Order cancellations are a common occurrence when shopping online, and Amazon, being one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, has streamlined the process for its customers.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve changed your mind about a purchase, found a better deal, or encountered an issue with your order, cancelling it on Amazon is a straightforward process.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step procedure on how to cancel an order on Amazon, ensuring a hassle-free and stress-free shopping experience and a smooth resolution to your order-related concerns.
How to Cancel an Amazon Order on the Website
As we said earlier, cancelling an order on Amazon is a straightforward process. Here are the steps to cancel an order on Amazon on the website:
- Start by visiting the Amazon website and logging into your account.
- Look for the “Returns & Orders” option on the top-right corner of the homepage. You can either directly click on it or, if you prefer, hover over “Accounts & Lists” and then click on “Orders” in the dropdown menu.
- On the “Your Orders” page, locate the order you want to cancel. Click on the option that says “Cancel items” to the right of the item.
- You may see a message on the next page stating that your cancellation isn’t guaranteed, but it’s worth a try. Click on the dropdown menu that says “Select Cancellation Reason” and choose the reason for cancelling the order.
- Now, click the “Cancel selected items in this order” button.
- You’ll be taken to a confirmation screen, and Amazon will send you an email confirming your cancellation request. You’ll receive another email later to let you know if the cancellation was successful.
Please note that you’ll typically receive a cancellation status notification within an hour or so, but the timing may vary depending on whether your item was sold by Amazon or a third-party seller. If it’s the latter, you may need to contact the seller directly to check your order status.
How to Cancel an Amazon Order on the Mobile App
Here are the steps to cancel an order on the Amazon Shopping App:
- Open the Amazon Shopping App on your iOS or Android device.
- At the bottom menu, tap on the profile icon.
- Inside your account, tap on “Your Orders.”
- Locate and select the order you wish to cancel.
- Tap “Cancel order.”
- Then, tap “Cancel checked items.”
- Like the website, you’ll receive an email confirming your cancellation request. You’ll also get another email once your cancellation is approved or denied.
It’s as easy as that.
Why can’t I Cancel My Amazon Order?
When you can’t find the ‘Cancel Items’ button on the ‘Your Orders’ page of the Amazon website, it’s likely because the order has already been shipped. In such a case, you’ll need to cancel the delivery instead. Here’s how:
- Visit the Amazon website and log in to your account.
- Click on ‘Returns & Orders’ in the top-right corner of the homepage.
- On the ‘Your Orders’ page, locate the order you want to cancel. Click on the option to the right of the item that says ‘Track package.’
- Next, click on ‘Cancel order.’
- Finally, click on ‘Cancel selected items in this order.’
If you’re unable to cancel the delivery, your only alternative is to go to the Online Returns Center and initiate the return process for the package.
How to Return an Amazon Order if you Can’t Cancel It
Your request to cancel an order may not always work. There are a few reasons for this. If the package has already been shipped, or if the item is sold by a third-party seller who doesn’t allow or respond quickly to cancellation requests, your cancellation might be denied.
Amazon usually has a lenient return policy, though, so you have another option. If you receive an unwanted order, you can start the return process. If Amazon sold and shipped the item, you have around 30 days (and even longer during the holidays) to return it and get a full refund.
However, if a third-party seller on Amazon sold the item, you’ll need to check their return policy on their seller page or contact them directly for details. For more in-depth information about Amazon’s return policies, you can visit the Returns and Refunds support page.
FAQ
How to Cancel an Order
Cancelling Before Shipping: You can cancel an order safely before it’s shipped from the warehouse or seller. If you see your items being prepared for shipping, there’s a good chance of success. You will see a message indicating that cancellation is not guaranteed at this point, but it’s worth trying since Amazon is usually flexible while it’s still in their warehouse.
Cancelling During Delivery: Once your order is loaded onto the delivery vehicle, it becomes more challenging to cancel. Whether you can cancel at this stage depends on the shipping carrier and the driver. If Amazon is handling the delivery, you have a better chance of cancelling since it’s their delivery service.
What if I don’t want to deal with returning the item?
If you’d rather not deal with returning an item by shipping it back, Amazon offers an alternative for certain items. You can return eligible items to Amazon stores or local Kohl’s locations.
In most cases, items bought directly from Amazon can be returned to physical stores. If you live in a building with an Amazon Apartment Locker, you can make returns from your mailroom. If none of these options work, you can arrange a pick-up at an Amazon Hub Locker.
