Shopping Discussion

Amazon.com return policy will literally destroy you

  • Last Updated:
  • Jan 27th, 2013 12:53 am
Deal Addict
Nov 7, 2006
2209 posts
639 upvotes

Amazon.com return policy will literally destroy you

So I found an amazing deal on Amazon.com for a Security System kit which beat the local stores by about 100$. I pulled the trigger and purchased it. When I received the item I was charged GST/PST and a Handling fee of about 60.08$ (so already its not such a great deal after-all). The security system was suppose to be WIFI ready but it is not since the seller sent me the wrong version and now is claiming "he did not know" making this somewhat my mistake as per Amazon.

Amazon quote:

"The seller of this listing has agreed to reimburse you upon receiving the return of the item. Since the merchandise you received was not materially different than advertised on the item’s detail page, your seller may withhold a reasonable restocking fee and shipping costs from your reimbursement."

So lets see my options:

1) Return the item: I would lose the shipping cost I was charged by seller to ship the item to me ($67.89), it will cost me about $50 to ship it back, I will lose the handling fee I was charged when the item arrived (9.95$). So a total loss of $127.84, thats 25% of actual item cost.

2) Exchange: Same loss as stated in #1 + an extra $67.89 for shipping the good item to me + another handling fee of $9.95. A total loss of $205.68 about 50% of actual item cost.

Basically it is a loss loss situation. Oh and on top of all that Amazon claims that the seller might even charge me "restocking" fee to make this an even greater loss.

So buyers out there BEWARE and learn from my mistake!!! Its not worth the risk!
36 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 24, 2009
1895 posts
540 upvotes
London
Have you requested A credit card chargeback for item not as described ?
Seller should be absorbing shipping back because it was their fault for sending the wrong item
Deal Addict
Nov 7, 2006
2209 posts
639 upvotes
I did hence the quote from Amazon I added to my OP. They are leaning more with sellers then buyers. I think they are not fit for International sales since they have a shipping charge. If I was buying from within the US then shipping would have been free. But you'll still be losing return costs and "restocking" fees.
Deal Expert
Oct 20, 2001
18709 posts
1326 upvotes
Sauga
You bought from a third party, not directly from Amazon. It's not much different from buying on eBay...
What's the seller's rating on Amazon?
Deal Addict
Nov 7, 2006
2209 posts
639 upvotes
The seller rating is pretty good, I bought from third party but I would have been charged shipping no matter what since its Amazon.com
Deal Expert
Oct 20, 2001
18709 posts
1326 upvotes
Sauga
TurboTronix wrote: The seller rating is pretty good, I bought from third party but I would have been charged shipping no matter what since its Amazon.com
But the return policy for third party sellers is not the same as Amazon's return policy. And the shipping fees and policies can be different too -- some sellers will ship to Canada, while others will not. It's basically just another marketplace like eBay and the regular Amazon policies don't apply.

I would press Amazon further on this issue, although I don't know how much they can do about it.
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2002
6826 posts
1482 upvotes
Manitoba
I'll buy directly from Amazon.ca and Amazon.com but I won't buy from any third party sellers on either site (except Canadian 3rd parties on Amazon.ca of which there's few) because of the high shipping costs and the big time hassle if there's any kind of a problem. I call my policy "grief avoidance".
Deal Guru
User avatar
Oct 14, 2003
14325 posts
1241 upvotes
Title should be changed to the store you bought from since it's not Amazon.
Deal Addict
Nov 7, 2006
2209 posts
639 upvotes
Not really since it is still under Amazon. It was sold using Amazons site so it should be directed at Amazon. I went through Amazon thinking there was some kind of buyer protection.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Oct 7, 2007
7282 posts
1820 upvotes
Mississauga, ON
Amazon return policy is actually very good. The only thing is that they don't do price adjustments ...

Marketplace purchases are more iffy, but you can file a claim with them I think (just like ebay). If you have a paper trail (like the email from the seller stating he didn't know) then it should be much easier. If the item page stated wi-fi but the item sent does not have the feature, then you definitely have a case.

If you haven't done any of the above then I'd say it's too soon to knock Amazon just yet. Thus making the title inaccurate.
There's a sucker born every minute.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2001
18944 posts
10527 upvotes
TurboTronix wrote: I did hence the quote from Amazon I added to my OP. They are leaning more with sellers then buyers. I think they are not fit for International sales since they have a shipping charge. If I was buying from within the US then shipping would have been free. But you'll still be losing return costs and "restocking" fees.
So are you going with the third option which is seeking a charge back from your credit card provider? This seems like the best course of action and I would assume you have a case since the item is different than described.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 1, 2007
2017 posts
245 upvotes
Lol do you know what literally means?
Deal Addict
Dec 20, 2007
4713 posts
6304 upvotes
Prince George
pupazzo wrote: Lol do you know what literally means?
Don't expect a response to that, as the OP has been reduced to an amorphous cloud of subatomic particles by amazon.com's return policy.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Oct 14, 2003
14325 posts
1241 upvotes
TurboTronix wrote: Not really since it is still under Amazon. It was sold using Amazons site so it should be directed at Amazon. I went through Amazon thinking there was some kind of buyer protection.
If you bought something at a store in a mall is your beef with the mall, or with the store?
Deal Guru
May 23, 2003
10229 posts
1652 upvotes
GTA
What shipping option did you pick? You should have picked a USPS option to prevent crazy brokerage fees at the other courier companies.

If it didn't include WIFI I would say that makes the product substantially different.
Deal Expert
Oct 20, 2001
18709 posts
1326 upvotes
Sauga
YLSF wrote: If it didn't include WIFI I would say that makes the product substantially different.
It also depends on the wording. Some product marketing folks lure customers by using words like "WiFi Ready" when they actually mean that an add-on device must be purchased to enable the wireless capabilities.
Banned
May 12, 2004
9756 posts
4136 upvotes
Ottawa
pupazzo wrote: Lol do you know what literally means?
I was hoping they had mailed the OP a small bomb because they were mad at him returning something...or maybe they had sent a debt collector to shake him.

Irregardless our education system is clearly a failure and I could care less. Their are worst things I guess.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Oct 14, 2003
14325 posts
1241 upvotes
Cas77 wrote: Irregardless our education system is clearly a failure and I could care less. Their are worst things I guess.
I see what you did there.

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