Questions For Those You Did A Big Order At Amazon For X-Mas

[gkaussietykes4]

I emailed Amazon this morning and here is what I wrote:

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

We purchased this Hasbro Nerf™ Pro Shop™ NiteJam™

Nerfoop® for our children for Christmas. Unfortunatly, it doesn't work. And

unfortunatly, we didn't realize that Amazon had a 30 day return policy,

or we wouldn't have shopped at the website. I have no complaints

towards Amazon, my family loves it! We just don't think it's fair placing a

time limit on returns especially around the holidays when people are so

busy working, trying to shop and get things done and so on. Plus time

goes so fast! The other policy that upsets us is that if we return an

item, we only get half of what we paid. That sounds illegal to us. We

never have shopped at a store that had that policy. If you have a receipt,

you get back what you paid, or you were able to get a exchange for the

exact item. I worked in retail since college. I have other items I

would like returned or exchanged, but the way Amazon has it's policy, I

might as well throw the toys in the trash file a complaint with the BBB,

and start shopping else where. Like I said before we love Amazon, but

these policies will turn us and others away.

 

Thank You!

Christina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for writing to us at Amazon.com.

 

In general, full refunds (or replacements, in the case of damaged or

defective items) are issued for items returned in new condition within 30

days of the day you received it from us. I've looked at your order and

found that you received the " Hasbro Nerf Pro Shop NiteJam Nerfoop "

on December 13, 2008.

 

Unfortunately, this date is more than 30 days from today and the item

is not eligible for a full refund. Also, if you visit our Online Returns

Center, you will not be able to print a return mailing label.

 

Due to the circumstances surrounding your order, I have made a one-time

exception to our standard policy.

 

Please ship your return to:

 

RETURNS CENTER - AMAZON.COM

172 Trade Street

Lexington, KY 40511 USA

 

Please write the reason for your return on the packing slip, put the

slip in the carton, and wrap the package securely. If the reason for the

return is our error, we will refund your return shipping.

 

I'’m very sorry but it's unclear if you'd like us to send you a

replacement order, or if you'd like a refund.

 

If you'd like a replacement order sent, please let us know by clicking

this link:

 

Please visit the following link to provide the information we

requested:

 

http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-mi?c=aheyyqga3406501340&q=o2r

 

Otherwise, we'll issue a refund when we receive the returned item.

Please note that it typically takes us 3 to 5 business days to process

returned packages after they arrive at our returns center. You'll receive a

confirmation e-mail when your refund has been issued.

 

I hope this solution is satisfactory. We appreciate your business and

look forward to your next visit to our store.

 

*****

WHERE CAN I VIEW RETURN AND REFUND INFORMATION?

You may view returns and refunds by clicking the "Your Account" link at

the top of our web site. Click "Go!" next to "Open and recently

shipped orders" and then click "View order" next to the relevant order.

Completed returns and refunds will appear at the bottom of the order summary

page.

 

*****

WHERE CAN I READ YOUR RETURN POLICY?

Most information about returning purchases to Amazon.com can be found

on our Help pages at:

 

http://www.amazon.com/help/returns

 

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:

 

If yes, click here:

http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-y?c=hheywqga3406697949

If not, click here:

http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-n?c=hheywqga3406697949

 

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept

incoming e-mail.

 

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section

of our web site.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Dayanand

Amazon.com Customer Service

http://www.amazon.com

 

 

 

This really makes me :mad::mad:!

So, between getting ready to give birth to my baby, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I have to have all the toys played with, box up the one's that don't work, and send them back. Ok fine, but how many hands do they think I have for crying out loud. Isn't it illegal to only give the customer half their money back? I never heard of such a thing!! What store can someone name me that does this besides Amazon? No more shopping for Christmas from them I don't care how good the deals are!!! I guess our next garbage day our bags will be filled with these useless toys!!

[dmmiller]

Unless I"m reading it wrong it sounds like they are willing to give you the refund.

