5 ms·

Be that as it may, I had a similar experience with an independent seller at Amazon UK. I bought a pan that arrived with a small defect and they told me I would

by cfn 9y ago

Be that as it may, I had a similar experience with an independent seller at Amazon UK. I bought a pan that arrived with a small defect and they told me I would have to pay the postage back (25 Euros on a £30 or £40 pan - I was buying from abroad). I also ended up keeping the pan and now avoid independent sellers as much as possible.

richthegeek 9y ago
Interesting - I certainly would have raised that to support!
jorvi 9y ago
Why not do a chargeback on your creditcard (or raise a PayPal claim)? The law is very clear, if an item is faulty or not as described the seller is on the hook for all costs. This includes return shipping and/or sending you a replacement. A lot of sellers will try to strong-arm you but if you just do the chargeback/claim they have no option but to eat the loss. Creditcard companies and PayPal thankfully nearly always back buyers, tilting the power balance back to the consumers' side :)
- hak8or 9y ago
  In Europe, for some sad reason credit cards are very rarely used and many stores don't accept them. Not to mention, if you do a charge back against a store like Walmart or Amazon, you won't be able to shop there anymore because they will ban you.
  - jorvi 9y ago
    In day-to-day shopping creditcards are very rarely used, but I'm pretty confident that for internet purchases creditcards aren't that rare. And as far as being banned goes: of course you first raise the issue with Amazon. Amazon says its an independent seller, go deal with them. You try to work it out with the seller, he doesn't budge, you show him the law. Still doesn't budge, you raise it with Amazon again. If Amazon doesn't budge, tell them that you are lawfully entitled and will do a chargeback, and that they can deal with the independent seller acting illegally (and if they're smart they just chargeback the seller). If they would still ban you then, that will be one hell of a juicy court case.
  - theonemind 9y ago
    Have you ever gotten banned somewhere for a chargeback? I haven't that I know of. But, then, I never reach that point with anyone I've ever wanted to do any more business with, so maybe I got banned without noticing.
- fnj 9y ago
  > Why not do a chargeback Do you really think "I bought something sight unseen and now I don't like it, waah" gets you special snowflake protection? There is no hint that the item is faulty or not as described.
  - Sleeep 9y ago
    If that's the law then yes?
    - fnj 9y ago
      Show me such a law.
      - thenomad 9y ago
        Here you go: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/pdfs/ukpga_20150015_en.pdf http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/pdfs/ukpga_20150... "I bought something sight unseen and now I don't like it, waah" will indeed entitle you to a full refund within 14 days under most circumstances.
      - deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
      - detaro 9y ago
        All EU member states have laws implementing http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:31999L0044 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:319... (non-conforming products have to be fixed/replaced free of charge) and http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&qid=1403274218893 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:320... (consumers can withdraw from most distance contracts for 14 days (although here they have to ship back on your their costs))
  - stordoff 9y ago
    The parent comment states "I bought a pan that arrived with a small defect". Under UK law, that would entitle him to a refund of product cost, delivery costs, and return costs (and Amazon's policies go further - even if not faulty, the seller must provide a UK returns address or pay the costs).
- 7952 9y ago
  I bought a device through an Amazon seller. It developed a fault after 10 months, within the warrenty period. The seller told me to return it, but then after I sent it they would not answer emails. After three months with no contact I started complaining. In the end Amazon told me they could do nothing and recommended I perform a chargeback!
- throwanem 9y ago
  I'd be a little thoughtful about filing a chargeback against Amazon - businesses do have considerable latitude in their choice of response beyond the immediate situation. For example, Steam's been known to permanently disable accounts in response to chargebacks, which means that even though you probably get your money back for the one game you had a problem with, you're still out everything else.
  - signal11 9y ago
    I would love to know if that's legal (in various jurisdictions). You may have hundreds of dollars worth of games, blocking the entire account in response to one incident seems disproportionate.
msq 9y ago
Always talk to Amazon customer support if the independent seller is making a fuss about warranty or return.
- chaostheory 9y ago
  Did this myself. Didn't help. All it did was add to the frustration and anger. I'm glad Amazon changed their policy.
  - bitJericho 9y ago
    Amazon policy for defective items is a full refund, and free return postage. https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=1161246#return https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=...
    - chaostheory 9y ago
      That's not what repeated emails and calls to Amazon customer service said for a defective $350 Exergen thermometer. I kept trying to escalate the issue. Amazon Customer service kept apologizing, telling me that they could do nothing. This happened about a year ago. Still shop at Amazon, but I definitely think more before buying bigger ticket items and I comparison shop now. Even though this policy change is great, I don't feel that I can revert back to my previous behavior of just mindlessly buying stuff at Amazon because of faith that they'll take care of you. I am still especially wary of buying from 3rd parties on Amazon unless it's a throwaway item, and we refuse to buy anything that isn't Prime.
stordoff 9y ago
FWIW, the A-Z guarantee would have covered this: > Your request meets one of our A-to-z Guarantee conditions below: [...] You want to return an item internationally and the Seller does not (1) provide a return address within the UK, (2) provide a pre-paid return label, or (3) offer a full refund without requesting the item be returned. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201889730 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeI...

