Help navigating Amazon (unintentionally messed up return)?
January 29, 2024 8:40 PM Subscribe
I'm returning one of my Christmas presents. Due to circumstances, I only returned part of the item. How do I contact somebody competent at Amazon who can understand this complicated issue and find a resolution?
One of the presents from Christmas was something I didn't need. Fortunately, my SIL included the gift receipt, so I could return the item to Amazon if I didn't wish to keep it and get account credit.
I set the return up as a drop-off at an Amazon Fresh store (one that's a bit out of the way, as there's only 1 store near where I live that is accessible). When the first package my SIL sent arrived, the main item was in there. Good. I went to the Amazon Fresh store, dropped it off, and went on my merry way.
Unfortunately, the second package that arrived a bit late included the case for the item, as well as another part of the item that I had forgotten was there (blame foggy cancer brain). I see that on Amazon's website, they would give a partial refund/credit for missing items.
I tried reaching out to Amazon's chat feature, but they're outsourced and didn't understand what I meant (English barriers) and couldn't locate the return as it wasn't purchased by me, and I lost the return receipt (d'oh to me). Best they could do is refer me to a callback, but I can't because *ahem* I'm Deaf and cannot receive phone calls. I see that the return is still shipping enroute to the center.
Those two items aren't obvious enough, but one is definitely a core part of the item (in case you're wondering, it's this vest — I have plenty of other vests/coats, and don't really care for the electric part) — the controller. I thought the controller was embedded inside the vest, but it wasn't. Oops.
How can I reach somebody who will understand this unique situation? I'm willing to go back to the store if need be, even though it's a bit outta my way. Or what are the chances Amazon's return center will overlook the missing case and the controller (especially as I thought it was already inside the vest), and I'd get 100% credit?
It'd be nice to reach somebody who would understand, not only for this situation but for any others that might come up down the road. FWIW, I'm an Amazon Prime member, if that might help get more elevated service.
(In case you're wondering, no, my SIL won't be notified of the return, so no worries about any hurt feelings there.)
One of the presents from Christmas was something I didn't need. Fortunately, my SIL included the gift receipt, so I could return the item to Amazon if I didn't wish to keep it and get account credit.
I set the return up as a drop-off at an Amazon Fresh store (one that's a bit out of the way, as there's only 1 store near where I live that is accessible). When the first package my SIL sent arrived, the main item was in there. Good. I went to the Amazon Fresh store, dropped it off, and went on my merry way.
Unfortunately, the second package that arrived a bit late included the case for the item, as well as another part of the item that I had forgotten was there (blame foggy cancer brain). I see that on Amazon's website, they would give a partial refund/credit for missing items.
I tried reaching out to Amazon's chat feature, but they're outsourced and didn't understand what I meant (English barriers) and couldn't locate the return as it wasn't purchased by me, and I lost the return receipt (d'oh to me). Best they could do is refer me to a callback, but I can't because *ahem* I'm Deaf and cannot receive phone calls. I see that the return is still shipping enroute to the center.
Those two items aren't obvious enough, but one is definitely a core part of the item (in case you're wondering, it's this vest — I have plenty of other vests/coats, and don't really care for the electric part) — the controller. I thought the controller was embedded inside the vest, but it wasn't. Oops.
How can I reach somebody who will understand this unique situation? I'm willing to go back to the store if need be, even though it's a bit outta my way. Or what are the chances Amazon's return center will overlook the missing case and the controller (especially as I thought it was already inside the vest), and I'd get 100% credit?
It'd be nice to reach somebody who would understand, not only for this situation but for any others that might come up down the road. FWIW, I'm an Amazon Prime member, if that might help get more elevated service.
(In case you're wondering, no, my SIL won't be notified of the return, so no worries about any hurt feelings there.)
I have had decent success communicating with the folks at the Whole Foods Amazon drop oof return (and pick up packages) location. Whenever I had questions about items, if they did not know the answer, they knew how to find the answer and would. I know it is out of the way, but it may actually save you time and heart ache versus dealing with chat or email or any other way other than communicating directly with a human who is authorized to find solutions.
I apologize if your deafness makes this suggestion moot, but it is all I got.
On preview, what mekily said too. I worked briefly for a place that sold via Amazon and when customers would return to Amazon one of our items, Amazon would debit our account and toss out the item. They would not resell it or repackage it and sell it as a open item. Just in the dumpster.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:58 PM on January 29
I apologize if your deafness makes this suggestion moot, but it is all I got.
