Has Amazon (silently?) changed return refund policy?

[Pablo]

Seems like lately we've had our share of returns, no shows, damaged items. We try to buy local, but sometimes for gifts to daughters in AK, prices that are much lower, etc We do obviously end up groveling to Bezos.

Thing is - sometimes we feel we are at their whim. I ordered a nice Milwaukee M12 Fuel drill/driver combo for my son in law, $198, two batts, etc. Never showed up. Lost. Finally threw in the towel. Could not do the refund on line which seemed odd, contacted some person many time zones away. The said yes refund, and then nothing for days and started refund process again, 3 days in nothing. Getting frustrated.

I ordered CD, it was crunched. (what??) Amazon said refund. But nothing on card, nothing credited, then finally a "promotional" credit which means only usable on certain items.

Wife is waiting on another one she actually returned weeks ago. Nothing yet.

 

[demarpaint]

I've been lucky so far with returns, but reading your post I have a feeling things could soon be changing for me too.

 

[opus1]

Knock wood, but I've only had one return issue, and, ironically, that was when I used the Amazon counter at the local Whole Paycheck to do the return. Took almost a month of back-and-forth, but I did finally get my refund.

 

[Leo99]

Yes, something changed. I bought some washer machine hoses and tried to return them because I didn't need them and Amazon was difficult and said I needed to box them up. My next return was a shaver that I bought for my father in law that came used and dirty (disgusting). I had to return that to Kohl's or a distant UPS Store or else pay extra fee. My latest return was some shirts that were Chinese large not American large. These, I can return easy peasy to my local UPS Store.

I also bought some muscle cream that was expired. It was non-returnable per Amazon's policies. I opened a chat and had to send a picture of the expiration date. The chat guy refunded me via Amazon credit. I always get Amazon credit. It is faster and I get my credit within an hour or two. Sometimes faster.

 

[Zee09]

I've been lucky...out of several thousand orders I have received a few items by mistake and they said keep them. I'm not a returner but received two dented oil filters and they said keep them and refunded me instantly.

That said I did hear the terms have changed basically for hard-core constant returners

 

[E150GT]

I just returned a Makita backpack sprayer. It went pretty well. The only issue is they shipped the box by itself. No outer box. I packaged it up nicely and took it to a UPS store and they refused it. Said I needed an outer box because of the logos. I went home and duct taped the whole box and took it back and they accepted it

 

[Pablo]

I've been lucky...out of several thousand orders I have received a few items by mistake and they said keep them. I'm not a returner but received two dented oil filters and they said keep them and refunded me instantly.

That said I did hear the terms have changed basically for hard-core constant returners

Well we are not constant returners

And thinking about the term - how defined? Zero returners for us, for no reason- so basically we return or get money back for items that are 100% on Amazon. So Amazon abuses customers for Amazon screw ups?

 

[Zee09]

Well we are not constant returners

And thinking about the term - how defined? Zero returners for us, for no reason- so basically we return or get money back for items that are 100% on Amazon. So Amazon abuses customers for Amazon screw ups?

Not directed at you of course.
I have a cousin who buys and constantly returns weekly. I think it's a hobby... she doesn't get items by mistake but returns because of color, size, and I just don't want it nonsense.... Time waster.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I am pretty sure this is not new. There are lots of complaints online regarding Amazon returns. I don't often return things either - but still had some hassle on defective stuff a year ago - which was another reason I ended Prime. Its back on now - albeit temporarily likely. We needed a bunch of stuff for summer. I have some things to return. One is defective. One was late so I bought local.

I typically go for store credit which seems to make things "smoother" and I try not to buy from 3rd party which is a whole different degree of stupidity by itself.

Not hating on Amazon - I own a lot of their stock. Seems to not affect them - so they don't care.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

You have to keep on them. Don't take no for an answer. If I pay for something, I want that item and undamaged. If its delivered to some random house, Im not going to investigate. I've had that too. They show a picture and its not my house.

