Ordered an Apple Watch on Saturday for the wife for our anniversary this Sunday. I knew very well prime days were coming. But I couldn’t risk it being late or not available. So it went on sale today for $50 less. I chatted with Amazon and requested the $50 credit. No go. They won’t honor their own sale price.

I explained that they would be paying return shipping and also shipping a new one as my plan was to return and reorder at the sale price. Still they wouldn’t refund. So UPS is coming to pickup one and deliver another tomorrow. Makes no sense.

Had a similar conversation with a TV mount I ordered.
But Amazon said to call the mfg.
I did.
All I needed to do is for them to send some screws.
They couldn't do that and I gave the same speech on cost effectiveness to the company, didn't matter.
I sent it back and reordered another.

Wife ordered an inflatable hot tub, 539 saturday.... $389 today... They would not budge... we are paying $11.89 for UPS to pick it up at house, and saving $140 for new one to be delivered tomorrow...

Somewhere it makes sense, but I don't know where that is.

Doesn't seem to make sense. Unless perhaps they have some policies to guard against internal loss theft. I don't know, like preventing CS from giving discounts to friends and family on the side?

I wonder what costco or nordstrom do in these cases (I know they give you the post sale discount if you go in, not sure about just online though).

Somehow I don’t have to pay return shipping. I chose “found at lower price” for return.

We are only paying to have UPS pick it up at the house due to its weight.

Would have been free if we took it in.

But, 30 minutes each way, it is heavy, and life is crazy now... worth the $12, esp since we are saving $140 ish.

Funny about the rules, probably a reason, easier to process returns and resales than issue credits and at the end of the month spending time to run adjustments back against sales.

Sale - Transaction 1
Return - Transaction 2
Sale - Transaction 3

Clean, simple easier to track in accounting

Willing to bet good money that these immedate return items will not re-enter the supply chain but diverted in to the return system then be sold off in large lot sales for pennies on the true dollar value... Even if the package was returned unopened. ........ drill sgt.

Not everything on Amazon are "created equal".

Some items are sold AND shipped by Amazon, some are sold by "X" and shipped by Amazon and others are sold by "X" and shipped by "X".

I think Amazon has more flexibility with items THEY both sell AND ship.

quote:

Originally posted by rebut10:
Not everything on Amazon are "created equal".

Some items are sold AND shipped by Amazon, some are sold by "X" and shipped by Amazon and others are sold by "X" and shipped by "X".

I think Amazon has more flexibility with items THEY both sell AND ship.

Yes, true. But they still won't price match their own prices.

I've encountered this plenty of times. I've tried my best to be helpful in saving them money.

But, no go. Return the item, replace with the new item.

My guess is that it's to keep the CS representatives from just printing money out in price adjustments or refunds. An item return acts as a physical token that must be received before the refund is issued. The CS agent has no part in that--the system automatically issues the refund when the item is logged as having been received.

Even if an item is damaged or missing pieces, they'll ask for the item to be returned. They'll ship the new item out, but won't give you credit for the defective item until they log the return.

Sometimes Amazon will let you keep the item and issue you a refund anyway--likely a threshold dollar amount that the CS agent can work with or if it's a third-party item where the third party has accepted the loss rather than pay for shipping and restocking.

I had the exact same issue. The customer service rep was the one who told me to return it and send the original back. I had already opened and installed the original. He said they don't know which one is which and to send the new one back for the return. I saved $50 and Amazon spent how much for the return process.

quote:

Even if an item is damaged or missing pieces, they'll ask for the item to be returned.

not 100% accurate,

had them tell me to keep a few things that were broken, and, the one shipment where the item was lost in transit due to poor packaging by Amazon, can't return what didn't show up, box showed up, picture of the box on the porch was there, nothing in the box...

Also had a couple of low buck items they just credited and said keep it...

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

They'll ship the new item out, but won't give you credit for the defective item until they log the return.

Do they "log the return" when they actually receive the item? Or do the log it when it starts its journey with the return shipper.

Every time that I have returned an item via an Amazon return facility, such as Kohl's or The UPS Store, the facility scanned the item into the system and I saw the credit with hours, if not minutes.

quote:

Every time that I have returned an item via an Amazon return facility, such as Kohl's or The UPS Store, the facility scanned the item into the system and I saw the credit with hours, if not minutes.

Same here, we use the local UPS store, drop it off, have it scanned and in a few hours get a text that they have credited the account.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

They'll ship the new item out, but won't give you credit for the defective item until they log the return.

Do they "log the return" when they actually receive the item? Or do the log it when it starts its journey with the return shipper.

Every time that I have returned an item via an Amazon return facility, such as Kohl's or The UPS Store, the facility scanned the item into the system and I saw the credit with hours, if not minutes.

In most instances, when you return to UPS Store or Kohl's, Amazon counts that as having been received by Amazon. In those instances, the UPS Store and Kohls is acting as agents for Amazon.

In some instances, such as returning a gift that you received with a gift receipt, Amazon won't give you credit until they receive it--even if you return to Kohls/Amazon.

Both of these watches were shipped and sold by Amazon. Usually I get a refund as soon as they have tracking showing it’s been shipped back. I don’t have an answer on this one yet because UPS picked it up yesterday and left a tracking slip. However UPS tracking still shows it has not picked up. Not sure what’s up with that.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

UPS tracking still shows it has not picked up. Not sure what’s up with that.

UPS guy: "Watch? I don't know anything about a watch."

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:

UPS tracking still shows it has not picked up. Not sure what’s up with that.

UPS guy: "Watch? I don't know anything about a watch."

I was thinking that. But he left the tracking slip. Anyhow it’s now tracking as on its way.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
...I chatted with Amazon and requested the $50 credit...

Was this over the phone or an email chat? I could not find a phone number on their site.

I ordered a Timex running watch from them, it came fast but with a dead battery. Return was easy, the replacement watch came fast. Also with a dead battery. Now I'm waiting for the credit to show on our MasterCard.

I tried to let y’all know by posting in the Amazon prime thread that things get much cheaper after prime day stops. I experienced it with a $10,000 order last year.

$2000 telescope dropped the $1200. 8K TV fell another thousand dollars.

I canceled the entire first order and re-ordered at the cheaper prices.

Prime day is a scam. I was a member since 1999 as well. No more.