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Stuff gets lost during shipping all the time, why is the automatic refund process weird?

by FDSGSG 7y ago

derefr 7y ago
Four days is nearly instantaneous in logistics-system terms. I'd be surprised they managed to lose the thing, realize they lost the thing, and then give up on the thing turning up later on, all so quickly.
- FDSGSG 7y ago
  Four days is more than long enough to figure out that a tracked delivery has probably been lost. You refund and tell the delivery company to return to sender. This wasn't even a direct refund, just an email making it easy for the customer claim one.
  - derefr 7y ago
    For domestic transit, that might be true. For international shipping—often something will be in a black hole on various boats + transdock facilities + customs for two months or more, before anyone knows where the package is, or whether it was received at all. And, at that point, you often deal with carrier hand-off, such that the package immediately stops getting tracking updates from carrier A and there's potentially >4d of delay before you start getting tracking updates from carrier B.
    - FDSGSG 7y ago
      >For international shipping—often something will be in a black hole on various boats + transdock facilities + customs for two months or more, before anyone knows where the package is, or whether it was received at all. Is that very often the case with Amazon? I've done 500+ orders and haven't seen that happen unless I go out of my way to order from outside the EU (Ok, crossing EU borders is technically international, but not the way you meant it.)
momirlan 7y ago
the "automatic" adjective is what the problem is. i had the exact same experience. i expect an "automatic" refund. i had to search my order, and notice the comment, as if the refund is optional. any other companies would have issued the refund without asking if i really want it, and hoping i will not check the order and notice the question
- ryanlol 7y ago
  You would’ve eventually received an automatic refund (or the product!) even if you did nothing. Amazon really isn’t trying to screw you here, they’re just being transparent about a likely delivery issue and offering you the opportunity to cancel the order.

Stuff gets lost during shipping all the time, why is the automatic refund process weird?

by FDSGSG 7y ago

Stuff gets lost during shipping all the time, why is the automatic refund process weird?

Four days is nearly instantaneous in logistics-system terms. I'd be surprised they managed to lose the thing, realize they lost the thing, and then give up on the thing turning up later on, all so quickly.

FDSGSG 7y ago
Four days is more than long enough to figure out that a tracked delivery has probably been lost. You refund and tell the delivery company to return to sender. This wasn't even a direct refund, just an email making it easy for the customer claim one.
- derefr 7y ago
  For domestic transit, that might be true. For international shipping—often something will be in a black hole on various boats + transdock facilities + customs for two months or more, before anyone knows where the package is, or whether it was received at all. And, at that point, you often deal with carrier hand-off, such that the package immediately stops getting tracking updates from carrier A and there's potentially >4d of delay before you start getting tracking updates from carrier B.
  - FDSGSG 7y ago
    >For international shipping—often something will be in a black hole on various boats + transdock facilities + customs for two months or more, before anyone knows where the package is, or whether it was received at all. Is that very often the case with Amazon? I've done 500+ orders and haven't seen that happen unless I go out of my way to order from outside the EU (Ok, crossing EU borders is technically international, but not the way you meant it.)

momirlan 7y ago

the "automatic" adjective is what the problem is. i had the exact same experience. i expect an "automatic" refund. i had to search my order, and notice the comment, as if the refund is optional. any other companies would have issued the refund without asking if i really want it, and hoping i will not check the order and notice the question

ryanlol 7y ago
You would’ve eventually received an automatic refund (or the product!) even if you did nothing. Amazon really isn’t trying to screw you here, they’re just being transparent about a likely delivery issue and offering you the opportunity to cancel the order.