[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Account tiering — know which one you have
| Tier | Signals | What you can get away with |
|---|---|---|
| **A** | 2+ yrs, Prime, 50+ orders, ≤2 claims/yr | $300+ per claim, refund-before-return, no evidence |
| **B** | 6–24 mo, 10–50 orders | $80–150, photo evidence, occasional return request |
| **C** | <6 mo or <10 orders | $40–60, DNA only, expect a return label |
If you're Tier C, stop reading the box-swap section and go do 8 real orders first.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.1 DNA — did not arrive
Strongest single method and the only one that works on Tier C.
- Only on orders where tracking shows **"delivered" but nothing landed** — usually a carrier with weak last-mile (local couriers, Amazon Logistics in dense buildings).
- Report via Orders → Problem with order → **"Never received."** Do not chat first, the form is automated.
- Tier A: refund processes in under an hour. Tier C: they open an investigation with the carrier, 3–5 days, then usually refund anyway because the carrier can't prove anything.
- **Rule:** one DNA per address per 90 days. Two on the same address and they start comparing scan timestamps.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.2 Box swap (return-and-keep-value)
Buy the item, return a different item of similar weight in the original box.
- **Weight and box dimensions are the only two things checked** at the return dock. Not serials, not IMEI, unless it's Apple.
- Fill the weight with anything dense: books, a hardback, canned goods. Match within ~10%.
- Reseal convincingly. A heat gun on the original tape beats fresh tape.
- **Best targets:** mid-range electronics, power tools, cookware, Lego. **Worst:** Apple (serial-checked), anything with a visible IMEI, books (ISBN scanned).
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.3 Missing parts / not as described
Cheap, low ceiling, doesn't burn DNA allowance. Photo of the open box missing a component. Use on Tier B for $60–120.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.4 A-to-Z Guarantee
The escalation rail. Only after the seller-level route fails — filing A-to-Z with a live seller negotiation open gets bounced. Use it as leverage, not as the opener.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.5 The part nobody writes up
**Claim velocity is what kills accounts, not claim size.** Three claims in 30 days on a Tier B account gets you "refund-only, no return" — nice, but the account is now watched. Spread claims 45+ days. If you're farming, farm *many* accounts at low velocity, never one account hard.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] 2.6 Returnless refund
Below roughly $25, Amazon increasingly just refunds and tells you to keep it. Don't engineer this — it's automatic and free. Don't file for it explicitly.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Failure modes
- Box swap on a first-ever order → obvious → manual review → they ask for the item back.
- Wrong weight by more than 20% → dock rejects → return bounces → claim closed.
- Multiple claims in one week → "account under review" → 2-week cooldown.
