Last week I purchased a Wii Fit from Amazon when they dropped their price from $99 to $89; a few days later I received the Wii Fit in the mail. 1 Day after receiving the Wii Fit I noticed a promotion from Amazon to purchase the Wii and Wii Fit together and get a $50 discount (http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/967526/). I was buying these as a christmas gift for the kids and was holding out for a good Wii deal so thought this promotion would be great.
I called Amazon customer service, explained that I just received the Wii Fit, it was unopened and would like to get the Wii and take part in the promotion. Customer service told me that they can't do that and that I would have to purchase the package deal and return the Wii Fit for a refund. I thought this seemed kinda crazy, but the rep said all I would incur would be the shipping charges and he even took care of the return authorization which I received via email a few minutes after the call.
So just today I received an email that the Wii Fit had been received and a refund processed:
So I was shocked to see I was only refunded $40.01 for a $89.99 purchase. Long story short I called Amazon and after speaking with a supervisor finally got them to refund the $45 restocking fee. I was told that Amazon will charge up to a 50% restocking fee for video game hardware if it is returned; they said if there was a problem, they would gladly issue an exchange, but returns for an unwanted item incur a hefty fee.
Thought I would put this out as a warning to anyone buying video games and maybe other electronics from Amazon that an unwanted gift could incur a big restocking fee. I thought I would be saving money and tax by shopping Amazon, but if I was buying a gift that might be returned, I might think twice given their strick policy. I should also note that I didn't see this policy posted clearly on their website, which I think is what helped in my argument to get the money refunded. Lastly I should also mention the package I returned was completly unopened so it's not like I opened it and messed with it, I may have been better off, just writing return to sender, but I didn't figure I would be hassled.
I shop Amazon a lot and hope I can save someone some Christmas hastle as I had no idea of their outragous restocking policy.
At first I thought they were just refunding the bundled price accidentally, but that's an outrageous restocking policy. Even BestBuy and Wal-Mart (heck, even without a receipt) will let me return sealed games. At the very least it should be an Amazon credit that you get back for it.
Amazon's return policy said: General Returns Policy You may return most new, unopened items sold and fulfilled by Amazon.com within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error. Items should be returned in their original product packaging. Just visit our online Returns Center, and we will guide you through the process and even supply you with a return mailing label you can print out. The Product Specific Policies page has information about items purchased from third-party Amazon.com Merchants or Marketplace sellers. Visit our Returns Center Calculating Your Refund The following conditions and exceptions apply, as do those listed on the Product Specific Policies pages. Partial refunds: * Any opened computer returned within 30 days of delivery: 85% of item's price. * Any unopened media item or non-media item in original condition that is returned more than 30 days after delivery: 80% of item's price. * Any book that has obvious signs of use: 50% of item's price. * Any CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap): 50% of item's price. * Any item that is not in its original condition, is damaged, or is missing parts for reasons not due to our error: up to 50% of item's price.
Looks like they mistook your item for 'not in original condition'.
So if you get something as a present and someone already got that for you and you've opened theirs, you can only return the UNOPENED box for half the amount? Might be a lot of angry customers this Christmas.
fhamel
Member
posted: Nov. 20, 2009 @ 4:00p
I know you said you didn't open the box but maybe they thought that the Wii Fit board box was originally wrapped in plastic and they thought it was opened. Hence the 50% return.
Partial refunds:
* Any opened computer returned within 30 days of delivery: 85% of item's price. * Any unopened media item or non-media item in original condition that is returned more than 30 days after delivery: 80% of item's price. * Any book that has obvious signs of use: 50% of item's price. * Any CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap): 50% of item's price. * Any item that is not in its original condition, is damaged, or is missing parts for reasons not due to our error: up to 50% of item's price.
Hah good thread thanks. At first I thought this was something Amazon was selling on their site. Curiosity killed the cat, and I clicked to see what this was about lol. Thanks OP, but at least you got your money back. I wonder if you bought this on a CC if you could file a dispute if they tried to stick with the %50. Their terms are kind of broad in wording in some cases IMHO.
fhamel said: I know you said you didn't open the box but maybe they thought that the Wii Fit board box was originally wrapped in plastic and they thought it was opened. Hence the 50% return.