by cfn 9y ago

richthegeek 9y ago

Interesting - I certainly would have raised that to support!

jorvi 9y ago

Why not do a chargeback on your creditcard (or raise a PayPal claim)? The law is very clear, if an item is faulty or not as described the seller is on the hook for all costs. This includes return shipping and/or sending you a replacement. A lot of sellers will try to strong-arm you but if you just do the chargeback/claim they have no option but to eat the loss. Creditcard companies and PayPal thankfully nearly always back buyers, tilting the power balance back to the consumers' side :)

hak8or 9y ago
In Europe, for some sad reason credit cards are very rarely used and many stores don't accept them. Not to mention, if you do a charge back against a store like Walmart or Amazon, you won't be able to shop there anymore because they will ban you.
- jorvi 9y ago
  In day-to-day shopping creditcards are very rarely used, but I'm pretty confident that for internet purchases creditcards aren't that rare. And as far as being banned goes: of course you first raise the issue with Amazon. Amazon says its an independent seller, go deal with them. You try to work it out with the seller, he doesn't budge, you show him the law. Still doesn't budge, you raise it with Amazon again. If Amazon doesn't budge, tell them that you are lawfully entitled and will do a chargeback, and that they can deal with the independent seller acting illegally (and if they're smart they just chargeback the seller). If they would still ban you then, that will be one hell of a juicy court case.
- theonemind 9y ago
  Have you ever gotten banned somewhere for a chargeback? I haven't that I know of. But, then, I never reach that point with anyone I've ever wanted to do any more business with, so maybe I got banned without noticing.
fnj 9y ago
> Why not do a chargeback Do you really think "I bought something sight unseen and now I don't like it, waah" gets you special snowflake protection? There is no hint that the item is faulty or not as described.
- Sleeep 9y ago
  If that's the law then yes?
  - fnj 9y ago
    Show me such a law.
    - thenomad 9y ago
      Here you go: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/pdfs/ukpga_20150015_en.pdf http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/pdfs/ukpga_20150... "I bought something sight unseen and now I don't like it, waah" will indeed entitle you to a full refund within 14 days under most circumstances.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - detaro 9y ago
      All EU member states have laws implementing http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:31999L0044 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:319... (non-conforming products have to be fixed/replaced free of charge) and http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083&qid=1403274218893 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:320... (consumers can withdraw from most distance contracts for 14 days (although here they have to ship back on your their costs))
- stordoff 9y ago
  The parent comment states "I bought a pan that arrived with a small defect". Under UK law, that would entitle him to a refund of product cost, delivery costs, and return costs (and Amazon's policies go further - even if not faulty, the seller must provide a UK returns address or pay the costs).
7952 9y ago
I bought a device through an Amazon seller. It developed a fault after 10 months, within the warrenty period. The seller told me to return it, but then after I sent it they would not answer emails. After three months with no contact I started complaining. In the end Amazon told me they could do nothing and recommended I perform a chargeback!
throwanem 9y ago
I'd be a little thoughtful about filing a chargeback against Amazon - businesses do have considerable latitude in their choice of response beyond the immediate situation. For example, Steam's been known to permanently disable accounts in response to chargebacks, which means that even though you probably get your money back for the one game you had a problem with, you're still out everything else.
- signal11 9y ago
  I would love to know if that's legal (in various jurisdictions). You may have hundreds of dollars worth of games, blocking the entire account in response to one incident seems disproportionate.

msq 9y ago

Always talk to Amazon customer support if the independent seller is making a fuss about warranty or return.

chaostheory 9y ago
Did this myself. Didn't help. All it did was add to the frustration and anger. I'm glad Amazon changed their policy.
- bitJericho 9y ago
  Amazon policy for defective items is a full refund, and free return postage. https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=1161246#return https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=...
  - chaostheory 9y ago
    That's not what repeated emails and calls to Amazon customer service said for a defective $350 Exergen thermometer. I kept trying to escalate the issue. Amazon Customer service kept apologizing, telling me that they could do nothing. This happened about a year ago. Still shop at Amazon, but I definitely think more before buying bigger ticket items and I comparison shop now. Even though this policy change is great, I don't feel that I can revert back to my previous behavior of just mindlessly buying stuff at Amazon because of faith that they'll take care of you. I am still especially wary of buying from 3rd parties on Amazon unless it's a throwaway item, and we refuse to buy anything that isn't Prime.

stordoff 9y ago

FWIW, the A-Z guarantee would have covered this: > Your request meets one of our A-to-z Guarantee conditions below: [...] You want to return an item internationally and the Seller does not (1) provide a return address within the UK, (2) provide a pre-paid return label, or (3) offer a full refund without requesting the item be returned. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201889730 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeI...