The holiday season is usually the most profitable time of the year for those selling on Amazon, but it also brings with it some greater commitment related to returns management.
Well, this year Amazon has confirmed the extension of the Christmas return window. It is a by now consolidated policy that aims to stimulate early purchases and offer greater flexibility to consumers.
In detail, for purchases made between November 1st and December 31st, 2025, the majority of products can be returned until January 31st, 2026, with only one noteworthy exception regarding Apple brand products, which must be returned by January 15th, 2026.
We reiterate that the time extension is not an absolute novelty in the Amazon landscape. Rather, it is a structural element of the fourth-quarter commercial strategy that every seller must learn to manage competently.
The extended return window also applies transversally to all sales methods on the platform. It therefore includes both products sold directly by Amazon and those managed through Fulfillment by Amazon, and even orders fulfilled directly by sellers, regardless of the fulfillment model chosen by the seller.
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Why the return extension was provided again this year
As known, Amazon has built its commercial empire on consumer trust and on the reduction of any possible friction in the purchasing process.
The extension of the Christmas return window is therefore perfectly integrated into this approach, eliminating what is one of the last psychological obstacles that could hold back early purchases during the festive season.
In fact, knowing you have over two months to evaluate a purchase and decide whether to keep it eliminates the anxiety of buying too early and then regretting it. A factor that is even more prioritized when it comes to gifts whose appreciation is by definition uncertain.
From Amazon’s point of view, the new rule generates a virtuous circle. More confident consumers buy earlier and in greater quantities. For sellers, there is a better distribution of logistical loads, avoiding the collapse of the last weeks before Christmas.
Not only that. For sellers, it also means having a potentially longer and less compressed sales season. And there is therefore the possibility to capitalize on early November purchases without sacrificing last-minute December sales.
The standardization of the start date to November 1st, introduced since 2023, also has the merit of clearly separating October events like Prime Big Deal Days from the actual Christmas window, avoiding confusing overlaps.
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Who the new extended return policy applies to
The extended return policy keeps unchanged the eligibility criteria that normally regulate returns on Amazon. That means product categories, conditions for accepting a return, and packaging standards continue to follow the platform’s standard guidelines.
Consumers can therefore check specificities category by category through the official returns page. Sellers must instead continue to adhere to existing rules regarding:
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product conditions
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original packaging
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any restocking fees where applicable.
Regulatory continuity is good news for sellers, who do not have to implement special procedures for the Christmas period, but can rely on processes already tested during the rest of the year.
However, the temporal lengthening of the window still requires a strategic adaptation. It is not a novelty compared to past years, but it is still important to adopt flexibility in financial planning and inventory management.
Knowing that December returns might materialize only at the end of January changes cash flow projections. It requires, in short, greater prudence in fourth-quarter performance evaluations.
The novelty on collectibles and niche protection
Not everything is identical compared to last year, however. One of the most interesting changes introduced this year concerns indeed the collectibles market, a segment that has seen explosive growth in recent years.
Starting from October 1st, 2025, certain collectible items managed through Fulfillment by Amazon have been classified as definitive non-refundable sales. Thus, an impact is configured on a growing category that, for example, includes trading cards and Funko Pop figures, two very dynamic segments.
The decision to make these products non-returnable stems from the need to reduce disputes related to item conditions and risks connected to the manipulation of objects whose value is strictly linked to the state of conservation.
In the trading card market, in fact, even minimal defects can mean substantial value differences. The possibility of open returns created complex situations where it was difficult to establish if damage was pre-existing or caused by the first buyer.
What happens globally
Consider that the Christmas return extension has a broad territorial scope. Besides the USA and Europe, Japan has also already confirmed the adoption of the same extended window. Items shipped via Amazon.co.jp or by third-party sellers between November 1st and December 31st, 2025 can be returned until January 31st, 2026.
For international sellers selling on different markets, it is a significant operational advantage. Procedures, tracking systems, and financial forecasts can be aligned across various marketplaces. This reduces administrative complexity and allows economies of scale in returns management.
Naturally, huge specific differences linked to local consumer rights regulations remain. However, the basic structure of Amazon’s Christmas policy remains consistent globally.
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What are the financial consequences for returns risk management
On the sidelines of this, it appears clear how the most delicate aspect of return extension for many sellers is the financial impact. Especially, moreover, in the transition between December and January. Even if December closes with robust sales that inflate fourth-quarter revenues, January can turn into a month of returning part of those profits, when consumers decide to return unwanted or unnecessary products.
