On Tuesday, 26 March, Amazon was alleged to have delivered an iPhone 15 and an accompanying Otterbox case to my residence.
Amazon stated it might require a signature upon supply. So, I naturally ensured that I used to be residence all day so I may signal for the supply – which I had spent over £700 on.
However I wasn’t apprehensive if I used to be distracted by work, in any case I’d hear the doorbell (I’ve an Amazon Ring video doorbell, which information motion outdoors my door).
At 11:31, I acquired an electronic mail telling me that the iPhone and case had been out for supply.
After which, at 14:34, I acquired an electronic mail telling me that they’d been delivered.
That’s odd, I assumed. I didn’t hear the doorbell, I haven’t signed for something, and I undoubtedly haven’t acquired an iPhone and case from Amazon.
Logging into my Amazon account, I used to be instructed that the iPhone and case had been “Handed to resident” at 12:51.
Hmm.. effectively, I used to be the one individual residence on the home at the moment – and it undoubtedly hadn’t been handed to me. My associate (who was out on the time) confirmed that she hadn’t magically acquired it both.
A fast verify across the outdoors of the home revealed no hint of a bundle, and the neighbours confirmed that they hadn’t acquired it both.
It’s all slightly a thriller. Amazon claims that the bundle was “handed to resident” and had additionally stated that it might require a signature upon supply.
So how may it not be in my possession?
I did what everybody ought to do on this scenario. I contacted Amazon buyer providers. They instructed me that I needed to wait till the top of Thursday 28 March earlier than requesting a refund, as typically errors occurred… and a supply could possibly be delayed.
Truthful sufficient, I assumed. I’ll wait two days, after which request the refund for the non-delivery.
Two days later, after there was nonetheless no signal of the iPhone 15 or case, I requested the refund.
Customer support agent Rizza at “Earth’s most customer-centric firm” responded to my request:
It seems that the provider has recorded your bundle as delivered on 26 March 2024. Please verify along with your neighbors or members of your family to search out out whether or not they’ve taken supply of the bundle in your behalf.
Please permit 3 days (72 hours) whereas we examine this matter. When you haven’t acquired your refund by 31 March 2024 please tell us.
Oh, so having waited two days, I now have to attend one other three days? Hmm… okay. That is starting to get a bit irritating, I assumed.
Luckily, I didn’t have to attend three days to listen to again from Amazon. Sadly, I didn’t like what Amazon needed to say once they introduced the top of their investigation on 29 March:
AMZN_UK confirmed the [ITEM] you ordered was within the bundle on the time it left our achievement heart and that it was delivered to you intact. In consequence, we can not situation a substitute or a refund for this merchandise.
As you possibly can in all probability think about, I wasn’t very proud of this response. And so I emailed again:
Hello
The gadgets had been NOT delivered.
I used to be in the home on the time they claimed to be delivered. There was NO ring or knock on my door. My Ring doorbell has recorded NO proof of any supply or exercise outdoors my door.
None of my neighbours report any supply to them.
And but Amazon claims “handed to resident”
I’ve been a Prime Enterprise buyer of yours for years, in addition to a private Prime subscriber.
Are you claiming I’m mendacity about this? My enterprise paid for an iPhone and case and we simply need it delivered or a refund.
What’s the course of for escalating this grievance?
Moreover, Amazon stated, “Signature required at time of supply. Please guarantee somebody will likely be accessible to signal for this supply.”
So, if you’re actually claiming that the iPhone was delivered are you able to please present the signature? As a reminder – I used to be residence the complete day, nobody delivered the lacking iPhone and case, my neighbours didn’t obtain a bundle addressed to me, and my Ring doorbell didn’t document any tried supply.
So, please present the signature. Or please situation my refund/substitute
Are you able to inform I wasn’t very joyful? You’re proper!
I additionally dropped a line to Amazon UK’s PR company, telling them that I used to be planning to write down about my expertise and giving them the chance to reply with any remark (and slightly hoping they may sort things.) On the time of writing, they nonetheless haven’t acquired again to me.
However Amazon customer support did get again to me. And right here’s what they stated:
We appeared into your order and AMZN_UK has confirmed the cargo you reported misplaced was delivered to you in good situation. In consequence, we is not going to be issuing a substitute or a refund for the contents of that cargo.
We’re unable to give you any additional help on this matter. We recognize your online business and hope to see you once more quickly.
So, Amazon continues to say that it delivered the telephone and case to me in good situation. And once I requested for photographic proof of supply, or a duplicate of the signature that (presumably) was given when Amazon’s supply driver “handed to resident” they ignored me.
AMZN_UK confirmed the gadgets you ordered had been within the bundle on the time it left our achievement heart and that it was delivered to you intact. In consequence, we can not situation a substitute or a refund for this merchandise.
When you would not have any additional suggestions concerning your Amazon purchasing expertise, please contemplate this situation closed, and be assured that you could be proceed purchasing as normal.
We’re unable to offer further info on this matter and we might not reply to further emails about this situation.
Ouch. It feels like Amazon just isn’t solely maintaining my cash, nevertheless it’s refusing to even reply to questions concerning the non-delivery any extra.
After posting about my expertise on Twitter and LinkedIn it appears there are lots of many others who’ve had horrible experiences getting refunds from Amazon after it has didn’t ship costly items.
Nice information! @AmazonUK has acquired again to me concerning the £700 iPhone they didn’t ship (and would not refund or change)
Dangerous information, what they instructed me… 😞 Watch my video
Primarily based on this expertise, why would anybody purchase something costly from Amazon ever once more?
RT if you happen to agree. https://t.co/G9LgoSnPdd pic.twitter.com/XagmcfuqO8
— Graham Cluley (@gcluley) March 30, 2024
After which there was this remaining kick within the tooth, once I requested that my grievance be escalated:
I perceive that you just want to escalate this, nevertheless, all Amazon account specialists are educated to search out the absolute best resolutions for our clients’ points.
Nicely Amazon, I can assist you discover the “absolute best decision” for this buyer. Give me my a refund or ship the bloody iPhone and case that you just didn’t ship to me.
So, what are my subsequent steps?
Nicely, I can request a chargeback from my fee card firm – a manner of getting your a refund whenever you don’t obtain the products or providers you’ve got paid for, and a retailer is refusing to refund.
Nonetheless, I’ve been instructed by a variety of people who Amazon actually actually doesn’t like folks doing this to them, and customers can discover themselves blocked from utilizing any of Amazon’s providers in future (in what appears to me to be slightly petty revenge – particularly when it was Amazon that was at fault within the first place).
I’ve additionally reported the theft/fraud of the iPhone to the police. I’ve performed that, though Thames Valley Police have instructed me that they aren’t going to analyze. Presumably they, like me, contemplate this to be Amazon’s drawback.
I can even take Amazon to the Small Claims Court docket, the place Amazon could be compelled to offer precise proof that it delivered the iPhone 15 and case to me.
It’s, in fact, completely ridiculous for a buyer to go to such lengths to get a refund or substitute from Amazon. Nevertheless it appears there are not any different methods to get across the brick wall that’s its customer support division.
Nicely, I assume I may at all times make a video and write a weblog put up complaining about Amazon’s appalling customer support – and ask pleasant viewers and readers to share them on-line.
Is there anyone at Amazon who nonetheless cares about taking care of their reputable trustworthy clients?
