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12-28-2018, 12:13 PM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,172
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Amazon Returns
Somehow I had gotten the impression that returns to Amazon were free.
I recently tried to return a book that was intended as gift to GD. Turns out she already had it so I used the url on the gift receipt to return. I was surprised that they expected me to pay $6 for the UPS shipping.
Has AMZN changed their return policy or did I answer some question wrong.
I didn't see any answer that reflected the real reason for return so I just made a best guess. I eventually called AMZN and got a friendly rep to keep their reputation alive so they paid for the postage and told me that credit would not be the usual after it is received but 2-3days after the call.
The website seems to suggest that only AMZN errors will result in a free return.
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12-28-2018, 12:16 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaneohe
.....The website seems to suggest that only AMZN errors will result in a free return.
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This has always been my experience. Wrong or defective item they pay.
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12-28-2018, 12:22 PM
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#3
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 229
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Like just about everything in life, it depends. Regular member vs Prime member? 3rd party seller or Amazon (sometimes it's difficult to tell)? Reason? Etc.....etc.....etc......
In this instance, I'm curious why you feel that Amazon should pick up the freight? If you did this at a brick and mortar store, would you expect them to reimburse you for the gas to get to/from?
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12-28-2018, 12:22 PM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaneohe
The website seems to suggest that only AMZN errors will result in a free return.
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As with travelover that has been my experience as well. Seems reasonable to me, why should they pay for my screwups or misjudgments? Never any hassle returning something that was broken, damaged or DOA out of the box.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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12-28-2018, 12:23 PM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,927
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This is not new, totally normal. The return reason has to be Amazon-fault (or seller-fault) in the case of 3rd party sellers.
Changed my mind, found a lower price, didn't like it in person, recipient got 2 gifts, no longer needed, etc., - those all result in the customer shipping back on their own dime. Amazon will give you a label and deduct the cost, or you can just ship on your own if you prefer.
Defective, Not as Described, etc., will mean amazon provide a pre-paid return label.
For "all free returns all the time" - that's Zappos, Nordstroms, and a couple of others.
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12-28-2018, 12:28 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,931
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The policy has changed over time.
It used to be that they paid for return shipping for any reason whatsoever.
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12-28-2018, 12:33 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,021
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This thread brings up memories of forum member MuirWannabe and his thread about being banned by Amazon...
http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ury-92287.html
__________________
Numbers is hard
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12-28-2018, 12:33 PM
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#8
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,150
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Yep. Depends on the reason of return.
I just happened to return a couple of things today. One was a camera case that was described as medium but when I received was way too small for my camera. I put that down as wrong size. No return charge for that item. Another thing I returned was a camera battery. Package not opened. I did not need. Got charged $7 for return shipping on a $35 battery.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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12-28-2018, 12:39 PM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,929
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaneohe
Somehow I had gotten the impression that returns to Amazon were free.
I recently tried to return a book that was intended as gift to GD. Turns out she already had it so I used the url on the gift receipt to return. I was surprised that they expected me to pay $6 for the UPS shipping.
Has AMZN changed their return policy or did I answer some question wrong. (Yes, see below!)
I didn't see any answer that reflected the real reason for return so I just made a best guess. I eventually called AMZN and got a friendly rep to keep their reputation alive so they paid for the postage and told me that credit would not be the usual after it is received but 2-3days after the call.
The website seems to suggest that only AMZN errors will result in a free return.
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Over the years I have returned a handful of items to Amazon, and I have never paid for shipping.
One time I checked "no longer needed" as the reason for return, and a shipping charge was added. I changed the reason for return to "item not as described" and the shipping charge disappeared. Since then I have always selected "item not as described" for every return, and return shipping has been free.
Just an FYI for your future returns.
__________________
"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus
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12-28-2018, 12:49 PM
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#10
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 13,927
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Calico
Since then I have always selected "item not as described" for every return, and return shipping has been free.
Just an FYI for your future returns.
