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Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

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Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#101

Post by ElevenLathe »

kuschku wrote: post #44
jojobas wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It goes both ways. It would be very easy to fabricate an unboxing with a rock inside instead of a video card and go to small claims court.

That's why, for large items from untrustworthy retailers, I start filming the moment the delivery person rings the bell and film the entire handover process, including signing the delivery, constantly keeping the product in frame until the package is open, I've got out the product, installed it in a test setup, and it's actually working. I ordered a GPU on ebay earlier this year, and followed this process to the lett…

This is crazy. If you're really doing this (and I don't have any reason not to believe you), something has gone horribly wrong as a society. If the only thing keeping people from ripping each other off on routine business transactions is (probably still fakeable) evidence gathered by filming yourself constantly like receiving a package is a reality show, then one of the parties to this transaction should not be in business anymore. The fact that it isn't speaks of deep corruption.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#102

Post by aylons »

dingdingdang wrote: post #96

I can see how the shitshow commenced though. Instead of contacting Amazon via chat and providing a few photos to document the process the family did a regular return which off was in turn picked up as fraudulent.. No one's fault in particular but annoying situation for sure!! Reality for me has always been that Amazon is rather flawless on return policy (in the UK anyway!)

When you're making a return, Amazon has a field that allows you to say that the product delivered does not match the purchase (the wording is not quite that, and they have a few variants). I don't feel like there's a need for a chat if the form already allows me to say that and do not require sending any pictures. They could follow up if they felt the need, before issuing the return code.

Amazon has a bad process for these cases and seems not interested in fixing it.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#103

Post by prepend »

acdha wrote: post #37
prepend wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The issue is not that it occurs, like you say with such volume mistakes will be made. The issue is that Amazon’s processes and systems are failing as there’s no resolution and no escalation path for resolution. Amazon is a pretty systematic company with support scripts out the wazoo. Their scripts don’t include a method for a customer who got a $690 fake part. That’s the noteworthy part. There’s likely many other sim…

Exactly: Amazon is determined to move from being a premium service to the local discount store. I’ve been buying from them since 1997 but my big ticket items come direct now because I don’t want to deal with their ethics.

I think there’s also some rent seeking with reducing costs on captured customers to get more profit per user.

This cyber Monday I bought some stuff through Amazon and through Walmart and other vendors. Walmart has been much quicker than Amazon. And even brand stores like adidas has beaten Amazon on fulfillment and shipping.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#104

Post by pronlover723 »

I am not a lawyer but in the USA at least, if I understand correctly, if someone sends you something didn't request it's yours to keep for free

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-gui...

Search for "unordered merchandise" on that page. Also see "Substitutions"

As I said, I am not a lawyer, but I've always took that to mean if I order X and receive Y then I received Y for free. The company that sent me Y still owes me X and I have zero obligation to return Y. I never asked for Y, it's unordered merchandise.

So, if I ordered a PS5 and the send me a PS4 I get to keep the PS4, they still owe me a PS5. I ordered a 256gig iPhone and they send me a 128gig iPhone they still owe me a 256gig iPhone and the 128gig iPhone is mine to keep.

Now of course if I don't return the item, at their expense, they may refuse to do business with me in the future but at least as far as I can tell the wrong item is not what I ordered, therefore it is an unordered item. They still have the obligation to provide the item ordered or refund the money, and I have zero obligaton to return the unordered item.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#105

Post by culopatin »

wccrawford wrote: post #89
culopatin wrote: post #31

Was it sold by Amazon or a third party? The only times I had issues with returns was with third parties

I'm not sure why you're getting downvoted. Returns for Amazon-fulfilled items have been awesome for me, even when it's something like this where they sent the wrong product or even no product. I once received an empty bag. No problem, they refunded me and I bought another. When dealing with things shipped directly from the seller, you're going to have to deal with them directly for returns. I almost never buy like th…

I’m not sure, perhaps my post was too empty, I had just woken up when I posted. I couldn’t find the distinction in the article, but returning to third parties is never so easy. Understandably so, though. A smaller business doesn’t want to be scammed either. I had a friend try Amazon after selling on his site and eBay for a long time and he lost thousands to returns that had been damaged during install or just returned a rock.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#106

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

I completely believe that story.

Amazon seems to be "leaning into" being a souk for counterfeit and scam merchandisers. They make a lot of money from it, and it appears as if they have not received enough brand damage to stop it.

I've had a couple of issues with receiving fake (or gray market) stuff from them, to the point, where I no longer go to Amazon for many purchases, and, instead, go directly to the manufacturer's sites (they may route me through their own Amazon store, though). I don't really care, if I spend a bit more. At least, I'll get what I paid for.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#107

Post by brazzy »

pronlover723 wrote: post #104

I am not a lawyer but in the USA at least, if I understand correctly, if someone sends you something didn't request it's yours to keep for free https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-gui... Search for "unordered merchandise" on that page. Also see "Substitutions" As I said, I am not a lawyer, but I've always took that to mean if I order X and receive Y then I received Y for free. The company that se…

The point of that law is to shut down scams where companies send you stuff without you ording anything (or, in most cases, ever having heard from them) and then demand payment.

I am also not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure it does not apply when you do order something and there is just a mistake about the details.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#109

Post by sn_master »

Unrelated, but does anyone know someone in Amazon? I was searching for something and ended up finding many firearm accessories very clearly intentionally mislabeled, and at suspiciously low prices (less than 1/5 of retail price at a normal gun store) that they're either of dubious and unsafe quality, or stolen.

Re: Amazon shipped fake product, refuses refund until 'correct' item returned

#110

Post by pronlover723 »

brazzy wrote: post #107
pronlover723 wrote: post #104

I am not a lawyer but in the USA at least, if I understand correctly, if someone sends you something didn't request it's yours to keep for free https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-gui... Search for "unordered merchandise" on that page. Also see "Substitutions" As I said, I am not a lawyer, but I've always took that to mean if I order X and receive Y then I received Y for free. The company that se…

The point of that law is to shut down scams where companies send you stuff without you ording anything (or, in most cases, ever having heard from them) and then demand payment. I am also not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure it does not apply when you do order something and there is just a mistake about the details.

How do you know it was a mistake? The same incentives apply. They might be sending you the wrong thing on purpose, hoping you won't notice, so the law is there to prevent that.
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