Since October 15, 2025, the Ozon marketplace has introduced new rules for processing returns of goods. Now sellers working under the FBO scheme will be able to decide for themselves whether to approve the refund or not, within 24 hours after receiving the request from the buyer.
Previously, the returns were handled directly by the site. The innovation allows sellers to respond promptly to customer requests. FBO is a model in which goods are stored and shipped from Ozon warehouses, rather than the supplier. Thanks to the new approach, sellers have gained more control over the process and can:
- approve the refund;
- reject with a reasoned reason;
- offer to leave the product to the buyer with compensation for the full or partial cost.
If the seller does not respond within 24 hours, the refund will be automatically approved by the system. In case of refusal, the buyer has the opportunity to initiate a dispute, after which the decision is made by the marketplace itself.
According to Yevgeny Masharov, a member of the Public Chamber, the changes do not affect basic consumer legislation. Buyers, as before, have the right to return goods of inadequate quality or unsuitable characteristics.
Masharov emphasizes that the innovation is aimed at clarifying internal procedures and improving interaction between the seller and the buyer. Nevertheless, the activist urges to wait for similar steps from other marketplaces in order to assess the general trend and possible legal consequences.
Experts note that the innovation can help reduce the number of abuses by unscrupulous buyers and at the same time strengthen sellers' responsibility for the service. This approach also helps to speed up the refund process and reduce the burden on the Ozon support service.