(making an exception to they're standard policy)

[mommyx3]

I don't get why you are so upset. They have made an exception for you and are willing to give the refund, so why are you angry? I understand these were Christmas presents and all, but what I don't get is why you waited until after the middle of January to try and return the item. All stores have limits as to how long you have to return an item. Some places are 30 days and that is it. At least they are willing to go to half price after the 30 day mark.

 

So, I guess the nuts and bolts of my question is this--what would have made you happy with this return? Do you expect them to simply return it without you sending it back? To me that would be an absurd business policy as people all over the country would be shouting...."It didn't work! Send back my money!" even if the merchandise did work.

 

Just curious

[kcuts]

I would write to the manufacturer and see what they will do, you never know most can be reached via email. We bought a MP3 player @Circuit City (online) and while they would not let us return it as it was after 90 days in our case. My son e-mailed SanDisk and they replaced it for free we just had to send a copy of the receipt showing the purchase date.

[gkaussietykes4]

Like I said I had a baby before Christmas, what mom in their right mind would have time to sit around trying to get these toys situated. They are only letting me return one item that is the Nerf Basketball, but what about the other toys that are not working properly? Is it my fault that I was sent items that didn't work properly? I never had any other store give me a hard time about returns, as long as I had my receipt, and the item. My totz didn't play with their toys in one day, we were still opening and playing with stuff in the middle of Jan. Should I apologize for my family and myself for not opening the gifts all in one day, playing with all of them that same day, made sure that they worked, and if they didn't, pack them all up, and ship them out the day after Christmas! Is that it? Or maybe I should have held the baby in until Feb, that way I would have had all the returns finished.

 

mommyx3, I didn't say anywhere that I wanted my money, and then I wouldn't send them their merchandise back.

 

kcuts the items were sold and sent by Amazon, but maybe I will look into call the manufacture's that made them they maybe able to exchange them for me without any problems. I'll check tomorrow.

[tjarena]

Just an FYI, TRU also has a time limit of either 30 or 60 days and so does Target. If you are unhappy about the return policy, stick with Walmart, who is the only store I know that takes back anything.

[jerseygirl]

buy.com has 14 day from date of purchase - not the the day you rec'v it in you hand the day you order it.

 

Amazon is still offering a refund to you I'm not sure what you're upset about

[afrey66]

How many toys could there be that are defective? Are you sure that these "improperly working toys" came from Amazon?

 

I literally spent HUNDREDS of dollars (as most of us did) on Amazon during the toy sales right before Christmas and had one return. I contacted Amazon and told them about it and it was no problem whatsoever. They shipped the replacement item even before I returned the defective one.

 

I don't know of any merchant who does not have a return policy that limits the amount of days something can be returned. We still have unopened toys over here (they got packed up shortly after Christmas due to our move). I knew there was a risk with not opening them sooner. That's the chance I took.

 

I have to admit that I am a total Amazon junkie. One of the reasons being is I find their customer service team some of the best with whom to deal.

Edited February 5, 2008 by afrey66

[afrey66]

buy.com has 14 day from date of purchase - not the the day you rec'v it in you hand the day you order it.

 

Amazon is still offering a refund to you I'm not sure what you're upset about

I didn't realize that about Buy.com. That sucks considering it can take them almost that long to ship!

[Stowasser]

I think we all understand your fustration but I guess I am missing what you asking? All stores have a return policy that specifies a set time frame for returns, if they didn't they would be getting items returned that are a year old or better. Its frustrating to have toys that are defective though from your email that you have displayed you only write about one (though the symbols are abit confusing) and they have waived their policy to allow you to return it, if you needed to do more returns, than you should of written that in one email so they could address it. Yes, I do understand kids not opening the gifts right away but its been over 5 weeks since Christmas and if you are worried about that aspect, than opening the toys and finding out if they work was probably what you needed to do. I don't expect stores to holdout indefinitely for me to decide if the toy is right, defective etc. I am sorry there was a problem and I have been there with defective items that couldn't be returned, I personally went to the manufacturer and they did take care of it.

[katiesmommy01]

I'm sorry that you've had so much stress...the holiday's are stressful enough without giving birth and trying to keep everything running properly! I guess i'm with everyone else that Amazon seems to have responded to you properly, and have accomodated your request for a refund. I've always been pretty happy with their service, and you couldn't beat those prices! Yes, it's expensive to return anything you've bought online, so I just accept when I order i'll either deal with the manufacturer (for defects), or sell the item on craigslist/ebay, etc. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses. good luck! congrats on the new baby :)

[afrey66]

Amazon gives you a postage paid label so it doesn't even cost anything to send it back.

[gkaussietykes4]

All Amazon is doing is refunding me for the Nerf Basketball, not the other toys that are defective. That is why I'm upset. A few toys that are defective, I wanted exchanged, and a few I wanted to return. Yes, they were bought from and shipped from Amazon. Because that was the only way to get free shipping. If I exchange, I have to pay for the shipping (that's why I said I might as well throw them away because the shipping would end up being almost the same as what I paid for toys, plus they want everything shipped in different boxes). If I return it then they pay for the shipping. I did tell them about the other items, I just didn't write the names. "I have other items I

would like returned or exchanged".

 

As for the above stores my hubby and I never had a problem with returns or exchanges after their deadlines. Once I bought a wipe warmer and in 6 months it started to burn the wipes, the bottom of it started to turn yellow and started to crack. I had no receipt or the box that it came in. I called TRU, and they said bring it in no problem. Went in with mine, the exchanged it with a new one, I gave them the box from the new one so they could send back the defective one, and that was that. No fuss! I know a lot of stores have different policies, but I'm just saying some need to be reasonable. Especially around the holidays, and I don't care getting any beef for saying that but it's true it's about customer service. Now if people are abusing the policy of a store then I understand. When I worked in retail, as long as you had the receipt, and the item was still with it's tag's we gave you what you paid for. If the item had no tags, then you could only get an exchange, unless the item was defective then you got an exchange or your money back. Amazon giving people only half of what they pay for sounds really wrong to me. I never heard such a thing. What other store does that?Like I said I don't have anything against Amazon, I might buy other stuff from them, but I wont shop there for Christmas. As for going straight to the manufacture I'll try that that and see what happens. I think I already wrote that somewhere in one of my other posts.

Edited February 5, 2008 by gkaussietykes4

[2kids-3dogs]

I didn't know Amazon had that policy of half-refund after 30 days (and also wasn't aware they pay the postage to return an item - thanks, afrey) .

 

I do understand your anger, and also understand about being so busy with life that broken Christmas toys are not top priority. Anytime I buy from Amazon, I make sure it's something I will either keep or doesn't cost enough for me to fuss with returning because I am so bad about shipping out stuff.

 

Some places draw the line at 30 days (or 60 or whatever their policy) for returns, and I just know if I am going to purchase from them, I'd better get it taken back within 30 days. They publish their return policy very clear, so it's only my fault if i don't get something returned within the 30 days. No one makes me shop there.

 

It sucks you got so many toys/items that have broken. Since you only mentioned the nerf hoop thing in your letter, you could try to ask them about your other broken items. They have really good customer service - if you explain each item and what is wrong with it, i don't think it's unreasonable for them to make exceptions since you purchased numerous defective items from them.

 

Now you are well aware of the policy (and so am I) - you can take em or leave em - up to you. Good luck with the new little one and congrats!

[alexac]

you wrote; "I have other items I

would like returned or exchanged, but the way Amazon has it's policy, I

might as well throw the toys in the trash file a complaint with the BBB,

and start shopping else where. Like I said before we love Amazon, but

these policies will turn us and others away."

 

I am sorry for everything that's going on, but you didn't really list the other toys that you had defective or wanted to exchange.

I can't help but think that the CS rep thought that it was a general complaint about the toys that you have recieved, excepting the Nerf football.

They probably would have let you return everything if you had been more explicit.

 

Trust me I am a retail manager and I wouldn't have done more than the CS rep did, not to tick you off, but because really you didn't ask for anything more. When you say the word "but" after "I would really like to return..etc. it kind of negates what you are trying to say, and CS is going to view it as something that possibly occured, but they may even view it as an angry customer just venting. They have no basis to back this up, no item number or purchase info. The CS even said she was sorry she didn't know if you wanted a replacement or a refund, so I think she was doing her best to interpret what you were saying.

 

Why not call them and explained what happened to everything you aren't happy with? If they did it for one item, they have the power to do it for more, as long as they can verify that the purchase happened.

[samisma]

Amazon giving people only half of what they pay for sounds really wrong to me. I never heard such a thing. What other store does that?

Sounds a lot like a re-stocking fee to me. Maybe that's how they should've phrased it. But they do need to recoup the shipping costs and the fact that if it's opened it's decreased in value. I'm sure this is to discourage 'buyer's remorse'. It's one thing to return something because it's defective and/or damaged, this they provide a shipping label for and they'll work with you. It's another thing if someone buys something and later decides they changed their mind - which is why I think they have this set up like this.

 

While you don't see it like this very often on the online stores I have worked for companies that practiced this policy in the brick & morter stores. Some of them the 'restocking' fee was only 15% but two stores that I worked for it is 50%. It is not something that is outright advertised, but rather on the back of their receipts it will say that some items may be subject to a restocking fee - and they won't list the amount.

 

As for being upset about them not offering to take back the other items, if that's the result you wanted you should've listed those items specifically. They are not mind readers and can't guess what those items are and if they should make exceptions for all of the items. I'd recommend contacting them again and being very specific about the additional items and as to why you want to return/exchange them.

 

Personally I haven't had any problems. I ordered the Big Big World Bongo Snook toy for DD and when he 'sang' his voice made a chittering noise instead. I contacted them about 35 days after receiving my item and they replaced him free of charge and refunded my shipping. I also ordered handheld solitaire and noticed it didn't work at all - returned it within 2 days of receiving it, and had a new one in hand 5 days later from them. I've experienced nothing but great customer service from Amazon. And I hope they take care of us next Christmas too, Amazon is the only reason I could afford to get DD toys - otherwise she was just getting diapers and some clothes.

[christib327]

I'm sorry you're having issues with your Amazon purchase. I have found that their customer service is one of the best there is. They will do everything they can to accomadate just about any request. I've had to email customer service a couple times myself and each time they fixed it for me 100%. One was even my fault and they still took care of it.

Maybe if you respond to that email and ask about the other toys that are defective you'll get an answer you are happier with. They may not make you pay to ship an exchange. You never know until you ask :)

[gkaussietykes4]

Like I said in my posts I don't have anything against Amazon, many of the toys we bought for Xmas were fantastic. (We'll be contacting Amazon again, or the Manufature's). And thank you to the one's who started the Christmas post for Amazon, for our little one's would have not had gifts to open. Our ds all his toys work, it was some items we bought for the girls.

 

2kids-3dogs I do understand your anger, and also understand about being so busy with life that broken Christmas toys are not top priority. Anytime I buy from Amazon, I make sure it's something I will either keep or doesn't cost enough for me to fuss with returning because I am so bad about shipping out stuff. I totally agree!

[afrey66]

If I were you, I would contact Amazon CS one more time. This time call. And I would just explain the situation to them. I would just let them know everything you have chronicled in your initial posts here. And if the CSR can't help you then politely ask to speak to a supervisor.

 

I have heard of other companies charging outlandish restocking fees. One time I went into Joann to return this little packet of beads I had bought and ended up not needed. It was maybe a $4 item. I couldn't locate the receipt so they told me, we will give you 50% of the SALE price (which was something like $1.99). So they wanted to give me $1 for an item that I paid $4. I said no thank you and asked to talk to a manager. I got my $4. :)

 

Good luck to you.

[lakisha78]

Just an FYI, TRU also has a time limit of either 30 or 60 days and so does Target. If you are unhappy about the return policy, stick with Walmart, who is the only store I know that takes back anything.

In California our TRU will take most non electronics items back for 6 months, and Target as a 90 return policy. 30 days is a little tight.