The extended holiday return window becomes a permanent annual policy
Amazon has confirmed that its extended year-end return window is no longer a one-off seasonal gesture — it will repeat every year on Amazon.com. Sellers cannot opt out, and it applies whether you fulfil through FBA or ship yourself.
What exactly is changing
- Items bought on Amazon.com between 1 November and 31 December 2026 can be returned until 31 January 2027.
- Apple-branded products bought in the same period have an earlier cut-off of 15 January 2027.
- Covers both FBA and FBM listings; no seller action is required and there is no opt-out.
- Existing return and refund conditions are otherwise unchanged.
- Plan reserves and reconciliation into February — holiday revenue is not final until the window closes.
Why this matters for sellers
Holiday revenue is not final revenue. With returns open until the end of January, your December numbers carry a refund liability that does not resolve for another month — which affects cash planning, reorder decisions and any performance bonus tied to Q4 sales. Because it now repeats every year, it is worth building into your forecasting model rather than treating it as a seasonal surprise.
What to do next
- 1Forecast Q4 net of an extended return rate instead of using your normal 30-day assumption.
- 2Hold back a portion of Q4 cash for January refunds before committing it to Q1 inventory.
- 3Tighten listing accuracy and sizing information on gift-heavy ASINs — the cheapest return is the one that never happens.
- 4Plan FBA removals and reconciliation for February, once the window has actually closed.
This summary is written from Amazon's own Seller Central and Amazon Ads announcements and is general guidance, not advice on your specific account. Amazon revises policies, dates and fees regularly and terms differ by marketplace — confirm the current rule in Seller Central for your store before acting on it.