Amazon charged $22.80 re-stocking fee for returning $114 Kindle with Special Offer - Page 2

Andrew H. · 07-31-2011, 12:55 AM

Did you talk to regular customer service or Kindle customer service? I returned my K3 wifi after about a week (and then ordered a 3G), and I was only charged something like $2 for shipping.

I would call Kindle customer service.

koland · 07-31-2011, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ovaldisk

It was returned to Amazon a week after I received it...

The customer service rep told me that I was charged 20% re-stocking fee because the original box of the Kindle was opened. (the box can only be opened by pulling off a long tab and cannot be restored to a "new" box state)

I should have told them that the Kindle had a defect, which it did. The power on/off slide was loose and it usually took several slides to turn it on or off. I didn't bother telling them about the defect when I went to their website to get the RMA. I shipped it on my own dime because I wanted to get a refund faster... I figured they would give me a full refund anyway. (plus the fact that I was planning to buy the KSO 3G from Best Buy)

Oh well....

Certainly sounds like you either just did a return on your own or went thru regular support, NOT Kindle Support. Which would have gained you the wrong return label and wrong policy (electronics rather than Kindle).

Had you contacted Kindle support, they would have given you a return label to use (no charge) and you get a 100% refund, if purchased within the last 30 days. As to "faster" - who pays the shipping has nothing to do with the speed of a return (and you can be printing the label within an hour of contacting support by phone, so ship it the same or next day).

I have to wonder if you've even talked to KINDLE support at all, or keep going thru regular support on the issue?

Wheezie · 07-31-2011, 11:34 AM

I have never heard of anyone charged to return a Kindle during the 30 day period. I would call Kindle Cs. I am sure it will be credited to your account.
Accidents happen and all it takes is the person that was doing the return to tag something incorrectly during the process. Don't fret, just call Kindle CS.

abookreader · 07-31-2011, 04:54 PM

I would call Kindle Customer Service too - because it sounds to me like they applied the regular return policy to your Kindle instead of the Kindle specific policy.

$20 is $20 - if it were me it'd be worth another phone call to get somebody who was knowledgeable.

Nyssa · 07-31-2011, 05:07 PM

I have returned/replaced 2 Kindles to Amazon, neither within 30 days and did not have to pay a restocking fee nor shipping.

As for CS, I just called the listed Customer Service number so I have no idea if it was Kindle specific or not.

afv011 · 07-31-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

Whats the point to someone doing that?

Some people use (or abuse) return policies. They get 2 or more devices and play with them several days to see which one they like best. They then return the others within the free return window.

shibamistress · 08-01-2011, 01:01 AM

That's wierd. I returned the original Kindle I got, the KSO wifi, because I decided the 3G would work better for me. I didn't have a restocking fee, and of course, I'd opened the box too and even managed to download some books before I decided I woud be better served by the 3G.

I hate restocking fees. In general, I avoid companies that have them, because buying something without seeing it first always seems iffy to me, so I want to know I can return it without a penalty if I need to. I've never had any problems with anything I bought through Amazon.

brdwygurl · 08-01-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shibamistress

because buying something without seeing it first always seems iffy to me, so I want to know I can return it without a penalty if I need to. I've never had any problems with anything I bought through Amazon.

I agree. Especially because amazon doesn't have a brick and mortar store. Sure, you can go to BB....but if I am buying from amazon I shouldn't have to go to another store to try something out. I should be able to order from amazon, and if it doesn't meet my needs (for whatever reason) be able to return it.

HarryT · 08-01-2011, 05:24 AM

It seems a little unfair on the company to simply return a product for no other reason that you don't like it. I don't know what the legal situation is in the US, but here in the UK, you only have a statutory right to return a product if it's faulty, or if it doesn't do what it's advertised as doing. There's no right to return a product merely because you don't like it. Given that the company can't then resell it as a new product, a restocking fee seems reasonable.

However, this does need to be specified up front, I agree.

eLiNK · 08-01-2011, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It seems a little unfair on the company to simply return a product for no other reason that you don't like it. I don't know what the legal situation is in the US, but here in the UK, you only have a statutory right to return a product if it's faulty, or if it doesn't do what it's advertised as doing. There's no right to return a product merely because you don't like it. Given that the company can't then resell it as a new product, a restocking fee seems reasonable.

However, this does need to be specified up front, I agree.

And here in Germany, you can return the product even though it is not faulty.
Makes sense to me, too

Noughty · 08-08-2011, 05:22 PM

I thought in all EU the customer rights were the same. Seems I was wrong.
We can return stuff if it is faulty or if we don't like it even then buying in a simple store. This might be a little too much of a right.

But I think it is sensible for buying online. I cannot see the product, touch it so I might make the wrong decision about buying a product (and once burned I might never buy online). For example if I buy Kindle it will be only from reading about it, seeing it's pictures. You are at a disadvantage and this return policy helps you to feel safer and buy things online instead of looking for products on ordinary stores. If there was no safe net e-stores would get less profit at least in my country as people still don't trust them and don't like to buy things only seen in photos. Usually people buy what they want and won't return it without a valid reason or really big dislike to it.
I don't think restocking fee is bad, but this one seems a bit high. It is true they cannot sell it as new product but e-stores saves money on other stuff and customer has a right to touch a product usually. This right should be kept in e-store as well. Just my opinion.

