Current Events > Has Amazon ruined me or are restrictive online return policies dumb

(+) Yeah! (+)

in this modern economy? Or maybe I'm extra grumpy because this one seems like it's trying to be cool.

We want you to love your [product]. But if youre having second thoughts, we make returns as simple as possible.
Cool cool cool cool cool

You may return items for up to 14-days for any reason for a full refund.
That's kind of short, but ok...

We accept all returns for any/all products that are unused, in the original packaging.
So... I can't try out this "luxury" comfort based item to see if it works for me?

Customer is responsible for return shipping costs and we strongly urge opting for tracking information.
Boo-urns

---

Yeah, Amazon ruined you. Those are more normal return policies, Amazon just goes above and beyond.

---

restrictive online return policies are dumb.

Amazon person put my attacl on titan books in the rain.

They got wet.

I reported it and they sent me new ones and let me keep the old ones at no cost.

These policies are all logical. Opened product is essentially garbage for most companies, literally no reason for them to accept it just because a customer doesn't know what they want. There's also no reason for the company to eat shipping costs for the same reason. Expecting you to do tracking is to prevent being scammed by scummy consumers, which many people are.

The reality is that people who abuse more generous policies ruin it for everyone else. If returns were scarce then I don't think policies would need to be quite so strict.

The only part that is questionable is very short return policies. If an item is a gift or isn't needed right away then it can be difficult to know if it needs to be returned before it is too late.

---

Haven't had to return much online but you do have to watch out with preorders from smaller and third party stores. I tried to cancel one preorder a couple weeks after I made it but they kept refusing, even though the release date was still several months away.

Ranting Nord posted...

You may return items for up to 14-days for any reason for a full refund.

Explain why anyone would need more than two weeks.

Ranting Nord posted...

We accept all returns for any/all products that are unused, in the original packaging.

Explain why you think returning an opened/used item for a full refund makes sense.

Ranting Nord posted...

Customer is responsible for return shipping costs and we strongly urge opting for tracking information.

Explained why customers should be entitled to free shipping.

14 days is fine for me because I would literally receive the item and immediately try it. But compared to say Walmart with 90 day return period on clothing and shoes it's not a good start.

Because, like with clothes or shoes, you can know your sizes and measurements every which way but because of different manufacturing processes, you don't know how it will actually fit until you try it.

Because I get free shipping to me and even at 1 in 4 items sold being returned, eating that cost should be factored in cost of doing business.

I get it, it's a "mom and pop" operation and they're trying to maximize profit. I'm still grumpy and I'll probably buy from them anyway.

---

Id rather the return policy be more open and perhaps offset loss by giving me store credit only.
---

darkphoenix181 posted...

Amazon person put my attacl on titan books in the rain.

They got wet.

I reported it and they sent me new ones and let me keep the old ones at no cost.

What were they supposed to do with wet books?
---

Amazon eats enormous cost to make it as consumer friendly as possible, so people automatically turn to them. What you described was the norm before Amazon normal came to be. Look at how hard Steam fought against refunds, and it's easy as piss for them to refund games. They had to have it legislated for them by the UK/AUS parliaments.

---

divot1338 posted...

What were they supposed to do with wet books?

Confirm I wasn't lying to get more books.

darkphoenix181 posted...

divot1338 posted...

What were they supposed to do with wet books?

Confirm I wasn't lying to get more books.

So spite.

How much is spite worth these days? On a per pound basis, ideally.
---

Yeah, I agree returns should be more consumer friendly. I don't give a FUCK about a company's bottom line. If you can't afford it, see ya.
---

Also, their returns page doesn't say anything about returning product opened for a lesser refund or being charged a restocking fee, which is also concerning to me.

---

sLaCkEr408___RJ posted...

Ranting Nord posted...

You may return items for up to 14-days for any reason for a full refund.

Explain why anyone would need more than two weeks.

A gift

Ranting Nord posted...

We accept all returns for any/all products that are unused, in the original packaging.

Explain why you think returning an opened/used item for a full refund makes sense.

You don't see that the item is not as advertised until you open it

Ranting Nord posted...

Customer is responsible for return shipping costs and we strongly urge opting for tracking information.

Explain why customers should be entitled to free shipping.

Why should I pay shipping on something the vendor fucked up on?

A product being less than what is expected means that you stop buying from that company and you can share your experience with others. You learn from the experience that you don't like that product or store, or maybe you learn to do more research before buying.

People wanting full refunds no matter what just seems to indicate that you're indecisive and impulsive about purchases but you don't want to take responsibility for these poor personality traits.

---

You can do Amazon returns at several UPS stores and Kohls stores. It can still be a hassle if its a 3rd party seller but Ive never had issues returning things.

---

Relient_K posted...

People wanting full refunds no matter what just seems to indicate that you're indecisive and impulsive about purchases but you don't want to take responsibility for these poor personality traits.

Ranting Nord posted...

Because, like with clothes or shoes, you can know your sizes and measurements every which way but because of different manufacturing processes, you don't know how it will actually fit until you try it.

---