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Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

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Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#171

Post by dgellow »

haunter wrote: post #51

The craziest scam I saw on Amazon was ordering an expensive GPU > people change the card's backplate and return a cheaper/broken one. Unsuspecting regular Joe will order the returned GPU ("open box deal!") and they get a fake one. And now you have to fight against the Amazon customer service too. It's incredible. Amazon is basically a "premium" Wish/Aliexpress nowadays. Might as well I order from China becuase I at l…

In December I ordered an iPad Pro, and instead received a random book that has more or less the same size, plus a bunch of AA batteries to match the weight… I’m in Germany, not sure if that’s common in other places but it was a first for me. So, yeah, I’m done ordering expensive device on the platform.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#172

Post by criddell »

ei8ths wrote: post #155
criddell wrote: post #47

I bought a $50 item and a couple of weeks later I received a letter in the mail offering me a $35 Amazon gift card if I leave a 5-star review with a video or picture attached. I'm surprised Amazon allows these kinds of bribes.

I got one of these, i bought a kids alarm clock for my daughter, it works really well, good quality. I did cash in the gift card. Why not? now if it was some crap product, i would report the bribe.

Who would you report it to? Amazon doesn't care. Is there a state-level consumer affairs department that might care? The FTC maybe?

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#173

Post by blarghyblarg »

lozenge wrote: post #118
blarghyblarg wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be argumentative, but... that's the second option. Algorithmic. The initial implementation would be simple. One point, two points, three points. Then, some categories turn out to have significant change requirements, some change infrequently, some changes turn out to be very important in some categories, some categories need immediate human review...

This is like saying that stocking groceries is complicated because some items are perishable, some are frozen, some sell faster than others, they go to different parts of the store. Isn't it just a fundamental part of what the business is meant to do? To have reviews that actually relate to the product?

Yes, it is. And in a grocery store, how is a product handled when it comes in on a shipment and doesn't match the previous shipments and/or bills of lading? By a person, in every single grocery store everywhere on the planet.

Although, in a grocery store, you're less likely to see a product change from a bicycle to a scooter. You're more likely to see the cocoa content in your chocolate bar drop, and the oil change to a cheaper and less flavourful type.

I guess the comparison still works... should we have purchasers comparing products before setting them out? Under what conditions? What conditions trigger a review? In my experience, the stores just keep putting changed products out like nothing has happened, even if we notice over time that things just don't taste the same sometimes.

Turns out that... yes... it gets pretty complicated pretty fast, but many grocery stores also seem to just be ignoring this issue.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#174

Post by ClumsyPilot »

pc86 wrote: post #146
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

My understanding is that the biggest issue is that they're commingling inventory. So Sony is selling A1000s on Amazon and ships in 10k units. Your FBA store buys 1k wholesale A1000s and sends them to Amazon. My FBA store buys 1k and sends them in. Amazon just has a pile of 12k A1000s and sends them out whenever orders come in. Once it's processed there's no differentiation between your stock, mine, or Sony's, it's ju…

They made a logistical optimisation to save money. Only right that they should eat the costs of any side effects

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#175

Post by aftbit »

mbreese wrote: post #91
criddell wrote: post #47

I bought a $50 item and a couple of weeks later I received a letter in the mail offering me a $35 Amazon gift card if I leave a 5-star review with a video or picture attached. I'm surprised Amazon allows these kinds of bribes.

They don't, but it's hard to crack down on. The only way for Amazon to know is if the people who get the gift card notify Amazon, which isn't likely to happen. Here's a story about how Amazon banned a popular battery/charger maker because of the same thing you're talking about. (I have one of their batteries... it was pretty good too). https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/16/22536976/amazon-ravpower-...

I have actually tried to report this to Amazon customer support a number of times. Most of the time, the CS agent either entirely does not understand what I am complaining about, or openly says this is allowed. Last time they told me I would only get the gift card after I left a 5 star review, and to chat back if I did not get it!

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#176

Post by abruzzi »

verteu wrote: post #121
captainkrtek wrote: post #56

I’ve given up on Amazon shopping years ago. I much prefer to buy things directly from specific retailers, eg: outdoor gear from an outdoor retailer, clothes directly from the brand, etc. This has resulted in never having to return anything, not rolling the dice on product legitimacy, and pretty great customer service who is knowledgable of the products.

I would, but it's such a hassle to enter my address and CC info on every manufacturer's site. The last 3 things I bought were shaving cream, toothbrush heads, and a cheap tennis racket. Do I really want to signup/purchase/unsubscribe-from-spam for a Proraso account, a Philips Sonicare account, and a Wilson account? Perhaps Google Pay could add a useful layer here.

most of the online places I shop at allow account-less purchasing using PayPal. I know PayPal has some negatives as well, but those rarely impact buyers. Probably 95% of my online shopping passes through PayPal, though I do maintain accounts at a few online shops like B&H or KEH and with them I usually use direct CC/DC purchasing.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#177

Post by peoplearepeople »

sofixa wrote: post #22
srmarm wrote: post #9

I don't get they don't crack down on the product switcheroo scam [0] - it seems like a trivial problem to solve. I've reported items to them before and they don't care. [0] this product for example, loads of the reviews are for something totally different - https://www.amazon.co.uk/WERPOWER-Windscreen-Invisible-Winds...

How is it trivial to solve? They either need to prevent sellers from modifying product pages (which would be a disaster because any mistakes could no longer be fixed without losing all reviews) or gate it behind human intervention(slow) /algorithm (complex). There's nothing trivial about the issue.

No it's *incredibly* trivial. Just have human reviewers.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#178

Post by hasbot »

captainkrtek wrote: post #56

I’ve given up on Amazon shopping years ago. I much prefer to buy things directly from specific retailers, eg: outdoor gear from an outdoor retailer, clothes directly from the brand, etc. This has resulted in never having to return anything, not rolling the dice on product legitimacy, and pretty great customer service who is knowledgable of the products.

I've gone the opposite way. I lived in a rural area with the closest hardware or big box store nearly an hour way. I'd only go to town at most once a week but more often once every two weeks. Projects took forever to complete because I'd forget to buy some widget, get the wrong widget, or often be unable to find the right widget at a brick & mortar. Amazon to the rescue!

I've since moved to town but still rely on Amazon for a large portion of my shopping. Nowadays, a lot of local retailers don't carry much stock so I'm having to order online anyway but only after I've driven to the brick & mortar and found they don't carry the item or it's out of stock.

Re: Amazon starts flagging frequently returned products that you maybe shouldn’t buy

#179

Post by ClumsyPilot »

codersfocus wrote: post #131
barbazoo wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And it's kinda exciting when you get a delivery you totally forgot about.

That means you shouldn't have ordered it in the first place? I gave up on needless consumerism when I got an amazon package, didn't bother opening it, forgot what it was, and it just sat in my closet.

Not at all! There is a large intersection between Important and Non-Urgent.v

Example - bicycle parts. A bicycle will ride without lubrication, with missing fenders and damaged brakes. Should it?

I ordered a horn, forgot about it.

Does it mean I don't need a horn? Hard to tell, it could save your life. It maybe it won't.

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