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ReturnsUSA · FBA

FBA sellers can now define their own returns grading criteria

A new Customized grading setting lets US FBA sellers tell Amazon what "sellable as new" means for their specific products. Amazon uses your rules as guidance when deciding whether a returned unit goes back on sale — worth configuring before the post-holiday return wave.

What exactly is changing

  • Find it under Settings → Orders → Recovery → Customized grading in Seller Central.
  • Define rules for seal and packaging, included accessories, authenticity indicators and device capabilities.
  • Decide whether a broken seal still allows resale as new, or whether units can be resealed, repackaged or resold as used.
  • A rule can cover your whole catalogue or specific ASINs.
  • Works alongside Amazon's standard grading process and programs such as FBA Grade and Resell.

Why this matters for sellers

Amazon's default grading is generic, and on products with specific packaging, seals or accessories it tends to err one way or the other — either writing off units that were perfectly sellable, or putting units back on sale that your customers will complain about. Defining the rules yourself recovers inventory value on the first case and protects reviews on the second. The window to set it up is now, before the post-holiday return wave arrives.

What to do next

  1. 1Go to Settings → Orders → Recovery → Customized grading and start with your highest-return ASINs.
  2. 2Write explicit seal and packaging rules — whether a broken seal still allows resale as new, and whether units can be resealed or repackaged.
  3. 3List the accessories that must be present for a unit to count as complete.
  4. 4Review recovered-unit rates after a few weeks and tighten the rules where returns are coming back to customers in poor condition.

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.