An evolution not surprising, but one that requires careful financial planning. One must in fact take into account the expected return rate in calculating the actual profitability of the Christmas period.
The most experienced sellers integrate a giveback rate for January into their profit and loss projections. That is, they calculate in advance an estimated percentage of Christmas sales that will come back in the form of returns.
The rate varies significantly by product category. Clothing items tend to have higher return rates compared to electronics or home products. For some sectors like consumables, minimal returns are recorded.
Analyzing historical data of one’s Christmas returns allows therefore to build more accurate predictive models. And, furthermore, to set aside the necessary financial resources to absorb the impact of January without putting company liquidity at risk.
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How to minimize returns
As known, prevention is always better than cure, and this principle also applies to returns on Amazon. Strengthening quality control and packaging accuracy is the first line of defense against returns due to defects or damage during transport. Every product that arrives to the customer in non-perfect conditions increases in fact the probability of return. And, during the Christmas period, the risk is amplified because often these are gifts where expectations are particularly high.
Equally fundamental is the optimization of product sheets with detailed, precise, and complete information. A significant part of returns derives in fact from unmet expectations. Maybe, because the received product does not correspond to the idea the customer had formed reading the description or looking at the images. Specifying with precision dimensions, materials, compatibility, and technical characteristics drastically reduces returns due to misunderstandings. Better also to invest in professional photographs showing the product from multiple angles and in real use context, to help customers form realistic expectations, reducing the probability of disappointment at the moment of delivery.
Analyze data to work on continuous improvement
In this sense, we can only remind that Amazon gives a hand to sellers by providing them with detailed data on return reasons. It is an informational gold mine that is too often underutilized.
Monitoring the reasons indicated by customers when they return FBA products allows instead to identify recurring problems to solve. A significant percentage of returns indicates the presence of a product different from the description? Evidently the product sheet needs revision. Do returns cite quality problems or defects? A dialogue with the supplier or a change of production partner might be necessary.
The analysis, important all year round, is even more valuable in the period immediately following the holidays. It is here, in fact, that the volume of returns allows collecting statistically significant data in a short time.
The patterns emerging from January returns can indeed orient strategic decisions for the entire following year. This information can thus be used to impact on:
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optimization of product sheets
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selection of suppliers
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catalog expansion choices
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and much more.
Sellers who treat return data as valuable feedback rather than as a simple negative metric acquire a substantial competitive advantage in the long run.
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Returns inventory management
Let’s add now another piece in this sense. The management of reverse logistics during and after the Christmas period requires planning and dedicated resources. For those using Fulfillment by Amazon, fortunately part of this complexity is absorbed by the FBA system. Still, some strategic decisions remain to be made regarding the fate of returned merchandise. Products in perfect condition can in fact be put back on sale. Those damaged or opened require however case-by-case evaluations on the convenience of refurbishment compared to disposal.
Those operating in FBM mode must instead manage the entire reverse logistics chain internally. They must therefore deal with both return authorization and receipt of merchandise or its inspection. For the seller, greater logistical capabilities and trained personnel are therefore required. And they are especially considering that returns tend to concentrate in specific time windows rather than distributing evenly.
Coordinating end-to-end logistical solutions, from inbound inventory preparation to return flow management, becomes fundamental to keeping operational costs under control in a context of greater complexity.
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How to work well in the returns season
The extended return window is by now to be considered as the new normal for those selling on Amazon during the Christmas period. Resisting this reality or complaining about its existence is counterproductive. Conversely, the winning strategy is certainly to accept it as a structural element of the business. And, based on this, prepare processes that manage it effectively.
Sellers who:
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proactively plan for January returns
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optimize their listings to reduce avoidable returns
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align their supply chain to fourth-quarter complexity
are those best positioned to capture seasonal demand while simultaneously maximizing net profitability.
The seller’s goal is therefore to balance the commercial aggressiveness necessary to exploit the sales peak with the financial prudence that protects margins from erosion caused by returns.
A balance certainly not simple, which is often reached through a combination of prevention, planning, and reactivity:
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prevent avoidable returns through quality and communication
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plan the financial impact of inevitable ones
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react quickly to emerging patterns to continuously improve performance.
In a competitive market like Amazon, it is precisely these operational details that make the difference between sellers who survive and those who thrive during the most important season of the year!
