Example output from a real Skill run. Brand, ASINs, seller identity, and report identifiers have been anonymized; metrics, structure, and recommendations are unedited.
0. Data scope and provenance
- Source: GET_FBA_FULFILLMENT_CUSTOMER_RETURNS_DATA (SP-API Reports), reportId [anonymized]
- Date range: 2026-01-22 to 2026-04-22 (90 days)
- Marketplace: United States (ATVPDKIKX0DER)
- Seller identity: [anonymized]
- Row grain: return line (1 row = 1 returned unit); FBA-only
- Columns mapped: ASIN, quantity, reason, detailed-disposition, order-id, product-name, return-date, status, fulfillment-center-id
- Missing: shipment-unit denominator for per-ASIN return rate — requires three 30-day GET_FBA_FULFILLMENT_CUSTOMER_SHIPMENT_SALES_DATA pulls
1. Returns overview
Across the 90-day window, 7,160 units were returned against 1,199 distinct ASINs and 5,974 orders, processed through 101 fulfillment centers. 74.29% of returned units came back sellable — most value is recoverable, but the 22% CUSTOMER_DAMAGED disposition is the main inventory write-off pressure.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total return units | 7,160 |
| Unique ASINs returned | 1,199 |
| Unique orders with returns | 5,974 |
| Unique fulfillment centers | 101 |
| Units dispositioned SELLABLE | 5,319 (74.29%) |
| Units NOT sellable | 1,841 (25.71%) |
Concentration
Returns are spread across a long tail. No single ASIN dominates — the #1 returned ASIN is only 1.6% of total return units. The addressable lever is catalog-level, not one or two SKUs.
| Cut | ASINs required | Share of return units |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 ASINs | 576 units | 8.04% |
| ASINs to cover 50% of returns | 191 ASINs | — |
| ASINs to cover 80% of returns | 512 ASINs | — |
2. Return reason breakdown
The top three reasons — UNWANTED_ITEM (30.5%), NOT_AS_DESCRIBED (27.4%), and POOR_FIT (10.4%) — account for 68% of all returned units. UNWANTED_ITEM is baseline buyer remorse; NOT_AS_DESCRIBED and POOR_FIT are directly controllable through detail-page accuracy, photography, and sizing guidance.
Grouped: NOT_AS_DESCRIBED + POOR_FIT + DEFECTIVE + QUALITY_UNACCEPTABLE + sizing reasons + MISSING_PARTS + NOT_COMPATIBLE ≈ 49% of all returns are controllable via listing or product action. That is the addressable share.
| Reason | Units | % of return units | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNWANTED_ITEM | 2,187 | 30.54% | Buyer remorse |
| NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 1,960 | 27.37% | Controllable — listing accuracy |
| POOR_FIT | 747 | 10.43% | Controllable — sizing / imagery |
| ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM | 567 | 7.92% | Medium — variation pickers |
| DEFECTIVE | 545 | 7.61% | Controllable — QC / supplier |
| APPAREL_TOO_SMALL | 227 | 3.17% | Controllable — size chart |
| QUALITY_UNACCEPTABLE | 148 | 2.07% | Controllable — QC / materials |
| UNDELIVERABLE_UNKNOWN | 139 | 1.94% | Amazon ops |
| NO_REASON_GIVEN | 94 | 1.31% | — |
| MISSED_ESTIMATED_DELIVERY | 85 | 1.19% | Amazon ops |
| APPAREL_TOO_LARGE | 84 | 1.17% | Controllable — size chart |
| DAMAGED_BY_FC | 77 | 1.08% | Amazon ops |
| FOUND_BETTER_PRICE | 75 | 1.05% | Pricing |
| SWITCHEROO | 73 | 1.02% | Flag — possible fraud |
| UNAUTHORIZED_PURCHASE | 53 | 0.74% | — |
| NOT_COMPATIBLE | 43 | 0.60% | Controllable — compatibility copy |
| DAMAGED_BY_CARRIER | 18 | 0.25% | Carrier |
| MISSING_PARTS | 17 | 0.24% | Controllable — kit / QC |
| NEVER_ARRIVED | 12 | 0.17% | Carrier |
| UNDELIVERABLE_REFUSED | 4 | 0.06% | — |
| MISORDERED | 4 | 0.06% | — |
| APPAREL_STYLE | 1 | 0.01% | — |
3. Disposition and status
The 22% CUSTOMER_DAMAGED disposition on textile SKUs is high — a signal that packaging (thin polybag, no tissue or insert protection) is allowing visible wear before the customer commits to keeping the item.
