An Amazon PRIME Business member purchased a defective item on Amazon with total amount of more than $500. The customer filed the return on Amazon and got the return label printed from Amazon. Defective item was placed in the box it came in and got USPS carrier picked up the package with tracking.
Sounds like very simple and quite painless process right? Wrong !
The customer received emails from third party Amazon seller regarding “restocking fees” for returning the item after 30 days passed since the purchase ( it was 31 day unfortunately ). Even though the item was defective, and the return was processed on Amazon website with no issues and return label was issued, the seller would not agree to issue full refund, threatening the customer with “restocking fees” and “additional fees for item returned used”. Of course the defective item returned is used, otherwise, how you can tell if it is defective without using it.
After the package with defective item was delivered to the seller, Amazon reimbursed 50% of the refund amount and explained that the content of the package was not complete and the content was not in the original manufacturer box. The customer disagreed stating that everything that came in the box was sent back, and pictures of the item on Amazon store do not list any additional accessories and/or manufacturer box. Amazon for some reason denied the customer’s claim, stating that the customer returned package with missing accessories and damaged item… and more… the customer should contact the USPS carrier and claim damaged content with missing accessories. However, if you read above, the return label was provided by Amazon and customer had nothing to do with purchasing shipping insurance or carrier options. It was all explained to Amazon representative, who wrote a note in half English and half Chinese language and it was sent to the customer and the seller.
A-to-Z claim was denied, appeal to A-to-Z claim decision was declined. Here is the appeal response below:
If return label was purchased and provided to the customer by Amazon or the seller, who is responsible to file a claim for the insured value of the package ??? If customer reported that the content of the package was sent the way it was received, how ignorant Amazon representatives are ???
Refund was still not issued. Next step of the seller was statement that since it was not returned in original manufacturer box, it does not qualify for full refund because it was “considered junk”. What else you can consider return of DEFECTIVE item? Question to Amazon. Amazon representative again wrote the note in very bad English language and the claim was denied. Amazon kept protecting the seller. The Amazon third party seller company is located in Texas, they work with two names. Amazon name: Nationwide Tech Biz (Serial number recorded) and Legal Name: JENS LITTLE TECH BUSINESS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY… director/officer: Yan Li
It appears that Amazon customer representatives and claims specialists for some reason covering this seller with their shady unfair practices. Would that be because Yan Li Chinese and some Amazon claim specialists are from China? That is the question for Amazon. Why they cover sellers and treating customers like those have no rights? If they have only sellers, who is going to buy? Customer agreed to contact Amazon owner Jeff Bezos directly, since his employees cannot get this straight and get to the bottom of this.
Withholding 50% of the original price paid, for multiple different fake reasons made up just as the Amazon kept refusing full refund, is absolutely unacceptable, and should be heard by, if not every, then as many Amazon members as possible. Please share this article if you agree!
Given the risks associated with buying and returning online, some customers are resorting to filming the process of unboxing gear in order to create proof in the event that an order has not been correctly fulfilled, and boxing damaged/defective gear in order to create proof in the event that sellers would create a story that the box was missing content.
