Who are you buying from on Amazon?
Many items on Amazon are sold by other companies, not by Amazon itself. Who sells and who ships an item decides where you go for help and how returns work. Checked against Amazon and eBay help pages in October 2026.
In this guide
- The short answer
- Three kinds of offers
- Finding the seller with a screen reader
- Choosing between offers
- If an order goes wrong: the A-to-z Guarantee
- How eBay compares
The short answer
- If an item ships from Amazon, Amazon handles delivery and you contact Amazon for help, even when another company sells it.
- If an item ships from another seller, that seller handles delivery, help and returns, and Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee protects you if they do not.
- Want one simple return process for everything? Use the "Sold by Amazon.com" option on our Search Amazon page.
Three kinds of offers
Each offer shows two lines, "Ships from" and "Sold by", under the buy buttons. Source: Amazon help: Ordering from a third-party seller.
| The page says | Who you buy from | Who to contact for help | Returns go to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ships from Amazon, Sold by Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
| Ships from Amazon, Sold by another company | That company; Amazon stores and ships the item for them | Amazon | Amazon |
| Ships from and Sold by another company | That company | The seller, through Your Orders | The seller |
Most items can be returned within 30 days, including items from other sellers, who must follow Amazon's return rules. Source: Amazon help: Returns to third-party sellers. Step by step: returns and refunds.
Finding the seller with a screen reader
- On the product page, use your screen reader's find command and search for "Sold by": NVDA+Ctrl+F in NVDA, Insert+Ctrl+F in JAWS, or Find on page in your browser.
- Read the lines around it: "Ships from" and "Sold by" are next to each other.
- The seller's name is a link. It opens the seller's page with their rating and return policy.
- The Add to Cart button buys this featured offer. Other offers for the same product, from other sellers, are often listed under "Other sellers on Amazon" or "See all buying options".
Amazon's pages change, so the exact words can move. Searching for "Sold by" is the most reliable way to find them.
Choosing between offers
- Ships from Amazon is the safer choice if you are not sure: one place for help, and returns work the same way for every item.
- From another seller, check the seller's rating and how many ratings they have before buying, and listen for the delivery date, which can be later.
- A much lower price from an unknown seller with few ratings is a reason to be careful, especially for brand-name electronics.
If an order goes wrong: the A-to-z Guarantee
When an item sold and shipped by another seller does not arrive, or arrives damaged, defective or different from the description, Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee can refund you. Source: Amazon help: A-to-z Guarantee.
- First contact the seller from Your Orders. For a damaged or wrong item, do this within 14 days of receiving it.
- If the seller has not fixed it after one day, go to Your Orders, choose the order, and choose "File or view claim" (the wording may vary). Pick the reason and request the refund.
- Claims are open until 90 days after the latest delivery date and cover up to $2,500, including shipping. They usually take one to two weeks.
How eBay compares
On eBay, every item is sold by an individual or a business, never by eBay itself. The eBay Money Back Guarantee covers you if an item does not arrive or is not as described, even when the seller does not accept returns. Report the problem within 30 days of the delivery date; if the seller does not fix it within 3 business days, you can ask eBay to step in. Source: eBay Money Back Guarantee policy.
Our eBay price comparison shows each seller's rating on the item page, before you go to eBay.