On preview, what mekily said too. I worked briefly for a place that sold via Amazon and when customers would return to Amazon one of our items, Amazon would debit our account and toss out the item. They would not resell it or repackage it and sell it as a open item. Just in the dumpster.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:58 PM on January 29
I would also just wait to see what they do with the return. There is a very high likelihood they wont notice or care about the missing pieces and just process it anyway. If they do notice, at that point I’d expect theyd give you an option to complete the return and print a new return label.
Amazon sells returned merchandise by the pallet sight unseen for pennies on the dollar to resellers hoping to make a profit reselling (unboxing these is a whole youtube genre…) It’s clear they are clearly not expecting to recoup the loss.
posted by cgg at 12:24 AM on January 30
Amazon sells returned merchandise by the pallet sight unseen for pennies on the dollar to resellers hoping to make a profit reselling (unboxing these is a whole youtube genre…) It’s clear they are clearly not expecting to recoup the loss.
posted by cgg at 12:24 AM on January 30
They won't care. I've done this several times. Most recently, they sent me a set of two pie dishes, badly packaged. One was broken. I returned only the broken one because I don't see the point of subjecting glassware to another hazardous journey (plus, I think there's a good chance they would've tossed the undamaged one as well). I would have been fine with a partial refund, of course. But I got a full one, no questions asked, and I now have a free pie dish.
If you're feeling moral qualms: donate some money to charity. Amazon doesn't deserve it.
posted by toucan at 1:44 AM on January 30 [10 favorites]
If you're feeling moral qualms: donate some money to charity. Amazon doesn't deserve it.
posted by toucan at 1:44 AM on January 30 [10 favorites]
What indication do you have that Amazon considers the current situation a problem? You sending any piece of the product back barely registers to them as something that needs to happen. Most products for sell on Amazon.com are actually for sell by third party vendors, and there is no entity on Earth that is more on the customer's side verses the vendor's side than Amazon.
I can guarantee you that Amazon already took money back from the actual seller of this vest ("bassman home" according to the link you gave) the instant you started the return process. When/if you send the product back, "bassman home" will eventually be informed, but if it were broken, incomplete, etc. Amazon is going to tell the vendor "bassman home" tough shit and then throw it in a giant pile of returns that eventually get sold by the pallet.. You could return a bag of dirt from your yard instead of the vest and Amazon wouldn't care since it's not really their problem. Making you happy (or your SIL in this case) happy by refunding the order is their problem.
In case you feel bad for "bassman home" because you forgot a piece, don't, because they originally bought that vest for $10-$15 from the actual manufacture here and then just put it up on Amazon.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 10:13 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]
I can guarantee you that Amazon already took money back from the actual seller of this vest ("bassman home" according to the link you gave) the instant you started the return process. When/if you send the product back, "bassman home" will eventually be informed, but if it were broken, incomplete, etc. Amazon is going to tell the vendor "bassman home" tough shit and then throw it in a giant pile of returns that eventually get sold by the pallet.. You could return a bag of dirt from your yard instead of the vest and Amazon wouldn't care since it's not really their problem. Making you happy (or your SIL in this case) happy by refunding the order is their problem.
In case you feel bad for "bassman home" because you forgot a piece, don't, because they originally bought that vest for $10-$15 from the actual manufacture here and then just put it up on Amazon.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 10:13 AM on January 30 [1 favorite]
Former Amazonian here: this sort of honest mistake is very unlikely to be noticed during return processing. I wouldn’t worry about it.
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 8:49 PM on January 30
posted by whisk(e)y neat at 8:49 PM on January 30
Response by poster: Thanks! I'll see what happens once they receive the return, and go from there. Appreciate the help!
posted by dubious_dude at 10:03 AM on February 2
posted by dubious_dude at 10:03 AM on February 2
Response by poster: Not sure if anybody is even watching this Ask anymore, but wanted to update (for anecdotal data) that my return finally was processed today—and a full refund was issued! So, you all were right that Amazon didn't care that a couple of items were missing from the return.
Whew, glad that's over!
posted by dubious_dude at 7:20 AM on February 8 [2 favorites]
Whew, glad that's over!
posted by dubious_dude at 7:20 AM on February 8 [2 favorites]
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If I were you, I’d wait until Amazon processes your return and then decide how to proceed.
If they give you the full refund — great!
If they only give you a partial refund, then you can contact customer service again and ask how to return the missing pieces. It will be easier for them to help you at that point because they’ll see the status of your return in the system so they will know right away what your issue is.
posted by mekily at 8:54 PM on January 29 [10 favorites]