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Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

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Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#111

Post by coding123 »

rakamotog wrote: post #106
coding123 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was very surprised about my own Amazon usage today... For the year 2020 (so far): Amazon Orders: 231 Returns: 38 Return Percent: 16.45 Based on Gmail search: amazon "your refund" after:2020/01/01 before:2021/01/01 For the year 2019: Amazon Orders: 32 Returns: 11 Return Percent: 34.3 Based on Gmail search: amazon "your refund" after:2019/01/01 before:2020/01/01 A couple of things to note, 2019 I was mostly buying an…

Refund can be for orders which they were unable to deliver. Example:- Groceries. I get refund if even 1 out of 30 items is not available, that isn't a return. Are these 38 in 2020 all returns?

Actually yeah, I think 2 things never showed up, so they were refunded automatically. So I guess that's 36 returns.

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#112

Post by glitchcrab »

adambyrtek wrote: post #25
glitchcrab wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, people genuinely buy clothes (although this is more like borrowing) just for the purpose of taking a selfie? I can't even begin to comprehend how desperate they must be to look good and fit in.

Yes, this is so common that there is a name for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardrobing

Oh the practise I'm aware of, it was more the application of it which surprised me here. I guess it makes more sense (although that's stretching the definition of sense) when you apply it to influencers (a connection I failed to make initially).

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#113

Post by kitteh »

bluedino wrote: post #79
chaboud wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know what it's like now, but, when I worked at Best Buy in the 90s, we had a couple of shoulder height palletized bins in the back. If a customer brought something back with a "didn't work" reason, it went in the bin. We threw items in the bin from a distance, so they were definitely unsellable. I'm sure that lots of merchandise that would have been functional/sellable ended up being thrown out.

Devo!

I remember as a pc tech (before they did that geek squad stuff) having to validate computer returns. The amount of stuff people would pull daily always amazed me. Putting bricks in a computer box, an old video card for a matrix vga card, the most wild was some video equipment where they replaced it with a two liter bottle of urine. I remember confronting people once I opened it and they would always pull the "well my son packed it and gave it to me" and promptly leave (with their item). They usually worked multiple stores in the area and sometimes we'd chat with the other stores, but usually that was for the bigger scams (people using altered receipts, asking for cash refunds on multi thousand dollar purchases).

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#114

Post by lrem »

627467 wrote: post #60
x87678r wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have friends who send back nearly everything. Not sure about shoe size? Order 3 sizes, keep the one you like and send back the other two (or return all 3 if you dont like it). Want a shirt? Order 5 and keep the ones you like, if any.

Sounds wasteful but if we assume normalization of online ordering for clothing (where good fit is important) then this is probably the most efficient way to handle this situation. I suppose ordering a single item, trying, returning then ordering 2 more times until you get the right fit: that sounds a lot more wasteful than order 3 items in one go and doing a single return. Now, IMO, ordering clothes (and shoes, or an…

My sister buys stuff from stores that advertise this to be the recommended way to buy. Huge box in, huge box out, still cheaper than renting brick and mortar space.

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#115

Post by kneel »

sokoloff wrote: post #3

> 30 to 40 per cent of all online purchases are sent back That seems almost an order of magnitude higher than I’d expect. Setting aside kids shoes (which probably do get 50% returned), I can’t imagine sending back even 5% of my online purchases, let alone 30-40%. I think I’ve sent back exactly 1 Amazon order in the last year, out of nearly 100.

Amazon sells so much garbage I'm not surprised that they end up tossing most of it.

I used prime for about a year, had probably a 50% return rate and ended up cancelling. Their items are so low quality it's not worth the effort.

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#117

Post by dheera »

kneel wrote: post #115
sokoloff wrote: post #3

> 30 to 40 per cent of all online purchases are sent back That seems almost an order of magnitude higher than I’d expect. Setting aside kids shoes (which probably do get 50% returned), I can’t imagine sending back even 5% of my online purchases, let alone 30-40%. I think I’ve sent back exactly 1 Amazon order in the last year, out of nearly 100.

Amazon sells so much garbage I'm not surprised that they end up tossing most of it. I used prime for about a year, had probably a 50% return rate and ended up cancelling. Their items are so low quality it's not worth the effort.

There are lots of products I need to return multiple times before I get a good copy. Like my Dell 24 inch 4K monitor. Most of Amazon's warehouses are duds with faint grey lines across the screen, so you have to expect to order and return 3-4 times before you get a good one. The ones you return will probably of course be sent to other customers instead of getting sent back to Dell.

And there are the Samyang/Rokinon camera lenses as well -- you need to usually buy 3-4, test them out and keep the sharpest copy. Quality control issues on the manufacturer's side but it's a good deal if you're willing to deal with it.

Some sellers just suck at packaging. There are numerous products that are too easy to damage just by opening the packaging -- I received one item completely wrapped in 8 layers of bubble wrap followed by an entire coating of packing tape over 100% of it. It was nearly impossible to cut open without cutting into wires because you really don't know where the wires are under all that packaging.

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#118

Post by BrandoElFollito »

gambiting wrote: post #84
nextos wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've also stopped buying at Amazon after 15 years. Even consumables and small items are problematic. Just in the last year, I encountered many issues including: * Showerhead that came without box, and clearly used. It still had a lot of water inside! * Underwear from a brand that sells items inside a sealed bag and discards returns came used, without bag (yuck!) * A module of Samsung RAM had visible wear signs and di…

I'm always shocked when I read these comments on HN. I swear it must be just the American Amazon that's so shit, because I literally never had any problems nor know anyone with these problems here in UK. Just this year I'm on 108 orders and counting, every single one of them was fine, working, definitely not used, definitely not counterfeit and delivered within 1 day as promised with Prime. Last year I've had 140 ord…

Same here (France). I will actually pay a bit more for Amazon products because I never, ever had any problem.

The closest I had to a problem was when I sent an email stating that a product is not functional after a year and a half. They replied that the 30 days return window is over and that I should contact the producer.

I replied that according to the law, I have 2 years of warranty with zero costs from my side. They replied that are very sorry for the misunderstanding (or something like that), together with a return slip.

Teh second one would probably be when I was suggested to test Amazon Prime and I was charged 50€ right away. I replied this is a test. They replied that I actually signed for Prime, that it was not a test.

To what I replied it was, to what they replied they will reimburse me 50€ minus the fast shipping costs (that would otherwise be included in Prime). To what I replied i was really unhappy. To what they replied that 50€ are on their way to may credit card.

This is one of the reasons I buy with Amazon without much fear.

Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up

#119

Post by bleepblorp »

tinus_hn wrote: post #69
drummer wrote: post #64

Rhetorical question: if the returns are unsellable, why don't they give them away for free to the poor?

Because people who get free things don’t buy things. It doesn’t make economic sense.

People who are too poor to buy things won't buy any fewer things just because they get free things. They'll just have more things that they can resell for more money, which they will likely use to buy things they actually need.

Giving money--even indirectly--to poor people makes economic sense because they'll spend it on goods and services that keep other people employed.

Punishing the poor out of some moral imperative is economically destructive.

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