MichelRenaud · 08-08-2011, 06:42 PM

20% is high, but really not uncommon. I've seen that percentage at several stores.

koland · 08-08-2011, 06:54 PM

I would not doubt it a bit, if the person bought it from Target, Best Buy or Walmart, all of whom have the 20% restocking fee if opened (not the 30 day, no questions asked, 100% refund that you get from Amazon, even on refurbished units, even including free return shipping).

Readmoore · 08-09-2011, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

I would not doubt it a bit, if the person bought it from Target, Best Buy or Walmart, all of whom have the 20% restocking fee if opened (not the 30 day, no questions asked, 100% refund that you get from Amazon, even on refurbished units, even including free return shipping).

I heard the news that the new Kindle was coming out this fall, so I returned the one I just bought at Target. It was opened and used but was within 30 days return policy. No questions asked. No restocking fee.

kranu · 08-09-2011, 01:39 AM

I know that there's a restocking fee for products, and it says somewhere in their returns section that it does apply to open box electronics, but this is the first time I've heard it applied to the Kindle.

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07-31-2011, 12:55 AM	#16
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	Did you talk to regular customer service or Kindle customer service? I returned my K3 wifi after about a week (and then ordered a 3G), and I was only charged something like $2 for shipping. I would call Kindle customer service.

07-31-2011, 11:34 AM	#18
Wheezie Member Posts: 23 Karma: 12 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-650	I have never heard of anyone charged to return a Kindle during the 30 day period. I would call Kindle Cs. I am sure it will be credited to your account. Accidents happen and all it takes is the person that was doing the return to tag something incorrectly during the process. Don't fret, just call Kindle CS.

07-31-2011, 04:54 PM	#19
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I would call Kindle Customer Service too - because it sounds to me like they applied the regular return policy to your Kindle instead of the Kindle specific policy. $20 is $20 - if it were me it'd be worth another phone call to get somebody who was knowledgeable.

07-31-2011, 05:07 PM	#20
Nyssa Series Addict Posts: 6,180 Karma: 167189477 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Florida, USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite (2nd Gen)	I have returned/replaced 2 Kindles to Amazon, neither within 30 days and did not have to pay a restocking fee nor shipping. As for CS, I just called the listed Customer Service number so I have no idea if it was Kindle specific or not.

08-01-2011, 01:01 AM	#22
shibamistress Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 226854 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southwest US Device: KSO (3G), Nook Color, android apps	That's wierd. I returned the original Kindle I got, the KSO wifi, because I decided the 3G would work better for me. I didn't have a restocking fee, and of course, I'd opened the box too and even managed to download some books before I decided I woud be better served by the 3G. I hate restocking fees. In general, I avoid companies that have them, because buying something without seeing it first always seems iffy to me, so I want to know I can return it without a penalty if I need to. I've never had any problems with anything I bought through Amazon.

08-01-2011, 05:24 AM	#24
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It seems a little unfair on the company to simply return a product for no other reason that you don't like it. I don't know what the legal situation is in the US, but here in the UK, you only have a statutory right to return a product if it's faulty, or if it doesn't do what it's advertised as doing. There's no right to return a product merely because you don't like it. Given that the company can't then resell it as a new product, a restocking fee seems reasonable. However, this does need to be specified up front, I agree.

08-08-2011, 05:22 PM	#26
Noughty Addict Posts: 352 Karma: 103850 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle NT	I thought in all EU the customer rights were the same. Seems I was wrong. We can return stuff if it is faulty or if we don't like it even then buying in a simple store. This might be a little too much of a right. But I think it is sensible for buying online. I cannot see the product, touch it so I might make the wrong decision about buying a product (and once burned I might never buy online). For example if I buy Kindle it will be only from reading about it, seeing it's pictures. You are at a disadvantage and this return policy helps you to feel safer and buy things online instead of looking for products on ordinary stores. If there was no safe net e-stores would get less profit at least in my country as people still don't trust them and don't like to buy things only seen in photos. Usually people buy what they want and won't return it without a valid reason or really big dislike to it. I don't think restocking fee is bad, but this one seems a bit high. It is true they cannot sell it as new product but e-stores saves money on other stuff and customer has a right to touch a product usually. This right should be kept in e-store as well. Just my opinion.

08-08-2011, 06:42 PM	#27
MichelRenaud Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ottawa, Canada Device: Kindle DXG	20% is high, but really not uncommon. I've seen that percentage at several stores.

08-08-2011, 06:54 PM	#28
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	I would not doubt it a bit, if the person bought it from Target, Best Buy or Walmart, all of whom have the 20% restocking fee if opened (not the 30 day, no questions asked, 100% refund that you get from Amazon, even on refurbished units, even including free return shipping).

08-09-2011, 01:39 AM	#30
kranu I <3 my Kindle Posts: 528 Karma: 51332 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: United States Device: Kindle 3G + WiFi	I know that there's a restocking fee for products, and it says somewhere in their returns section that it does apply to open box electronics, but this is the first time I've heard it applied to the Kindle.

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