Amazon shennanigans

[Naismith]

Hi Guys and Gals, here is a warning y'all may wish to heed. Today my wife checked our CC statement - "Hey what did you buy on Amazon yesterday for $88, didja get me something nice?" "eh? what? err nothing dear, my queen honest Injun". I protested. A call to the CC revealed that to them it appeared to be an Amazon membership fee.

Well, I rarely use Amazon but earlier this year I did buy a gift for SWMBO and utilized their offer of "Free postage 48 hour delivery, 2 days only offer" I checked and double checked the order for the snag and there were none. Lo and behold they signed me up for their Premium member service more than a month later i.e. yesterday.

Well a call to the helpline rectified the situation and without any argument whatsoever, they refunded the CC and offered an apology. Which was great, but the ease of the issue raised my suspicions. Are they footloose and fancy free with signing folks up for their Premium service in the hope that transactions will get lost in the Xmas purchase rush and folks not double checking their statements?

It may well have been an error on their part and they certainly never made any attempt to claim I had overlooked some check box or something.

Worth bearing in mind I think. Check your CC statements.

[n4gix]

Somewhere in the very fine print that no one ever reads is that when checking off the box for that fast service you have agreed to become an Amazon Prime member.

I do shop a lot at Amazon (mostly books) so for me being an Amazon Prime member makes good sense. An average of only 12 books a year will cover the cost of membership, and it's a rare year where I don't order 30+ books! :biggrin-new:

Anyway, I'm happy to learn that you got it refunded promptly! I ordered a ham radio via eBay that turned out to be a complete dud and it took almost 3 months to get my refund, and at that only after initiating a PayPal dispute and then having to Escalate it...

[Naismith]

Amazon seem to be really good with their no questions asked refunds policy.

Other things I have bought online and had to return in 2016 from Amazon.

A Saitek X52 Joystick - it would not settle down and calibrate - took 6 weeks from order to delivery and return to getting my money refunded.

A super fancy Logitech mouse which constantly installed and uninstalled its USB drivers. Also 6 weeks to get refunded.

It kind of sours the whole experience when it takes so long to get the refund.

I mourn the demise of stores you can actually walk into and get satisfaction in hours if there is a problem. But that's progress for you. :encouragement:

[stansdds]

Somewhere in the very fine print that no one ever reads is that when checking off the box for that fast service you have agreed to become an Amazon Prime member.



That is exactly what happens. I never click on the "free" offers as nothing is ever free, there is always a catch, you just have to find it.

[Naismith]

Jeez, the electric blanket I bought from Amazon, placed upon the bed last night for the first time ever, doesn't work. So that has to go back. How that company make any money at all is mind baffling. I have purchased 6 items in 2016 from Amazon, 4 of them have gone back.

Their customer service is first rate with no questions asked in the refund department it is just how long it takes to actually get around to the refund.

Online shopping is the way to go indeed! I really cannot see myself bothering again in the future. :banghead:

Sorry to regurgitate the original rant.

[hairyspin]

...How that company make any money at all is mind baffling....

Actually, they don't. Really. In the years they've been trading they've rarely made any real profit because almost all surpluses are ploughed back into the business to make it bigger and bigger. Ask anyone who owns their shares when they got some money back in dividends. :biggrin-new::costumed-smiley-034:biggrin-new:

[Naismith]

A new experience, maybe because it is Xmas, but 6 hours after dropping the parcel off at the PO, I received an e-mail from Amazon stating the refund will be back on my Mastercard in 48 hours. Cudos to them for that. I suppose there must be some communication now between Canada Post and Amazon HQ. The lady in the PO told me that any costs incurred are passed on to the manufacturer and not borne by Amazon. Then she directed my attention toward a large pile of boxes in a corner behind her most (60%) were sporting the Amazon logo. :wiggle: