Did this ever happen to you? (Amazon return policy).

[LAS14]

Recently I accidentally ordered three extra of some items I was getting for Christmas. They cost $32 each. They came at separate times, possibly from separate vendors. I didn't pay attention. When I returned the first two, I was given return slips to take to a "nearby" Kohl's (what do people without cars do?). When I launched the return process for the third one, I was told the money would be refunded to my MasterCard but that I did not need to return the item!!!!! That's a return policy I can live with. But I don't see how Amazon can! Any idea what the logic behind this is?

Edit: I wonder if they keep track of who's gotten a "keep it" return so that people don't begin to depend on getting freebies.

tia
las

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I have also Can't remember what it was but I guess it's cheaper for them to do that.

[Jerry2144]

2. Only for low cost items

It has happened to me once or twice. It was for items that were low cost or came from overseas where the shipping to return costs were higher than the value of the item. I ordered phone charger cables and had a failure in a month for corrosion. They sent me a new set, then refunded the purchase price. I ended up getting paid by then to take three good charger cables and one defective one. I did test them to ensure nothing sneaky inside them.

[LAS14]

7. Mine came from Ontario and was $32. But it was not a small box... 18" x 8" x 12".

[dlk]

3. This is how I've experienced Amazon's return policy

They will issue a refund and depending on the value of the item (usually a low one) will allow you to keep it, as well. It’s a goodwill gesture.

[drray23]

16. its not a good will gesture, its business.

cost of shipping it back and restocking it is higher than abandoning the item. Something thats $32.00 may only cost a few dollars to produce.

[MissB]

4. I've had that happen

Recently I ordered something from there that was much less $6. The color was off so I started the return process and they said to keep it.

A friend recently bought a two large dog kennels. One was a wire crate meant for a very large dog. The other was a soft sided crate also meant for a very large dog. He’s getting a puppy that will be a medium dog. So he started the return process and they told him to keep them both.

Sometimes I think they just figure it’s not worth moving this merchandise around the country.

[Tarc]

5. Yes, sometimes it is the weirdest mixups though.

We ordered some fingerless gloves a few months ago, and a bigger-than-a-pair-of-gloves box was on our doorstep a few days later. Inside was a garish kind of doll, like those stripper-pole Bratz dolls from the early 2000s, I can't recall the brand now. It's still sitting on the floor at home, no idea what to do with it.

[Codeine]

6. The Kohl's return has been around a few years.

The refund without return happens a lot, especially with third-party vendors; the logistics of shipping, storing, processing, and possibly repackaging a return far exceed the profit involved, so it’s just quicker and easier to let it go. This is even more common with seasonal items.

Right now online sellers are absolutely swamped with returns — just finding a place to put them all is straining their systems to the breaking point, much less the time and effort to actually deal with the returns in a way that generates profit.

[KarenS]

8. I had this happen recently,,,,

I ordered some yarn on Amazon,,, description said there were 2 skeins in a package,,,, I needed 4 skeins but only ordered a quantity of 2 because of the 2 skeins in a package,,, I received 2 skeins 1 package,,,, I did the online question thing and once I got the other person to understand what the description stated they said it was a shipping error,,,, they issued me a refund and said 'keep' the product,,,, huge difference tho my stuff was not $32 a piece,,,,

[lanlady]

9. Happened to me yesterday with an $11 item that I wanted to return to amazon

It's not worth the cost of sending the item back and re-shelving it.

This has happened to me twice with wayfair.com, except that the items I wanted to return were $25-50.

[Beatlelvr]

10. Same thing happened to me

I order alot from Amazon. This happened on a couple items. One was such a small item they said don't even bother to physically return it, so I gave it to Goodwill. The other item was a porta potty for my elderly mothers bedroom. Turned out she didn't need it. I called the company and they said that item could not be returned. But they gave me a refund anyway! Depends on the item and vendor I guess.
Plus Amazon does such high volume, some things they just don't bother with.

[Johnny2X2X]

11. They figure in the return process costs

More than just shipping. There's labor to process the return, accept the return, and restock the item which may or may not be be OK to sell again.

Amazon is one of the first major companies to do the math right. Most companies view returns as a principle, give a refund, you should get it back. Amazon took that emotion out of it and made it a simple math equation.

$40 item, $10 to process, $8 to ship. 30% of returned items have no resale value etc etc. they probably figure in hassle to the customer and good will too.

Say what you want about Amazon, but they've completely revolutionized customer service in a good way.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Probably cheaper than paying to send it back and deal with marketing a returned item.

I keep seeing ads on Facebook for “Lowe’s pallets.” It appears to be returns. Probably sold to a third party who bundles them as pallets.


I had a vanity from Wayfair show up with a hinge mount broken.

When I called to report the damage they asked if I would be comfortable having them talk me through a repair. No way I said. I’m not repairing a brand new $700 dollar vanity.

So they sent me a new one and said they don’t want the old one back.

A free vanity I will gladly repair. It now sits in a rental.

[shanti]

33. Buying flat pack furniture

on the internet is always a crapshoot. I bought a TV stand that had to be assembled. Problem was, several of the holes didn't line up and other issues popped up. I was going to pack it up and return it, but they said just keep it, and refunded me fully. I still have it, but seldom touch it, as it is barely holding together. You can't tell by looking at it though.

