On Tuesday, 26 March, Amazon was speculated to have delivered an iPhone 15 and an accompanying Otterbox case to my house.
Amazon mentioned it might require a signature upon supply. So, I naturally ensured that I used to be house all day so I may signal for the supply – which I had spent over £700 on.
However I wasn’t nervous if I used to be distracted by work, in spite of everything I’d hear the doorbell (I’ve an Amazon Ring video doorbell, which information motion outdoors my door).
At 11:31, I obtained an e mail telling me that the iPhone and case had been out for supply.
After which, at 14:34, I obtained an e mail telling me that that they had been delivered.
That’s odd, I assumed. I didn’t hear the doorbell, I haven’t signed for something, and I positively haven’t obtained an iPhone and case from Amazon.
Logging into my Amazon account, I used to be advised that the iPhone and case had been “Handed to resident” at 12:51.
Hmm.. effectively, I used to be the one particular person house on the home at the moment – and it positively hadn’t been handed to me. My associate (who was out on the time) confirmed that she hadn’t magically obtained it both.
A fast test across the outdoors of the home revealed no hint of a bundle, and the neighbours confirmed that they hadn’t obtained it both.
It’s all relatively a thriller. Amazon claims that the bundle was “handed to resident” and had additionally mentioned 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 state of affairs. I contacted Amazon buyer providers. They advised me that I needed to wait till the top of Thursday 28 March earlier than requesting a refund, as generally errors occurred… and a supply may very well 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 service has recorded your bundle as delivered on 26 March 2024. Please test along with your neighbors or members of your family to seek out out whether or not they’ve taken supply of the bundle in your behalf.
Please enable 3 days (72 hours) whereas we examine this matter. In case you haven’t obtained 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.
Thankfully, 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. Because of this, we can not concern a alternative or a refund for this merchandise.
As you may most likely think about, I wasn’t very pleased with 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 criticism?
Moreover, Amazon mentioned, “Signature required at time of supply. Please guarantee somebody might 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 house your 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 report any tried supply.
So, please present the signature. Or please concern my refund/alternative
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 relatively hoping they could sort things.) On the time of writing, they nonetheless haven’t received again to me.
However Amazon customer support did get again to me. And right here’s what they mentioned:
We seemed into your order and AMZN_UK has confirmed the cargo you reported misplaced was delivered to you in good situation. Because of this, we is not going to be issuing a alternative or a refund for the contents of that cargo.
We’re unable to give you any additional help on this matter. We admire your enterprise and hope to see you once more quickly.
So, Amazon continues to say that it delivered the cellphone 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. Because of this, we can not concern a alternative or a refund for this merchandise.
In case you shouldn’t have any additional suggestions concerning your Amazon procuring expertise, please contemplate this concern closed, and be assured that you could be proceed procuring as regular.
We’re unable to offer extra info on this matter and we could not reply to extra emails about this concern.
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 a lot of many others who’ve had horrible experiences getting refunds from Amazon after it has did not ship costly items.
Nice information! @AmazonUK has received again to me concerning the £700 iPhone they did not ship (and would not refund or change)
Unhealthy information, what they advised me… 😞 Watch my video
Based mostly on this expertise, why would anybody purchase something costly from Amazon ever once more?
RT in the event you agree. https://t.co/G9LgoSnPdd pic.twitter.com/XagmcfuqO8
— Graham Cluley (@gcluley) March 30, 2024
After which there was this last kick within the tooth, once I requested that my criticism be escalated:
I perceive that you simply wish to escalate this, nevertheless, all Amazon account specialists are skilled to seek out the very best resolutions for our clients’ points.
Properly Amazon, I may also help you discover the “very best decision” for this buyer. Give me my a refund or ship the bloody iPhone and case that you simply did not ship to me.
So, what are my subsequent steps?
Properly, I can request a chargeback from my fee card firm – a approach of getting your a refund while you don’t obtain the products or providers you may have paid for, and a retailer is refusing to refund.
Nevertheless, I’ve been advised by quite a few those who Amazon actually actually doesn’t like individuals 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 relatively 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 completed that, though Thames Valley Police have advised me that they don’t seem to be going to research. Presumably they, like me, contemplate this to be Amazon’s downside.
I can even take Amazon to the Small Claims Courtroom, the place Amazon can be compelled to offer precise proof that it delivered the iPhone 15 and case to me.
It’s, after all, completely ridiculous for a buyer to go to such lengths to get a refund or alternative from Amazon. However it appears there aren’t any different methods to get across the brick wall that’s its customer support division.
Properly, I assume I may at all times make a video and write a weblog submit 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 respectable sincere clients?
