Bigger gets dumber -My Amazon Story

[moff34]

Had a similar problem with Amazon, but regarding delivery by the Postal Service.

We take trips in the Spring and Fall that typically last for two months or longer. We have our mail forwarded and our regular postman is aware of this.

We returned from our last trip and I immediately ordered some items from Amazon. Unfortunately Amazon sent the items by Postal Service and our regular postman was off. His substitute, who had apparently been filling in for some time, had decided that our house was vacant and refused to leave the packages.

The Postal Service immediately returned them to the shipper while I tried, through Amazon, to schedule a re-delivery. Three weeks later and the package is apparently sitting in a warehouse in New Jersey. The Postal Service will not re-deliver to me and has not returned it to the shipper, who won't refund my money until they receive it back in their hands.

Rampant incompetence.

[Ct-Flagstaff]

Surprised you have had issues with Amazon.
Every time I’ve had an issue their Customer Service team bent over backwards to resolve the issue. If they want you to keep the product without paying thank them for their generous gesture. It’s part of their way of keeping the customer happy..

[greeknasty]

haha wow, usually amazon CS is good though

[emm-dee]

Three years ago I ordered a Fantastic Fan with remote. Box showed up on time but I wondered why a Fantastic Fan came in a box that hardly fit through the door, and it was really heavy.

When I opened the box I discovered they had shipped four fans. It took at least ten phone calls to finally get Amazon to take the three extras back. At one point they wanted me to pay the return shipping (which I obviously declined).

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by grumpyoldman

I wouldn't worry about it. Amazon is a big company and they do a lot of dumb (to us) things.
Just last week one of my orders was for a button battery for my camera. It came in a shoe sized box. Talk about over packaging.
On another order from last week I checked the tracking number and saw that it was coming from a town 40 miles away. I assumed I would get it the next day, so when I checked the tracking number again it was in Louisville, Ky. 350 miles south of me.Then it went to Indianapolis, In. 110 miles north. Then it went to Chicago, another 180 miles north. It then was sent to a distribution point another 40 miles south. A 700 mile trip for an item that was only 40 miles away. What a waste of money for delivery on Amazon's part.

I used to say the same thing about Fedex when they started up. Every package handled in their system went to Memphis, was sorted, then put back on an airplane and many times shipped back to the same town. To customers it made no sense. Logistically, it made perfect sense. ONE sorting center and the planes that brought the packages to Memphis just returned with packages from the rest of the country on their return home, including some of those that made the earlier trip.

As for big boxes for small pieces, big packages don't slip through the cracks as easy and besides, how would you put a 4X5 shipping label on a camera battery

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Ct-Flagstaff

Surprised you have had issues with Amazon.
Every time I’ve had an issue their Customer Service team bent over backwards to resolve the issue. If they want you to keep the product without paying thank them for their generous gesture. It’s part of their way of keeping the customer happy..

Overall I agree. I've had a total of three issues with Amazon where I had to contact Customer Service. This last time was the only one where issues arose.

First frustration was the inability to get the message across to their automated system. Even though I told it that I had received the product it was unable to update.

Second level of frustration was again trying to explain to "someone" in a chat that I had the product and I didn't need a refund.

Third was attempting for the third time to explain to a human (who was a very nice and polite person) who was unable to understand the problem and solution.

[wildcatter]

It's not just Amazon or this day and age, back in the 90's I bought an Gateway computer for $1500 that had major problems, we finally told them we were shipping it back because it kept crashing and they replaced everything but the CPU (which was actually the problem), we shipped the computer back, they sent us a brand new PC with the updated CPU, a few days later we received a refund check for $1500, we called them and let them know, they had us send the check back, as a thank you they sent us about 5 dollars worth of Gateway pencils and foam Gateway cows (for those that remember the GW PC's) and lo and behold what was in the box was another check for $1500 dollars.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by wildcatter

It's not just Amazon or this day and age, back in the 90's I bought an Gateway computer for $1500 that had major problems, we finally told them we were shipping it back because it kept crashing and they replaced everything but the CPU (which was actually the problem), we shipped the computer back, they sent us a brand new PC with the updated CPU, a few days later we received a refund check for $1500, we called them and let them know, they had us send the check back, as a thank you they sent us about 5 dollars worth of Gateway pencils and foam Gateway cows (for those that remember the GW PC's) and lo and behold what was in the box was another check for $1500 dollars.

Wow, no wonder they had problems. With their exec's being charged by the SEC for fraud and handing out refund checks like business cards it's amazing that they lasted as long as they did before being bought by Acer.

[Johntgif]

The BIG companies look at the cost per item to be returned, shipping, time to examine for true damage, cost to repackage, cost to inventory, cost to put back in the proper shipping bin, etc....
They make $$$ more on quick, "pack & ship" orders so the loss is just figured into their profit margin.

Don't lose sleep and do NOT worry about their small loss on your unfortunate item concern problem.

[nomad297]

Amazon customer service is usually pretty easy to deal with. As mentioned in a previous post, when you get connected to customer service, the first thing out of your mouth needs to be “Please connect me with customer service in the USA.” They might try to convince you that they can help you, but all it takes is saying “no” and they will connect you with the USA where you almost always get somebody who can help you with no problems.

Bruce

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by ronheater70

I also have the honesty gene.. However I also have the, " How much time do I need to spend to fix someone elses mistake and how valuable is my time" gene..

Just forget it and move on its their loss

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by bareftn

Just forget it and move on its their loss

YOU made the effort on your honesty gene, on line & on the phone. If Amazon chooses to address issues that way & with call centers out of the country and issues don't/can't get resolved, that's on them. Chalk it up to "the cost of doing business" & don't worry any further! You tried!

