Amazon email for too many returns

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by darryl

Fortunately I don't have any personal experience but from reading these forums and other online sources this seems to be the one area where Amazon really falls down. Given their generous return policies it is not only understandable but a simple matter of common sense that they keep an eye on accounts with high rates of returns. The contents of the emails sent also seem to be appropriate and sensible. What is not is the apparent continued use of form letter type responses, the refusal to provide further information and the refusal to allow customers to discuss the emails with an "account specialist". Amazon may not be a monopoly as yet, but it's dominance and market share not to mention its "walled-garden" approach make the loss or suspension of an Amazon account very serious business indeed in many cases. For those familiar with the law, I would say that some measure of "natural justice" is appropriate in these situations.

As is apparent from my posts on these forums, I am very clearly an Amazon supporter. But this is one area where Amazon really does need to get its act together.

Ok we have seen the emails that Amazon sent the OP. What the OP has not shared is the emails they sent to Amazon.
Amazon may be giving canned answers or they may be responding the only way they can to the email they were sent.
I have also noticed the OP will not even give an estimate of how many things they have returned.
I would be interested in the number of orders to the number of returns.
I have returned 2 ebooks and UPS broke a battery charger, (it was never delivered).

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by darryl

Given their generous return policies it is not only understandable but a simple matter of common sense that they keep an eye on accounts with high rates of returns.

US brick and mortar retailers often accept returns, for store credit, with no evidence you bought the item there. By this standard, the Amazon return policy is not generous. Don't get me wrong. I, in no way, advocate accepting returns without evidence of purchase. Then, I don't advocate good customer service. If there was a check box saying that I could pay less in return for rude customer service and limited returns, I'd check it

Originally Posted by darryl

Amazon may not be a monopoly as yet, but it's dominance and market share not to mention its "walled-garden" approach make the loss or suspension of an Amazon account very serious business indeed in many cases.

This may be how Josieb1 feels and is reasonable.

After your Amazon account is closed because of, say, a 50 percent return rate (wouldn't be very unusual consumer behavior according to my second link in #43), can you still borrow Amazon-format encrypted eBooks from an American public library's Overdrive collection? If the answer is no, that's would be a problem even for me.

[Rizla]

As I understand it, once an account is suspended, you can no longer access previously purchased books, or use functionality such as collections on the device. I don't know about Overdrive.

[Barbara1955]

4 yrs ago around Christmas I was ordering Sims2 PC games for my son. Seems I was returning every other game for some reason or another... I Never got any notice from Amazon about returns. This year I have returned several things inc the New Basic... Not only did I Not receive anything from Amazon When I decided to try the PW2 they offered my a payment plan!
I Vote Your Being Scammed! Esp since your not getting a clear answer. How can the Improve your shopping IF they refused to talk to you about your problem returns??

[Josieb1]

To answer Cinasajoys question we haven't yet worked it out properly but in the last six months we placed 45 orders and returned 10 that much we do know now, monetary value we spent over £450 with just used £100 being returned. The items returned were either faulty or not suitable and include a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse and tablet case.

My emails to them contain personal information which is why I haven't shared them.

As I have stated earlier we are trying to work out the whole year. I did have a HDX 8.9 replaced under warranty in May and a Fire HD 6 replaced (at Amazon's insistence) when Firefly was released for that model and it wouldn't install.

I was dubious about posting this thread initially as I knew eventually it would be 'its all your fault' but I felt that people should be aware of how precarious access is to an Amazon account is.

Since we bought our first Kindles we have spent thousands on Amazon ebooks. Yes they are safe but we trusted Amazon to treat us fairly, if they have a finite returned policy then let us know so at least we can make buying decisions with the right knowledge.

And for the record I have never been one those people who send Kindle after kindle back in the hopes of getting a perfect one. And my Voyage came from Argos, I didn't dare buy that from Amazon direct.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Katie1

4 yrs ago around Christmas I was ordering Sims2 PC games for my son. Seems I was returning every other game for some reason or another... I Never got any notice from Amazon about returns. This year I have returned several things inc the New Basic... Not only did I Not receive anything from Amazon When I decided to try the PW2 they offered my a payment plan!
I Vote Your Being Scammed! Esp since your not getting a clear answer. How can the Improve your shopping IF they refused to talk to you about your problem returns??

I really don't think it's a scam, especially as we had the same letter and subsequent ring around last September. I think it's a standard letter that gets churned out once either return numbers or value get to a certain level. I don't honestly even think there is an Account Specialist department. And no they don't want to 'talk about it'.

Hubby is going to ring them today as he has been away at the weekend.

[AnemicOak]

I've heard of people getting these notices before. In those cases it appeared to be because they were ordering and returning a lot of similar products so they could "try them out" before deciding on which one they actually wanted. One was someone who'd ordered multiple HDTV's the other was a smaller ticket category of item that I can't recall at the moment. The guy with the televisions spent about a month ordering and returning several sets which he then would return until finally picking one and keeping it. This of course left Amazon with several sets which had been used and couldn't be sold as regular new stock despite there being nothing wrong with them.

In the cases I remember it was impossible to get anyone at Amazon to discuss it. I don't recall if they ever eventually did or not.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

The only other person I ever saw commenting about too many returns admitted to buying series of ebooks then reading and returning them. It was at least 100 ebooks before she was sent an email saying she could still buy but no longer return.

