Amazon gives us the power to late-night shop as we please. However, that may not always be a good thing. Because of this, we may occasionally make impulse purchases and later regret scrolling through our wishlist.

Although Amazon is excellent about returning accidental orders, what if you can stop them from being delivered in the first place? You have a few variables to consider that can save some headaches in the long run. In this guide, we'll go over how you can cancel an Amazon order to keep you from having to return it afterward.

How to cancel an order from the Amazon app

Open the Amazon app to the main screen.

  1. Tap the profile icon at the bottom and then press the Your Orders button.
  2. Scroll through the list, if needed, and tap the item you wish to cancel.
  3. Under the Order info section, tap the Cancel items or Cancel order option. The cancel option names can vary depending on your shipping status.
    • If the order shows the View or Change this order option, tap that section and then press Cancel items at the top to continue.
  4. Select one or all the items you want to cancel from that order. To highlight the entire order with more than one item, press the Select all option in the upper-left corner.
  5. Choose an option from the Cancellation reason drop-down menu, but it's an optional choice.
  6. Tap the Cancel checked items button.
  7. The selected items for that order will be canceled.

How to cancel an order from the desktop web version

When you're working on your desktop or laptop computer, open any web browser and stop that order.

  1. Visit the Amazon official website in a web browser, and then log in with your account credentials as needed.
  2. In the upper-right corner, tap the Returns & Orders section.
  3. Scroll through the list, if needed, and locate the item you wish to cancel.
  4. Click the Cancel items or Cancel order button on the right. The cancel option names here can vary depending on your shipping status.
    • cancel-amazon-order-desktop-1
  5. Select one or all items you want to cancel from that order. To highlight the entire order with more than one item, press the Select all option in the upper-left corner.
  6. Choose an option from the Cancellation reason drop-down menu, but it's an optional choice.
  7. Tap the Cancel checked items button.
    cancel-amazon-order-desktop-2
  8. The selected items for that order will be canceled.

How long do I have to cancel an order?

You have the opportunity to safely cancel an order just before it has been shipped from the warehouse or seller. If you see that your items are being packed and prepared for shipping, you still have a high success rate of canceling the order. As such, you'll notice a message that cancellation is not always guaranteed from this point in the order process. You might be able to avoid delivery here, so it's worth a shot since they're usually lenient while it's still in the warehouse.

Can I cancel an order while it's in the process of being delivered?

Canceling your order becomes more challenging once it has been loaded onto the carrier vehicle. You can still request to cancel delivery for that order, but it may not always work this late in the process. It depends on the shipping carrier and the driver if you can cancel your order during their delivery route. If Amazon is shipping and delivering your items, you likely have a greater chance of canceling at this stage since it's a first-party carrier.

What happens if I can't cancel an order?

If you can't cancel an order for delivery after trying every step of the way, you might be stuck with it. You'll have to let the package be delivered like usual before requesting a refund. From there, you'll need to access your Amazon account to initiate a return process and send the order back as soon as possible. Once Amazon or the seller receives and inspects your items, they'll issue a refund to the original payment method you used.

What if I have questions about my order?

Now that you know how to cancel an item or order from your Amazon account, you can avoid unnecessary deliveries in the future. And if you ever have questions about a product you purchased, you can contact the seller on Amazon to ask questions, make a complaint, or leave feedback.

What if I don't want to deal with shipping the item back?

Well, we often have to do lots of things we don't like; however, Amazon does offer an alternative for select items. If you prefer, you can return approved items to Amazon stores or your local Kohl's. For the most part, you can return items purchased directly from Amazon that are eligible for returns to brick-and-mortar stores. If you live in a building with Amazon Apartment Locker, you can even make returns from your mailroom. If none of these options work, you can arrange a pick-up at an Amazon Hub Locker.