of the restocking fee. Should I just call Amazon back and see what they say? Or is this something sellers can setup unlike Ebay where they have to pay return shipping back? Thanks.

 

Request a return through Amazon. It's automatic, you'll get a pre-paid mailing label the buyer pays for. Return the item and get your refund. If he plays games request an A-Z, you'll win. You have 30 days to initiate a return.

 

This is what I did. Opened a return request on Amazon website on the order page, and it said the seller had to approve the return. Then I got the email from him about the restocking fee. I called Amazon and the rep apologized and said she could initiate an a to z if the seller was not compliant and then 3 days later I got an email saying the return was approved. I am in Amazon in the original order where you print the return label and it's this label that doesn't have shipping prepaid.

 

Many retailers offer Amazon returns with no shipping. In our area kohl's has an Amazon return counter. When you request a return you can choose local drop off if available. Might be an option if there's a place nearby.

 

I'm pretty sure that's to Amazon warehouses only. A third-party seller probably mails CDs from their own address.

 

I think the return label still has to have shipping prepaid on it? This is the label the seller provided through the Amazon returns download/print link

 

Only if you bought it from Amazon. OP bought a CD from a third party.

 

All third party sellers have auto-return if they sell media on Amazon. They have no choice. Are you a USA resident? And was this within the 30 day return period?

 

Yes, it was a little more than a week after placing the order and I live in the US.

When I went to open the return with "request refund" it said the seller had to approve the return request, but if it couldn't be resolved I could contact Amazon.

Edit: I only return a small number of things, but I know what you've written has been the case every single time I've needed to return something to a third party, usually those generic sounding seller names like booksfrom(cityname) that grade all CDs as Very Good even if they've been through the composter.