[Timewas]

13. Yup

For starters I personally was banned from amazon for returning too many items, they don't care that the stuff was junk I was expected to keep them and eat the loss, talking about $100+ items. they have just said keep some of the cheaper stuff and refunded anyway several times.

[Demsrule86]

14. If you can make it to Kohls...you get Kohl cash.

[LAS14]

17. Did you have a choice? I couldn't find any way to return it EXCEPT Kohl's. Did I need...

... to look harder?

tia
las

[moonscape]

25. There is an option to take it to

a UPS store and they will package it for you. I’ve only done that once when I had tossed the box already, and haven’t returned anything for a year or so but assume the option is still there.

[LAS14]

26. Well, I'm going to bookmark this thread and when I next...

... have to return something I'm going to send you a screen shot and ask you to show me where that option is. We have a UPS store less than half a mile from our house, and it is where we used to always return things.

Stay tuned!

[Demsrule86]

30. I believe Amazon still will accept returns...I have not returned anything. I usually go to Kohls as

get to return the item and I get some cash of of it.

[RockRaven]

15. I've had items included in my shipment which I did not order and I've received damaged items

and in both circumstances they didn't want the stuff back. I suspect that the human employee time that would be involved in processing returned items makes it cheaper to just let it go. I suspect it is employee-time related because Amazon really seems to emphasize cutting employee costs (all the anti-union stuff, and the high degree of automation).

When Amazon gets an item from their supplier and the item goes into their warehouse, they can somewhat trust their supplier to have provided the item as ordered, and that the item is new, clean, whole, etc because of the depth and/or duration of their business together. They don't need to check inside every container to confirm it holds what the package says it holds.

Amazon cannot trust customers returning stuff to the same degree. So anything returned probably needs to have a human set eyes on it to confirm the thing is what it is supposed to be and not a box of rocks or whatever. It would be bad for their business to restock and then resell garbage.

That's just a guess.

[msongs]

18. somebody is paying for these "free" goods. amazon does nothing that will lose it $$ nt

[MineralMan]

19. Reverse Logistics at work.

The cost of processing a returned item often exceeds the value of the item, especially if you add shipping, etc. to that value. Every returned item must be handled by people and takes up space somewhere. It can't really be resold as new, and has almost no value as a not-new item. It might be sold as part of a large lot of returned items, but the amount recovered still wouldn't even cover the cost of shipping and handling.

So, it often is more economical just to tell the recipient to keep the item or discard it.

I used to sell stuff on eBay and mineral specimens from my own website. If someone complained about an item, I simply refunded their money, because dealing with the process of having it returned was not economical in almost all cases.

So, that's why Amazon doesn't want things back, unless they're more expensive items. It's just not worth the hassle for them. The hassle costs more than the product is worth.

[HipChick]

20. Amazon does seem to keep a blacklist of folks who abuse this too much...

It would have to be a high rate, but you get flagged..

[Midnight Writer]

21. I once got a big box from Amazon full of children's toys, videos, coloring books.

Properly addressed to me, but nothing I ordered.

I contacted them, and they said they would would send me a pre-paid label I could stick on the box to return it.

After a couple weeks, no label came, so I e-mailed them.

Their response was don't worry about it. I could either keep the items or throw them away.

[Catherine Vincent]

22. It happened to me.

I'm thinking it's the type of order. I had ordered a 18 pk of high protein drinks for my dad. He passed in August so I wanted to return the unopened box.

[mvd]

23. Recently returned Bose headphones (which I felt were worse than my cheap ones),

and a nightgown I got for my mom. Not surprised I had to return the headphones to Kohl’s, but I also had to return the $26 nightgown. I am a Prime member.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

24. Yes, I bought the wrong windshield wiper, and they sent me the correct wiper,

and said don't bother returning the wrong one, (which fits the passenger side).

The driver side wiper and the passenger side wiper on my car are different sizes.

[Green Line]

27. It happened to me with Walmart

I ordered some Gevalia K cups, they sent me a much cheaper brand. When I let them know they told me to just keep them no charge. Turned out I liked the cheaper brand better.

[Mz Pip]

28. For a small item

I bought some air purifier filters that were advertised as fitting the model I had. They didn’t. When I submitted my return my account was credited but was told not to bother to return them. Guess it wasn’t worth the effort to return it to stock.

[EndlessWire]

29. I got a gift!

I earned some credit from Amazon for doing reviews on stuff I bought. I never cashed in.

Well, in my last Amazon shipment they sent me some free merchandise! I got a 1-lb package of Blue Diamond dark chocolate oven-roasted almonds--delicious--and a pair of nifty one-size-fits-all sock slippers that are good quality.

Plus, some card for something, and little slips for somethings else...I just assume this is something I earned, but it is sure nice to receive! A total surprise, and being starved for it, I really enjoyed it!

[cwydro]

31. Yes, I ordered a t-shirt that was the wrong size.

I think it was $25. When I went to see how to return, they told me they were refunding the money, but keep the shirt.

I was quite happy with that lol!

[Pompoy]

32. Two times

Some headphones, maybe $40-$50, and a salon chair that was probably too expensive to ship back because it was so heavy.