Amazon Arbitrations: Domestic Rules vs International Dispute Resolution Provisions
As an Amazon Seller, it’s important to know what options you have available to you when it comes to addressing issues with Amazon.
The Business Solutions Agreement, or BSA, limits the options you have when addressing disputes with Amazon. Normally, when someone seeks to settle a dispute with a business contract or they want to seek damages, it’s their first reaction to file a lawsuit and sue the other party. For years, Amazon has sought to mitigate this type of conflict by placing a clause in the BSA that states all disputes are to be arbitrated and therefore avoid being fought out in the courts. This has become common as many companies place similar clauses in their contracts to safeguard against a long, drawn-out lawsuit when a dispute arises with respect to their agreement. This process is handled directly in front of an impartial arbitrator that decides the outcome based on the arguments presented.
This process is usually faster and cheaper than the alternative of litigation but may be a bit trickier for Amazon sellers based outside of the United States.
When an Amazon seller is located outside of the United States, it’s important that they understand the arbitration process is different than that of US-based sellers. These sellers may get stuck with an international dispute resolution (IDR). The key difference between IDR and regular arbitration is that with regular arbitration you present your arguments in-person, directly to the arbitrator. With IDR, the case is presented through the submission of paperwork. Your entire case is handled via written arguments, written oppositions and written replies. It’s a very impersonal process for something very personal to almost every seller, their business.
In a battle against a juggernaut like Amazon, being able to speak directly to an arbitrator is critical. While this does add an element of difficulty to Amazon arbitrations, it’s not an impossible obstacle to overcome. With well written arguments and an experienced arbitration team, sellers outside the US can be just as successful in winning arbitration cases as US-based sellers.
This firm started and has continued to grow because battling Amazon on your own can be a frustrating experience. Keeping up to date with the continual changes in policies and trends can be difficult even for the most seasoned Amazon seller. We have an edge honed by experience, and work tirelessly to protect Amazon sellers from wrongful determinations by Amazon.
If you’re curious about finding out more about the process of arbitration or are wondering if it’s the right path to pursue, submit a case.
We will do everything we can to help you resolve your issue. Let us handle the headaches of Amazon for you! Hire Rosenbaum, Famularo & Segall P.C. today!
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