Partial refunds:
* Any opened computer returned within 30 days of delivery: 85% of item's price. * Any unopened media item or non-media item in original condition that is returned more than 30 days after delivery: 80% of item's price. * Any book that has obvious signs of use: 50% of item's price. * Any CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap): 50% of item's price. * Any item that is not in its original condition, is damaged, or is missing parts for reasons not due to our error: up to 50% of item's price.
Yes, since someone above found and quoted Amazon's return policy it seems that maybe they though the Wii Fit should be wrapped in plastic and thus thought it was opened. I haven't opened the replacement one I got because I figure if it's open the kids will peek, but I'm pretty sure the ones in the store aren't wrapped in plastic. So maybe this was a simple Amazon mistake, but I sure had to argue it with customer service to get them to credit me. I guess if nothing else keep a close eye on any returns to make sure they process as you would expect; then again this is probably standard practice for the FW community.
master44 said: fhamel said: I know you said you didn't open the box but maybe they thought that the Wii Fit board box was originally wrapped in plastic and they thought it was opened. Hence the 50% return.
Partial refunds:
* Any opened computer returned within 30 days of delivery: 85% of item's price. * Any unopened media item or non-media item in original condition that is returned more than 30 days after delivery: 80% of item's price. * Any book that has obvious signs of use: 50% of item's price. * Any CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap): 50% of item's price. * Any item that is not in its original condition, is damaged, or is missing parts for reasons not due to our error: up to 50% of item's price.
Yes, since someone above found and quoted Amazon's return policy it seems that maybe they though the Wii Fit should be wrapped in plastic and thus thought it was opened. I haven't opened the replacement one I got because I figure if it's open the kids will peek, but I'm pretty sure the ones in the store aren't wrapped in plastic. So maybe this was a simple Amazon mistake, but I sure had to argue it with customer service to get them to credit me. I guess if nothing else keep a close eye on any returns to make sure they process as you would expect; then again this is probably standard practice for the FW community.
Agree! Well, technically you are not returning a video game, you are returning a gaming hardware. Second its not a computer. So I dont see how it is covered by their return policy!
It seems seems like a mistake made by their return dept... like couple of them already said, they must have thought it was opened. Just contact their support, no need to post here and make so many paranoid about this.
I had to return an electronic item (on behalf of an elderly relative) to Amazon a few months ago. It was opened and everything had been taken out and tried out, but the item wasn't compatible with my relative's tv, so the relative couldn't use it. I called Amazon about it and asked about any restocking fee that would be deducted, and they said they'd refund the entire purchase price, no problems. I was very impressed with this, because I think they could have kept $50 (half of the purchase price) under the terms of their policy, if they'd wanted to. My relative was relieved to get all her money back. I've had a great experience with Amazon customer service, generally.
gonewiththewind
Member
posted: Nov. 20, 2009 @ 11:22p
Offlate amazons attitude has changed...since the competition has dwindled on the internet with few site being the outright winners...this was bound to happen... I think twice before I order anything from Amazon...since its not the same company that it was a few years back..with price match and excellent CS.
i agree Amazon is not as customer friendly as it once was. my example is i bought shoes, 4 days later the price dropped 40 bucks, Amazon would't match new price. they use to for 30 days i think.
I received a2 wii fits (lucky me) as a gifts-off my wishlist which was supposed to prevent getting 2 of the same thing. I returned one and had the same experience. Except they initially told me the unopened wii fit was damaged! When I told them they had to take it up with UPS they found out it wasn't damaged and eventually refunded me the purchase price as a gift card.
danteshors said: i agree Amazon is not as customer friendly as it once was. my example is i bought shoes, 4 days later the price dropped 40 bucks, Amazon would't match new price. they use to for 30 days i think. Amazon changed their price match policy more than a year ago. Now they do it only if your order hasn't shipped.
gonewiththewind said: Offlate amazons attitude has changed...since the competition has dwindled on the internet with few site being the outright winners...this was bound to happen... I think twice before I order anything from Amazon...since its not the same company that it was a few years back..with price match and excellent CS.
What the ... are you talking about? Did you see what they just did with the people who cancelled xbox orders, they came back to me telling me to reorder at a discount! That's above and beyond anything they've done before. This is a one-time case resolved through CS in this thread. Where's your evidence that "attitude has changed"? Policies (like no more price matching after the sale, but that was over a year ago) have changed, but attitude??
danteshors said: i agree Amazon is not as customer friendly as it once was. my example is i bought shoes, 4 days later the price dropped 40 bucks, Amazon would't match new price. they use to for 30 days i think.
