Amazon and overseas vendors

I've had occasion to need to return something to Amazon. It was defective, so the vendor should have been willing to receive it. HUGE hassle - I almost blew it off because it was only $15 - but then I got stubborn...

Anyway, it became obvious through our many emails that the vendor either was not from the U.S. or never passed high school because their English was atrocious. Many of the malapropisms hinted of an overseas operation. It wasn't until I threatened to put a bad review on their Amazon webpage and contact Amazon customer service directly that they agreed to issue a refund. We'll see if it's the whole refund (they wanted to give me a partial refund even though I returned the item.)

I just thought this was weird. I must be naive because I figured "Amazon" = "U.S." Guess I need to think globally.

I bought a set of 3 iPad "pens" that cost something like $4 (including shipping), and when they arrived they had a customs slip on them and had clearly come from China. I can't imagine how they made any money off that with the shipping. I thought it was weird - such a trivial item. It was really only laziness that caused me to buy them there instead of an office supply store.

I recently had a not so good experience on Amazon. I ordered a Breville Juicer and much earlier than I expected, a large box came to my door. When I opened it, it was a gift wrapped box from Williams/Sonoma (WS) that stated it was from some woman that I do not know in Boynton Beach, Fl. Anyway, I called W-S and they said that it had been sent by this woman. I told them I did not know her and they said they would call her to check to see if she had ordered something for me. They returned my call after a couple of days and said that she had not ordered anything. I asked them what was in the box and they said a Breville Juicer. Then I was curious, so I emailed the supplier through Amazon and they said they had gotten it from WS because they were out and wanted to keep their good rating intact. I told them that I was going to return the item unless they could prove to me that they or their supplier had paid for the item and not some woman in Florida unrelated to the company. They did not do this and I confirmed with WS that the woman in FL had paid for the item so I had the item returned to WS. I then emailed the supplier and told them that I had returned the item and that I expected a new Juicer would be forwarded to me asap expedited mail for the time and trouble they had caused me (which was a lot cause they just could nto solve the problem).

They then emailed me and said they would do expedited mailing and that they would even discount me 10%. Yesterday, I still had not received the item, which was 7 days after I returned the box to WS, so I emailed them again and told them that I wanted a tracking number immediately and wanted to know when it would get to my house and also that I had heard nothing from Amazon about a 10% discount.

I will check my home email tonight to see what they say. If they do not have a satisfactory answer I will cancel my order and cancel the credit card transaction with my card company as well.

You bet I will also put negative feedback on the Amazon website as well. This has just been a nightmare!

There's a big difference between something that's sold by Amazon vs. something that you order through Amazon from a third party seller.

I don't *completely* avoid the third parties, but I treat them with a whole lot more suspicion.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

There's a big difference between something that's sold by Amazon vs. something that you order through Amazon from a third party seller.

I don't *completely* avoid the third parties, but I treat them with a whole lot more suspicion.

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Yep, I am faced with this right now with the food processor I want. I can get it a LOT more cheaply if I order via a third party seller - and Amazon isn't fulfilling the order so I will probably not do it...

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Originally Posted by Catrin

Yep, I am faced with this right now with the food processor I want. I can get it a LOT more cheaply if I order via a third party seller - and Amazon isn't fulfilling the order so I will probably not do it...

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Had the same experience buying a larger appliance. Waited until Bed Bath & Beyond came out with a 20% off certificate.

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Originally Posted by spokewench

This has just been a nightmare!

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That's crazy!
I hope you end up with a really nice juicer when it gets sorted!!

Been having difficulties with Amazon lately myself. Even something as simple as books, seems their boxing/packaging has gotten bad. The last few books I've ordered from them have arrived bent or wrinkled, and the last two CD's have arrived with cracked jewel cases.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

There's a big difference between something that's sold by Amazon vs. something that you order through Amazon from a third party seller.

I don't *completely* avoid the third parties, but I treat them with a whole lot more suspicion.

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This! I'm also a Prime member, so I almost exclusively buy directly from Amazon instead of 3rd party. I love 2 day shipping. Wasn't too long ago I got something with missing parts. They refunded my money and told me not to bother shipping it back. The item was only like $12.

These days I almost always opt for shipping directly from Amazon. Sometimes things like face cream that are ridiculously cheap and come from 3rd party vendors carry reviews that are pretty bad. If you buy a Chi hairdryer from a 3rd party vendor, for example, Chi won't honor the warranty because there are so many knock offs.