| Disposition | Units | % of return units |
|---|---|---|
| SELLABLE | 5,319 | 74.29% |
| CUSTOMER_DAMAGED | 1,572 | 21.96% |
| CARRIER_DAMAGED | 220 | 3.07% |
| DEFECTIVE | 49 | 0.68% |
| Status | Units | % of return units |
|---|---|---|
| Unit returned to inventory | 6,910 | 96.51% |
| Reimbursed | 234 | 3.27% |
| IMMEDIATE_LIQUIDATION | 15 | 0.21% |
| IMMEDIATE_DONATION | 1 | 0.01% |
4. Fulfillment center distribution
Returns flow through 101 US fulfillment centers, but the top 10 handle 89.5% of return volume. LAS2 and IND8 are near-tied at the top (14.2% and 14.2% respectively). This is useful context when evaluating FC-attributable dispositions (DAMAGED_BY_FC — 77 units across all FCs) and when routing customer-service escalations.
| Fulfillment center | Return units | % of return units |
|---|---|---|
| LAS2 | 1,018 | 14.22% |
| IND8 | 1,013 | 14.15% |
| CHA1 | 773 | 10.80% |
| PHX6 | 755 | 10.54% |
| LEX2 | 709 | 9.90% |
| LEX1 | 542 | 7.57% |
| MEM3 | 471 | 6.58% |
| EWR7 | 403 | 5.63% |
| PGA1 | 366 | 5.11% |
| IAH1 | 360 | 5.03% |
5. Time trend (monthly)
Jan and Apr are partial windows. Feb (2,217) and Mar (2,341) are complete months; the run rate is roughly 2,200–2,350 return units per month. Apr is already at 1,883 returns through the 22nd — prorated to 2,570 for the full month, which would be the highest monthly count in the window. Worth watching for April anomalies or post-holiday return spillover.
| Month | Return units |
|---|---|
| 2026-01 (partial, from Jan 22) | 719 |
| 2026-02 | 2,217 |
| 2026-03 | 2,341 |
| 2026-04 (partial, to Apr 22) | 1,883 |
6. Problem ASIN deep dive
All 20 top-returned ASINs belong to a single home-textiles brand — pillow covers and table runners. This is the concentration story: the return problem is a brand/category problem, not a random distribution. Four ASINs are flagged where the modal reason is NOT_AS_DESCRIBED or ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM at >27% — prime candidates for immediate listing audits.
| # | ASIN | Product | Units | % tot | Cum % | Modal reason | Modal % | 2nd reason | 2nd % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B0XMPL0001 | Pillow Cover 12x12 White (2pk) | 115 | 1.61% | 1.61% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 27.8% | ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM | 19.1% |
| 2 | B0XMPL0002 | Pillow Cover 18x18 White (2pk) | 77 | 1.08% | 2.68% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 39.0% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 22.1% |
| 3 | B0XMPL0003 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Natural (2pk) | 74 | 1.03% | 3.72% | POOR_FIT | 24.3% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 23.0% |
| 4 | B0XMPL0004 | Pillow Cover 18x18 Jet Black (2pk) | 58 | 0.81% | 4.53% | ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM | 41.4% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 19.0% |
| 5 | B0XMPL0005 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Deep Red (2pk) | 45 | 0.63% | 5.15% | POOR_FIT | 28.9% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 24.4% |
| 6 | B0XMPL0006 | Pillow Cover 16x16 White (2pk) | 43 | 0.60% | 5.75% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 32.6% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 11.6% |
| 7 | B0XMPL0007 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Scotch Blue (2pk) | 43 | 0.60% | 6.35% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 25.6% | POOR_FIT | 23.3% |
| 8 | B0XMPL0008 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Jet Black (2pk) | 42 | 0.59% | 6.94% | POOR_FIT | 45.2% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 16.7% |
| 9 | B0XMPL0009 | Table Runner 13x72 Jet Black | 40 | 0.56% | 7.50% | POOR_FIT | 35.0% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 20.0% |
| 10 | B0XMPL0010 | Ironing Board Cover 42x14 | 39 | 0.54% | 8.04% | POOR_FIT | 28.2% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 28.2% |
| 11 | B0XMPL0011 | Table Runner 13x94 Ticking Navy | 38 | 0.53% | 8.58% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 39.5% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 31.6% |
| 12 | B0XMPL0012 | Pillow Cover 18x18 Sunbeam Yellow | 38 | 0.53% | 9.11% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 28.9% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 23.7% |
| 13 | B0XMPL0013 | Table Runner 13x72 White | 35 | 0.49% | 9.59% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 48.6% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 20.0% |
| 14 | B0XMPL0014 | Pillow Cover 18x18 Coral | 35 | 0.49% | 10.08% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 34.3% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 22.9% |
| 15 | B0XMPL0015 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Cobalt Blue | 33 | 0.46% | 10.54% | POOR_FIT | 33.3% | ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM | 21.2% |
| 16 | B0XMPL0016 | Table Runner 13x104 Deep Red | 33 | 0.46% | 11.01% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 51.5% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 18.2% |
| 17 | B0XMPL0017 | Pillow Cover 18x18 Lime Green | 32 | 0.45% | 11.45% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 21.9% | FOUND_BETTER_PRICE | 15.6% |
| 18 | B0XMPL0018 | Table Runner 13x72 Hot Pink | 30 | 0.42% | 11.87% | FOUND_BETTER_PRICE | 40.0% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 33.3% |
| 19 | B0XMPL0019 | Table Runner 13x72 Deep Red | 30 | 0.42% | 12.29% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 36.7% | NOT_AS_DESCRIBED | 23.3% |
| 20 | B0XMPL0020 | Pillow Cover 12x12 Lime Green | 29 | 0.41% | 12.70% | UNWANTED_ITEM | 27.6% | POOR_FIT | 27.6% |
Bolded rows: modal reason indicates a listing-accuracy problem above typical threshold (>27%).