You know what, for one thing that was over a year ago, and besides that--they blew everybody out of the water with Black Friday deals last year. What allowed them to do that? Cancelling the price match policy! You think it was a coincidence that was the year they dominated BF?
I wish they still had the price match policy too, but come on, that was not going to last forever.
udaykiran82
New Member
posted: Nov. 21, 2009 @ 10:45a
I just called up Amazon.com to find out about price drops in the future as i was looking for a GPS.It was listed last week as 255$ and now it dropped to 230$ and so i asked them what if i buy it now and it drops again. Amazon CSR said that if the price drops how much ever before shipping they will give the new reduced price and if the item is shipped and the price drops by more than 20$ then i can call them back within 7 days and they will refund the price difference amount.
But if the price drops less than 20$ after shipping but within in 7 days or if had been more than 7 days i received my item and then there is a price drop of 20$ or more,then there will be no refund.
Amazon will not price match anymore the way they used to. It has been like that for over a year. Amazon custumer service is the best there is.
Recent items: A 5.1 speaker system that had nothing wrong with it, except that we had old equipment and there was no compatability. It had been opened and tried out. Amazon issued a label and full refund.
XBox deal. I had cancelled and they sent the e-mail to offer it (did not take it but it was greatly appreciated)
A Sony tv that was tilting forward (this was on December of last year). Sony customer service sucks! and Amazon (who did not have to do anything about it) sent us a $100 wall braket to hang the tv on the wall and prevent the tv from falling on someone (there stand needs to have the holes and screws adjusted, Sony know this is a production issue with some of the tvs). They did not have to do this and they did it.
I have very few issues with anything I buy from Amazon and I buy plenty, but when there is an issue it is handle professionally, efficiently and with great appreciation for its customers.
Like any large company, there is bound to be something that is not resolved to perfection, but there is no point in bashing a company that stands above the rest in customer service and satisfaction just because there is a "glitch" on someone's order.
If we read the OP correctly, he was just warning that there was a 50% re-stocking fee to be aware of but he got his refund in full after talking to customer service.
Btw,most stores would not give you 50% back if a game has been opened. (I know that op did not have this issue but others have and then complain about it)
Last year, I ordered QuickBooks on a special from Amazon. Just a few days after I ordered it, Staples ran a special with a full refund. Naturally, I was upset and called Amazon and was told that I could return it for a full refund. Much to my surpise, I, too, was charged a 50% return fee and the original shipping fee even though the package was unopened and still in the original plastic wrap as it had been shipped. I finally decided to call Amazon and after some discussion, I was able to convince the customer service rep to give me a credit for the full amount. This policy has certainly hampered my buying from Amazon. In fact, I have not made a purchase since.
I never buy anything at Amazon or anyplace else i cant get to a actual store and deal with crazy return policies, i would just rather pay more or do without than deal with online retailers with poor return policies
Amazon does not have a "poor return policy" - I don't know what some of you people are bellyaching about.
Amazon has a generous return policy, if you follow their rules as stated at your time of purchase, and often they will bend the rules in your favor if you do try to return something.
Amazon is the first internet retailer I go to for just about everything, because I trust their returns policy (and their buyer protection from Marketplace sellers).
(You can read my thread of a few months ago about trying to return a kitchen appliance to Drugstore.com for another side of internet retailer return handling.)
Their 30-day price-matching policy was, as other posters have explained, ended a year ago. If you still expected to have it in effect this year, that is your error, not theirs.
And why would you blame them for not maintaining such a generous price-matching policy, if the other major internet retailers didn't have this policy?
== Another example of good customer service I've had recently from Amazon:
Last month I ordered several hardback books, and they were sent to me in a box with only one of those little air pillows, so they were jostled roughly in the mail and the paper covers were ripped when I opened the box. I called Amazon to arrange a replacement, and they sent me a pre-paid postage label on email and without my asking them to (or needing them to), they immediately shipped me the 3 books by express next-day mail (which type of shipping cost more than the sum total of the books themselves) without waiting to get the others in return first.
The customer service person explained that they were trying a new shipping/packing strategy, and that I should make sure to use the packaging feedback form to complain about the poor cushioning. I've noticed of late that their packaging has not been as good as in previous times.
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