Ebooks are one thing we have never returned, along with books, DVDs, CDs etc. Our returns are mainly tablet covers and anything to do with tablets, stuff luckily I can also buy on eBay, ironically for a cheaper price than Amazon.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I've heard of people getting these notices before. In those cases it appeared to be because they were ordering and returning a lot of similar products so they could "try them out" before deciding on which one they actually wanted. One was someone who'd ordered multiple HDTV's the other was a smaller ticket category of item that I can't recall at the moment. The guy with the televisions spent about a month ordering and returning several sets which he then would return until finally picking one and keeping it. This of course left Amazon with several sets which had been used and couldn't be sold as regular new stock despite there being nothing wrong with them.

In the cases I remember it was impossible to get anyone at Amazon to discuss it. I don't recall if they ever eventually did or not.

Large tech items like laptops, tv's etc I'd never buy from Amazon. I go to John Lewis. The only tech I've bought from Amazon is their own. Even the Bluetooth keyboard I sent back as faulty was the Fire Keyboard, it wouldn't turn on, it doesn't have a switch like most Bluetooth items it has a button that doesn't work properly.

[JoHunt]

22% returns (in a representative 6 month period) is possibly what flagged the account (higher than Amazon average return rate).

What would escalating this issue with CS (or even contacting Bezos) accomplish? It's doubtful that Amazon would ever divulge the exact number of returns v sales it considers acceptable, which is the only possible useful info to be obtained from talking to CS. The account has not been blocked, so there is no action to be taken by CS.

[disconnected]

I've had Prime for a couple of years now, and as a result I order a lot of small things that I would previously have bought locally. One thing I've noticed is that the rate of defects in small items is annoyingly high. If something comes as a set of six or ten or whatever, at least one or two is likely to be defective. Just this past month I've ordered several cases for a new Samsung tablet (I'm a case junkie and intended to keep all of them) and three of the cases didn't fit the tablet they were advertised for.

I rarely bother to return any really inexpensive items, and from reading reviews I think this is typical. I hate to think that Amazon is sort of counting on customers putting up with this level of quality control.

I'm sure it's more cost effective for Amazon to not check returned items for defects and just count number or percentage of refunds, without distinguishing between returning on a whim or because of defects but it's annoying to think that if I returned everything that was defective or not as advertised I could get one of these letters.

I did return two of the three tablet cases because I was feeling quite annoyed about them but I did worry that it might look excessive.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by disconnected

I've had Prime for a couple of years now, and as a result I order a lot of small things that I would previously have bought locally. One thing I've noticed is that the rate of defects in small items is annoyingly high. If something comes as a set of six or ten or whatever, at least one or two is likely to be defective. Just this past month I've ordered several cases for a new Samsung tablet (I'm a case junkie and intended to keep all of them) and three of the cases didn't fit the tablet they were advertised for.

I rarely bother to return any really inexpensive items, and from reading reviews I think this is typical. I hate to think that Amazon is sort of counting on customers putting up with this level of quality control.

I'm sure it's more cost effective for Amazon to not check returned items for defects and just count number or percentage of refunds, without distinguishing between returning on a whim or because of defects but it's annoying to think that if I returned everything that was defective or not as advertised I could get one of these letters.

I did return two of the three tablet cases because I was feeling quite annoyed about them but I did worry that it might look excessive.

Some of my returns are for tablet cases too but not the really cheap ones, Moko in particular are either very good or appalling and they cost around £15. That's one item I'll never purchase from Amazon again. I'd rather buy the ones on eBay. In fact I bought a Swees case for my Voyage from Amazon (and kept it) but bought additional colours from eBay.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by JoHunt

22% returns (in a representative 6 month period) is possibly what flagged the account (higher than Amazon average return rate).

What would escalating this issue with CS (or even contacting Bezos) accomplish? It's doubtful that Amazon would ever divulge the exact number of returns v sales it considers acceptable, which is the only possible useful info to be obtained from talking to CS. The account has not been blocked, so there is no action to be taken by CS.

I agree but hubby is more than a little annoyed. I accept that it's an automatic trigger but it would be nice to know what returns are safe (if any) I.e what would happen if my Voyage developed a fault, would it be safe to report it, I paid for an extended warrenty after all.

I also feel that their attitude is take Prime and order loads but don't dare return anything. I just wish they were transparent with their policies so we could make proper judgements but its all threatening and hearsay.

I certainly feel threatened by the letters.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Ebooks are one thing we have never returned, along with books, DVDs, CDs etc.

In the Netherlands, a store doesn't even have to accept return of digital products, CD's, DVD's, or software. Some do, most don't. I think it's sensible. It would be very easy to buy a lot of ebooks, unDRM them, and then return them; or copy a music CD and return it.

I have been guilty of returning products I didn't like, such as computer monitors. I buy it, and after setting it up it had a huge buzzing noise. The second one, of a different brand, was blindingly bright at 0% brightness. Both these things were not mentioned in reviews.... I went through 3 or 4 monitors before finally settling on the one I have now. This doesn't happen often; normally I exactly know what I want, but sometimes one hits snags that are not mentioned anywhere, making the products unusable (for me at least).

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In the Netherlands, a store doesn't even have to accept return of digital products, CD's, DVD's, or software. Some do, most don't. I think it's sensible.

Surely they have to accept returns on these if the product is defective?