 

[Urshurak776]

Typically, if I have to return something to Amazon, they have handled it pretty well. In those times we are not happy with the return options, I have gotten on 'Chat" with them and had it resolved. In fact, a lot of times they don't even want you to return the product, or give you a $10 gift card. We actually got a free slow cooker crockpot. Wife was not satisfied with the lock mechanism for the lid, so she wanted to return it and get a different one. They refunded our money and said to keep it. I was surprised by that one. She gave it away to a friend of ours that could use one and didn't have much money.

 

[Tdbo]

We have had a number of Amazon returns lately.
Has been very easy.
I run them through the local Kohl's, and get the credit within an hour or two, at latest.
However, I generally use Amazon GC's. Purchase them through Kroger or Giant Eagle for the Fuelperks, or get them for giving blood.
My biggest issue is the quality of some of the product they push.
For one example, our cellphones were on the way out. (Mine was hanging on barely, Mrs Tdbo's wasn't much better.)
So we ended up with new Iphone 16's. Of course, they changed the connectors from lightening to C's.
To try to save replacing all our cords, I bought some adapters through Amazon.
Bought one package of them, labeled as "Amazon's choice" which worked very well.
Still needed more, so I ordered another brand which were also labeled "Amazons choice," but had more adapters for slightly less money.
Not a one of them worked.
Well, at least the refund was not problematic.

 

[TomYoung]

I have returned a few items in the past few months (a small portion of what I have purchased) and have found the process to be straightforward and smooth. I was disappointed in my last return/exchange, but that was because the item was shipped to me in a ripped, open container. It was a bottle jack and had been both scraped and used. It worked fine, and was inexpensive in that pre China Tarriff way, so gave some thought to hanging on to it. But then thought that the world is better when Amazon knows they should be inspecting outgoing shipments. Overall, though, I don’t think any retailer, online or otherwise has this aspect of customer service noodled better than Amazon.

 

[dishdude]

I drop mine off at Whole Foods, usually have the refund before I leave the store. Haven't had an issue with anything not showing up.

 

[97K15004WD]

Depends on if you are a Prime member or not?

 

[Cropduster172]

I drop mine off at Whole Foods, usually have the refund before I leave the store. Haven't had an issue with anything not showing up.

This.

Have had very few problems returning items from/to Amazon. I know certain situations where an Amazon credit is issued and that credit can only be used for items that are sold and shipped by Amazon...no 3rd party vendors.

 

[Elkins45]

We live out in the boonies an hour away from anything resembling a real city. The only return option I’m ever given is drop off at a UPS Store even though the items are invariably shipped to me by USPS.

 

[Pablo]

Here small return items via Whole Foods
Larger items via UPS

But really that’s not my problem. Those returns refunds are generally quick but we have a few stragglers

Billed and for things we never received then a long wait to get our money back are a whole different thing. I think Amazon added a delay feature in case something shows up. Even though THEY said LOST and ask for a refund

 

[SC Maintenance]

You have to keep on them. Don't take no for an answer. If I pay for something, I want that item and undamaged. If its delivered to some random house, Im not going to investigate. I've had that too. They show a picture and its not my house.

Common here, especially with Walmart delivery. If its one of my next door neighbors it will usually make it here. Had one a month ago I had no clue where it was. Got online chat, and they literally asked if I walked around my neighborhood looking for it. I said feel free to come on over and do so but I wasn't going to.

I had to wait 3 days or something before I could request a refund.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Common here, especially with Walmart delivery. If its one of my next door neighbors it will usually make it here. Had one a month ago I had no clue where it was. Got online chat, and they literally asked if I walked around my neighborhood looking for it. I said feel free to come on over and do so but I wasn't going to.

I had to wait 3 days or something before I could request a refund.

Exactly. I've had them delivered next door where I can actually see my house in the background but also I've seen a photo and had no clue. I'm not a private investigator. I paid for a service and they should provide it. It's not like they are doing me a favor by shipping something