7. Key findings
- Listing accuracy is the #1 lever. Five of the top 20 ASINs have NOT_AS_DESCRIBED as their modal reason and another five have it as their second reason. For textiles, color rendering, dimensional accuracy, and 'inserts NOT included' clarity are the biggest gaps. #1 and #2 both have 'No Inserts' in the title but still get NOT_AS_DESCRIBED — buyers miss the disclaimer.
- POOR_FIT clusters on the 12x12 size. Six of the eight top 12x12 pillow covers carry POOR_FIT as a top-2 reason. Buyers likely order 12x12 for 14–16" inserts. An A+ content sizing module ("For an 18" look, order 16" inserts") would address this directly.
- B0XMPL0004 — 41% ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM. Uniquely high on this reason, pointing to a parent-child variation picker problem. Buyers land on this ASIN thinking they are buying a different size or color. Audit the parent listing's variation matrix.
- 22% CUSTOMER_DAMAGED is a packaging signal. High for textiles. Product likely survives shipment but arrives looking less than new, triggering a return before the customer commits. Low-cost test: heavier polybag or tissue-wrap on the top 20 SKUs.
- FC concentration is normal. 89.5% of returns flow through the top 10 FCs (LAS2, IND8, CHA1, PHX6, LEX2, LEX1, MEM3, EWR7, PGA1, IAH1). DAMAGED_BY_FC is only 1.1% of returns, so FC-side handling is not a material driver. Use this list for CS routing, not for quality escalation.
- April may be trending high. Through Apr 22, 1,883 return units — prorated to ~2,570 for the full month, which would exceed both Feb (2,217) and Mar (2,341). Worth re-checking at month end; if the trend holds, escalate the listing-audit work.
- SWITCHEROO (73 units, 1.0%). Low absolute count but worth monitoring — these are fraud returns (customer returns a different item). If concentrated on a few ASINs, flaggable to Seller Performance.
8. Recommendations (prioritized)
| # | Action | Tag | Rationale / targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Re-photograph top 20 ASINs with ruler-in-frame dimensional shot and 'insert not included' callout tile | Listing | Addresses NOT_AS_DESCRIBED on 10 of top 20; targets ~1,960 units |
| 2 | Add A+ content sizing module: pillow cover vs. insert sizing guide | Listing | Addresses POOR_FIT cluster on 12x12 SKUs (~747 return units total) |
| 3 | Audit parent-child variation pickers — start with B0XMPL0004 | Listing | Fixes 41% ORDERED_WRONG_ITEM rate on that parent |
| 4 | Test heavier polybag or tissue-wrap prep on top 20 ASINs | Operations | Attacks 22% CUSTOMER_DAMAGED disposition (~1,572 units) |
| 5 | Supplier QC review for any ASIN where DEFECTIVE + QUALITY_UNACCEPTABLE > 10% of its returns | Product | 693 controllable-quality units across the portfolio |
| 6 | Re-run returns report at end of April; compare monthly trend to prior three months | Monitoring | Validate whether April's elevated run-rate is real or proration artifact |
| 7 | Pull 3× 30-day shipment-sales reports, join on ASIN, rank by implied return rate | Data | Surface low-volume, high-rate defect SKUs that absolute-volume view hides |
9. Caveats and next data pulls
- No return rate — all rankings are absolute return units. Implied rate requires a denominator (shipped units or orders).
- GET_FBA_FULFILLMENT_CUSTOMER_SHIPMENT_SALES_DATA rejects a 90-day window with FATAL. Per-ASIN return rate requires three ~30-day pulls joined on ASIN.
- MFN / seller-fulfilled returns are NOT in this report. If the account runs any MFN inventory, add GET_FLAT_FILE_RETURNS_DATA_BY_RETURN_DATE for completeness.
- Customer-comments column is present but was not mined for this report. A topic-extraction pass on the ~2,000 NOT_AS_DESCRIBED comments would sharpen the listing-audit recommendations with concrete phrase frequencies.