[BuzzWolfAR]

When that type of thing happens to me, I just donate the windfall to my favorite charity.

[TeachTexas]

Amazon has a very sophisticated return on value system that seems to work for them. They will refund items and not require back because it is cheaper than having to handle it again. They will send out replacements the same way. I have had items replaced and told to keep the original. I have had items refunded and told to do whatever I want with the one I received. I have returned items (full refund, no return ship cost) because I found a cheaper price on Amazon and reordered the new because they said they would not match the new price.
All this seems to work for them, so who am I to argue.

[rjshiflet]

Once I ordered 75 sets of "Fairy Lights" (tiny LED lights on a very thin copper wire) that were about $10 each.

Next thing I know my inbox is being filled with emails from Amazon confirming the order of ONE set of Fairy Lights...then another email for ONE set of fairy lights. And another...and another...for a total of 75 emails.

You're right - they were shipping them as individual boxes. I already have a PSYCHO mailman and if he suddenly started getting 75 4"x4"x2" boxes for delivery...he might surely go postal on me or someone.


It took TWO HOURS on the phone with Amazon to cancel each of the 75 orders.

So, I ordered again with the exact same results - and another 2 hours on the phone with Amazon.

Finally after the second time, I asked if their representative would place the order where all 75 items were shipped in one shipment. No distribution center had 75 of them (which evidently caused the problem in the first place) but we did finally manage to get it to a much more manageable 3 shipments instead of 75.

Bigger...and dumber. You are correct!

[Tapex]

I run into a similar situation when purchasing a new set of tow mirrors on Amazon by Trail Ridge Tow Mirrors. Once I received my order. I found out one of the two didn't function properly, being they're the plug and play, just as I needed for my installment. Long story short, I called them and they said to keep these and they'll send me a new set. Great so now I have 2 pairs of tow mirrors with the ability to repair if for any reason I have issues into the future. Made my day since the company stood behind there product and even told me to keep the first pair since they were slightly unoperational. Definitely a great way to keep customers coming back.

[sunnman]

I had the same thing. I order a Yeti for my son that didn’t show up. Dec 23 o was frantically driving all over town trying to find one. I also received a refund from Amazon, and I also received the original Yeti

If I get wrong change from a cashier, I definitely correct it (that money comes out of their pocket), but after 5 hours of my time (and gas and stress) I kept the Yeti and the money.

It seems this happens mostly with items coming directly from China, mine did. I always order the prime items, it’s well worth the extra money, especially with the free shipping.

[sunnman]

Originally Posted by SRN

Just went through this with Amazon, which is usually pretty good. Update showed item was delivered but I never got it. Went around the horn several times with Amazon with the last person telling me that I should go door-to-door and ask neighbors if they found my item on their doorstep. They finally issued a refund. Two weeks later the UPS truck pulls in, driver hands me the item. Contacted Amazon & they weren't interested. I tried.

As a retired Postal Worker, I can tell you that USPS, UPS and Fedex all have GPS in their scanners, and though they may make excuses, they can tell which house it was delivered to. They can even pull up a photo of the house on Google Maps. If it was misdelivered I know the post office will make contact to recover the package. Hope this helps in the future.

[Maladjusted]

The mom and pop’s and family run businesses... I will go out of my way to “make it right”. Amazon? Home depot? Lowes? Camping World? Screw them.. if they make it hard to make it right... don’t make it right. Just my opinion

Mal

[markjamestx]

We have been an Amazon Seller for 6 years now and have dealt with this stupidity continually. We chalk it up to bad computer programming and Millennial construction of their internal operating conditions

Originally Posted by TitanMike

It seems that the larger the company the dumber it gets.

My story starts with the ordering of some kitchen items I plan on giving to my soon to be daughter-in-law for Christmas. Four separate pieces on three separate orders. I placed the order(s) with no problem and they arrived just as indicated with one exception. The driver delivered 3 of the four items at one time and then came back a couple hours later with the fourth item. Apparently overlooked it in her truck and found it just as she was returning to base.

Now the fun begins. I kept seeing notices from Amazon in my e-mail apologizing for the delay, saying that the items I ordered were delayed and "we are working on it". This went on for three days and then the messages started saying "Undeliverable, contact us for replacement or refund. Puzzled as I have already boxed the items and am ready to wrap them for Christmas.

I figure that they've had a glitch in their system, most likely the driver's scanner (or perhaps the driver) malfunctioned and didn't report the packages as delivered. I decided to contact Amazon and tell them I have the packages. Of course there is no phone number to do this, you have to go through the process of reporting a problem with the item online and you then get a series of selections. I selected the one that said "I've received my order" or something like that. That led to a "Chat" with a computer. I finally told the "computer" I would only talk to a human and left my phone number.

20 minutes of explaining that I HAVE the items I ordered and they could clear their records and finally I THOUGHT I had it solved.

Three more days of notices that "we're working on getting your order to you' and then today I get an e-mail saying "We've refunded your account (Credit Card) for the (amount of purchase)".

Here's my dilemma. I have received the merchandise and it appears that I will also receive the money I paid for it. I have this "honesty gene" that tells me I should be paying for what I get but I'm up against the largest retailer in the World, their Computer, and some of the dumbest customer service people I have ever encountered (and yes, there was a language issue).

What to do? Keep everything and just keep shaking my head or once again contact them and try to explain how they screwed up?

All that money at Amazon, owned by the Worlds richest man, and they can't seem to "buy a brain". Neither electronic nor human.

What's strange is that I never saw this with Sears and yet Sears is the one going bankrupt.