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Sorry for the soapbox, but as someone who has a small home business selling on amazon (like many thousands out there), that return shipping is often paid by the small seller. So, unless it is actually shipped by amazon, it's that seller who's paying for your return when you pick negative reasons, and too many of those can add up to the seller getting questioned by amazon about their items or service.
Of course, if it's really legit and you are unhappy with the purchase, fire away with "not as described" or "defective", totally cool with it. Like everywhere, there are good eggs and bad. But if you go with a blanket return reason, then good eggs are paying for it just as much, 'cause nothing's ever really free.
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12-28-2018, 01:00 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,374
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if you are in a situation where Amazon isn't picking up the shipping, I think you can avoid having to pay for the return shipping yourself by simply returning the item to an Amazon locker nearby. Most Whole Foods have one these days.
I use the the Amazon locker even where Amazon is paying for the return shipping. I find it just as convenient to go to Whole Foods as to go to the Post Office, and at Whole Foods I don't have to stand in line.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
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12-28-2018, 01:08 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,874
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See if there is somewhere you can return the item for free. I’m returning a copy of TurboTax. If I ship it back to them, I have to pay, but during the return process, they had a list of places where I could drop it off and pay no return fees.
It could be that I’m lucky though, since I live near an AmazonFresh pickup and I can return it there for free.
__________________
Eat, Drink and Be Merry.
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12-28-2018, 01:25 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pb4uski
if you are in a situation where Amazon isn't picking up the shipping, I think you can avoid having to pay for the return shipping yourself by simply returning the item to an Amazon locker nearby. Most Whole Foods have one these days.
I use the the Amazon locker even where Amazon is paying for the return shipping. I find it just as convenient to go to Whole Foods as to go to the Post Office, and at Whole Foods I don't have to stand in line.
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I use Amazon locker at a Whole Foods by me when I can especially since there is one about a block and a half away and I go there anyhow to buy stuff (avocados, naval oranges, bananas) often. Unfortunately, seems at least for me, the one by me is only available for returns sometimes but not all the time.
I did pick up an expensive camera at the Amazon Locker at my nearby Whole Foods recently which was quite handy.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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12-28-2018, 02:09 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,172
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Thanks to all for your replies. Hopefully this thread will be as useful to some others as it was for me. I know we've returned stuff before for free but what and the reasons escape me at this moment.......everything's starting to go so what can you expect
Checked out the Amazon Lockers around here......seems like Safeway and 7-11 are the most common. They won't be closer than Amazon's UPS but they will be as close..........so thanks for that tip.
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12-28-2018, 03:39 PM
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#15
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 17,099
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DFDubb
...
In this instance, I'm curious why you feel that Amazon should pick up the freight? If you did this at a brick and mortar store, would you expect them to reimburse you for the gas to get to/from?
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Gas would be about 2/10 ths of a gal, so about 25 cents for me, so the $6.00 seems like profit in this case.
__________________
Fortune favors the prepared mind. ... Louis Pasteur
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12-30-2018, 07:46 AM
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#16
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 63
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Been this way as long as I can remember. When you buy something some stuff says free returns, others don't. For those who decide to lie on their return worksheet to get a free return, ethics aside, consider that you may be ruining it for the rest of us in the future.
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12-30-2018, 08:04 AM
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#17
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 8,327
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Well....I'm in the same boat and would've been surprised also when I finally got around to starting the return process. I checked "item not needed" and "good condition" and they wanted $5.99 for the return via UPS or whatever rate I can get from another shipper if I pay. The free return to an Amazon location seems to be excluding the Whole Foods locations nearby.
__________________
...with no reasonable expectation for ER, I'm just here auditing the AP class.Retired 8/1/15.
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12-30-2018, 08:23 AM
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#18
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Peru
Posts: 6,335
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Kohl's takes Amazon returns.
__________________
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
--Dalai Lama XIV
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12-30-2018, 08:48 AM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DFDubb
Like just about everything in life, it depends. Regular member vs Prime member? ..........................
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Does Prime make a difference here?
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12-30-2018, 09:04 AM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaneohe
Does Prime make a difference here?
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I'm a Prime member and still pay for certain returns (like the brand new camera battery that I did not need).
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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