For months, Amazon marketplace sellers across the country have been reporting a quiet but costly problem: unexplained UPS “address correction” fees tied to Amazon return shipments — fees that Amazon then passes directly to sellers.
And only now, after three months of contradictions and obfuscations is Amazon finally offering to manually correct the problem. Will they follow through? STAY TUNED...
"Babitha,
Thank you for this response. This is the first communication from Amazon over three months of case log messaging, that accurately identifies the root cause of the recurring UPS address correction charges. However, it also confirms that Amazon is knowingly imposing ongoing financial harm without providing a mitigation, workaround, or remedy.
For the record, Amazon has now admitted the following:
1. Amazon’s Address Validation Service (AVS) forcibly overwrites seller-entered address data by normalizing “Suite” to “Apt” based on USPS ZIP+4 records.
2. Amazon does not allow sellers to override this normalization, even where the carrier actually performing the shipment (UPS) requires a different secondary unit descriptor.
3. UPS relies on its own address database, recognizes the location as “Suite 2”, and charges address correction fees when Amazon-generated labels instead transmit “Apt 2.”
4. Amazon is aware this creates a known, systemic conflict between USPS-based AVS enforcement and UPS billing rules.
5. Despite this knowledge, Amazon continues to:
• Generate return labels using the USPS-normalized format
• Pass UPS correction fees to the seller
• Provide no technical or procedural mechanism to prevent recurrence
This admission directly contradicts Amazon’s earlier representations that:
• The charges were caused by seller error
• The address was “missing information”
• The issue could be resolved by “updating the address”
None of those statements were accurate.
Legal and Commercial Implications
Amazon is now on notice that it is:
• Knowingly transmitting address data incompatible with the selected carrier
• Imposing predictable, repeat fees on sellers
• Refusing to provide a mitigation path while continuing to debit accounts
This is not a carrier issue and not a seller compliance issue. It is an Amazon platform design decision that externalizes costs onto sellers without disclosure or consent.
A system “working as designed” does not absolve Amazon of liability when the design:
• Creates unavoidable fees
• Prevents corrective action
• Results in repeated, foreseeable financial loss
Required Resolution
In light of this admission, Amazon must now state its position on the following:
1. Whether Amazon will reimburse past UPS address correction charges that resulted solely from AVS-enforced USPS normalization
2. What immediate workaround Amazon will implement to prevent future charges (e.g., carrier-specific address handling, fee absorption, or manual override)
3. Whether Amazon disputes that these charges are Amazon-caused rather than seller-caused
Absent reimbursement and a forward-looking mitigation, Amazon is knowingly perpetuating damages.
This response should be added to the record for this case. The dispute remains unresolved."
My name is Babitha from Amazon Selling Partner Support Escalation Department.
We have received your recent correspondence and understand your concerns regarding the UPS address correction charges related to the return address format.
Our internal team is currently reviewing the details you have provided regarding the address validation conflict. We have escalated this matter to the appropriate technical teams for further investigation and guidance on potential resolution options.
To assist us in expediting this review, we kindly request the following information:
1. Please provide the complete correct return address as you would like it to appear
2. Please confirm the last time you attempted to update the return address in Seller Central
3. If available, please provide a screenshot showing the address entry and any system behavior you experienced
We will contact you as soon as we receive an update from our internal teams or if we require any additional information. We appreciate your patience as we work to address this matter thoroughly."
In subsequent support responses after arbitration was filed by the seller, Amazon has completely corroborated your contribution while still offering NO resolution to rectifying the problem:
My name is Babitha from Amazon Selling Partner Support Escalation Department.
Upon investigation, we found that the Address Validation Service (AVS) returned "REDACTED Ave Apt 2" for your input of "REDACTED Ave Suite 2" because AVS uses the USPS ZIP+4 database as the authoritative source for US address standardization. According to USPS's official records, REDACTED Ave is classified as a residential apartment building, and therefore the official secondary address descriptor is "Apt" instead of "Suite". This validation with USPS is enforced by AVS for all US addresses.
Our team verified this on USPS's official website, and the only returned address is REDACTED Apt 2. AVS has always used USPS as the authoritative data source to ensure consistent, standardized addresses across all customer experiences and to guarantee mail deliverability. However, UPS maintains its own independent address database and has classified this location as "Suite 2", which resulted in their system flagging the USPS-standardized address as incorrect and charging the $29 correction fee. This represents a data authority conflict between USPS (the legal authority for US mail) and UPS's proprietary address classification system, rather than an error in AVS.
We understand this situation has caused frustration and financial impact to your account. The address standardization is working as designed based on USPS official records, which is the authoritative source for US addresses.
