Amazon Is Handing Out Refunds on Years-Old Purchases—Here’s What’s Going On

Some Amazon customers are waking up to surprise refunds worth hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars for purchases they made years ago. One user on LinkedIn claimed they received a staggering $1,800 refund for a smart TV they bought back in 2017.

What’s Behind the Sudden Payouts?

According to a report from Bloomberg, the refunds are tied to an internal review Amazon recently conducted. That review may have been prompted by a 2023 consumer lawsuit, in which a group of shoppers accused Amazon of unfairly reversing legitimate refunds related to returned items.

Following the review, Amazon uncovered several cases where:

• Refunds were issued but payment processing failed
• Returned items couldn’t be verified, so no refund was given

Amazon’s Statement

An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the news to CNET, noting that only a small subset of customers are affected.

“There is no action required from customers to receive the refunds,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve identified and resolved the issue.”

In other words, if you’re eligible, the refund should land in your account automatically.

The $1 Billion Clue

Amazon had already flagged this issue internally. In its latest earnings call, the company disclosed a $1 billion one-time expense tied to outstanding customer refunds. That financial note may explain why these long-overdue refunds are suddenly rolling out—some dating as far back as 2018.

What Should You Do?

For now, there’s no need to contact Amazon or file a request. If you’re eligible, the money should appear in your account without any action on your part.

Bottom Line: If you’ve shopped on Amazon in the last few years, don’t be surprised if you get an unexpected refund. It’s part of a broader cleanup effort by the retail giant to fix past payment mishaps—some of which may have flown under the radar for years.