And only now, after three months of contradictions and obfuscations is Amazon finally offering to manually correct the problem. Will they follow through? STAY TUNED...
"Babitha,
Thank you for this response. This is the first communication from Amazon over three months of case log messaging, that accurately identifies the root cause of the recurring UPS address correction charges. However, it also confirms that Amazon is knowingly imposing ongoing financial harm without providing a mitigation, workaround, or remedy.
For the record, Amazon has now admitted the following:
1. Amazon’s Address Validation Service (AVS) forcibly overwrites seller-entered address data by normalizing “Suite” to “Apt” based on USPS ZIP+4 records.
2. Amazon does not allow sellers to override this normalization, even where the carrier actually performing the shipment (UPS) requires a different secondary unit descriptor.
3. UPS relies on its own address database, recognizes the location as “Suite 2”, and charges address correction fees when Amazon-generated labels instead transmit “Apt 2.”
4. Amazon is aware this creates a known, systemic conflict between USPS-based AVS enforcement and UPS billing rules.
5. Despite this knowledge, Amazon continues to:
• Generate return labels using the USPS-normalized format
• Pass UPS correction fees to the seller
• Provide no technical or procedural mechanism to prevent recurrence
This admission directly contradicts Amazon’s earlier representations that:
• The charges were caused by seller error
• The address was “missing information”
• The issue could be resolved by “updating the address”
None of those statements were accurate.
Legal and Commercial Implications
Amazon is now on notice that it is:
• Knowingly transmitting address data incompatible with the selected carrier
• Imposing predictable, repeat fees on sellers
• Refusing to provide a mitigation path while continuing to debit accounts
This is not a carrier issue and not a seller compliance issue. It is an Amazon platform design decision that externalizes costs onto sellers without disclosure or consent.
A system “working as designed” does not absolve Amazon of liability when the design:
• Creates unavoidable fees
• Prevents corrective action
• Results in repeated, foreseeable financial loss
Required Resolution
In light of this admission, Amazon must now state its position on the following:
1. Whether Amazon will reimburse past UPS address correction charges that resulted solely from AVS-enforced USPS normalization
2. What immediate workaround Amazon will implement to prevent future charges (e.g., carrier-specific address handling, fee absorption, or manual override)
3. Whether Amazon disputes that these charges are Amazon-caused rather than seller-caused
Absent reimbursement and a forward-looking mitigation, Amazon is knowingly perpetuating damages.
This response should be added to the record for this case. The dispute remains unresolved."
"Hello from Amazon.com,
My name is Babitha from Amazon Selling Partner Support Escalation Department.
We have received your recent correspondence and understand your concerns regarding the UPS address correction charges related to the return address format.
Our internal team is currently reviewing the details you have provided regarding the address validation conflict. We have escalated this matter to the appropriate technical teams for further investigation and guidance on potential resolution options.
To assist us in expediting this review, we kindly request the following information:
1. Please provide the complete correct return address as you would like it to appear
2. Please confirm the last time you attempted to update the return address in Seller Central
3. If available, please provide a screenshot showing the address entry and any system behavior you experienced
We will contact you as soon as we receive an update from our internal teams or if we require any additional information. We appreciate your patience as we work to address this matter thoroughly."
In subsequent support responses after arbitration was filed by the seller, Amazon has completely corroborated your contribution while still offering NO resolution to rectifying the problem:
"Hello from Amazon.com,
My name is Babitha from Amazon Selling Partner Support Escalation Department.
Upon investigation, we found that the Address Validation Service (AVS) returned "REDACTED Ave Apt 2" for your input of "REDACTED Ave Suite 2" because AVS uses the USPS ZIP+4 database as the authoritative source for US address standardization. According to USPS's official records, REDACTED Ave is classified as a residential apartment building, and therefore the official secondary address descriptor is "Apt" instead of "Suite". This validation with USPS is enforced by AVS for all US addresses.
Our team verified this on USPS's official website, and the only returned address is REDACTED Apt 2. AVS has always used USPS as the authoritative data source to ensure consistent, standardized addresses across all customer experiences and to guarantee mail deliverability. However, UPS maintains its own independent address database and has classified this location as "Suite 2", which resulted in their system flagging the USPS-standardized address as incorrect and charging the $29 correction fee. This represents a data authority conflict between USPS (the legal authority for US mail) and UPS's proprietary address classification system, rather than an error in AVS.
We understand this situation has caused frustration and financial impact to your account. The address standardization is working as designed based on USPS official records, which is the authoritative source for US addresses.
Thank you for your patience and understanding."