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Amazon giving full refund and no return necessary? (expensive item)

DMG35

DMG35

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Original poster
May 27, 2021
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I have a wierd situation regarding an Amazon order that I recently placed. It was for an electronics item that cost around $600. I recieved it on Friday and have ultimately decided that I'm not going to keep it as it isn't something that I feel like our family will get much use out of. I never opened it. I got on Amazon and clicked "start return" and it asked me why I wanted to return it. I listed the reason and then it said "returns are not eligible for this item." The only option was to open a chat with the automated service.

I opened a chat and it asked if this was regarding the item I was trying to return. I said yes and it said it can't take it back due to it containing hazardous materials. It then says I can keep the item and that it will issue me a refund for the full $600. Now I'm not sure what to do. I don't really feel right keeping it as well as getting the refund and I did get an email from Amazon stating that they are refunding me for the amount purchased and that it will be back on my card in 3-5 days.

Has anyone ever had anything like this happen? I'm not really sure what to do now and would love to hear some advice if anyone has any. Thank you.
 
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DMG35 said:
I have a wierd situation regarding an Amazon order that I recently placed. It was for an electronics item that cost around $600. I recieved it on Friday and have ultimately decided that I'm not going to keep it as it isn't something that I feel like our family will get much use out of. I never opened it. I got on Amazon and clicked "start return" and it asked me why I wanted to return it. I listed the reason and then it said "returns are not eligible for this item." The only option was to open a chat with the automated service.

I opened a chat and it asked if this was regarding the item I was trying to return. I said yes and it said it can't take it back due to it containing hazardous materials. It then says I can keep the item and that it will issue me a refund for the full $600. Now I'm not sure what to do. I don't really feel right keeping it as well as getting the refund and I did get an email from Amazon stating that they have refunding me for the amount purchased and that it will be back on my card in 3-5 days.

Has anyone ever had anything like this happen? I'm not really sure what to do now and would love to hear some advice if anyone has any. Thank you.
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Amazon don’t care. They take the money back from whoever supplied the product.

That company will have no comeback with Amazon either.
 
I have had it happen a couple of times on small items, $5-10 but never on something that expensive.

If you are a really good customer spending a lot with them, I can maybe see it happening especially if there is a high markup on the particular item.
 
Send it on to me if you don't want to keep it as well as a refund? I'll happily accept it! lol

I echo the above though - this usually happens with cheaper items where return postage would cost around the same price, if not more then the item itself.

You haven't done anything wrong. They have said you can keep it and will refund you as well. Take it as an early Xmas present from Amazon!
 
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Thanks everyone for the responses here. It was sold directly from the Amazon warehouse. I was just so shocked to see that they were offering a refund and didn’t want the item back. I’ll wait to see if the refund is actually credited then figure out what to do next.
 
DMG35 said:
Has anyone ever had anything like this happen? I'm not really sure what to do now and would love to hear some advice if anyone has any. Thank you.
Click to expand...

Happened to me for a $450 Ninebot Segway. "Keep it and just order another" was a surprise to say the least.

Hunter5117 said:
If you are a really good customer spending a lot with them, I can maybe see it happening especially if there is a high markup on the particular item.
Click to expand...

I wondered if that was part of the reason too. I'm a good Amazon customer, fortunately/unfortunately.

And/or I wonder if the issue for which I was returning the item was maybe happening to many others, and/or if the keep-it tactic was additionally prompted by the manufacturer. And the hassle/cost of disposing of any large batteries that someone on the receiving end would not want to be bothered with for hundreds of returns?
 
Tozovac said:
Happened to me for a $450 Ninebot Segway. "Keep it and just order another" was a surprise to say the least.



I wondered if that was part of the reason too. I'm a good Amazon customer, fortunately/unfortunately.

And/or I wonder if the issue for which I was returning the item was maybe happening to many others, and/or if the keep-it tactic was additionally prompted by the manufacturer. And the hassle/cost of disposing of any large batteries that someone on the receiving end would not want to be bothered with for hundreds of returns?
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Good to know that this does in fact happen sometimes. The weird thing is is that there isn’t an issue with the item at all, we just decided we didn’t want it. We never opened it so I would think they could just re-sell it but for whatever reason they don’t want it back.
 
DMG35 said:
Good to know that this does in fact happen sometimes. The weird thing is is that there isn’t an issue with the item at all, we just decided we didn’t want it. We never opened it so I would think they could just re-sell it but for whatever reason they don’t want it back.
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I'd say use it in good health, if you can use it. Or sell it. I think I enjoyed taking the Segway for a quick 9 holes next door more after Amazon's gift than I would have otherwise!
 
Just use it. They had the option of taking it back and decided not to. There's nothing to feel guilty about.

Most likely it would just end up in a landfill. So, it's better you get some use out of it.

I've never had that happen with something that expensive. But I've had it happen with them.

They also sent me a giant cat tree I never ordered. Actually, the shipper screwed up and sent it to not only the wrong house but the wrong state. I know it was legally mine but I offered to return it. They told me to just keep it. So, my cat's quite happy.
 
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Some items will cost them more to ship back to them, then the item is worth to them. Items that require special handling, or items worth less than the shipping. If there are batteries, or hazardous materials, they probably get a deal sending the item to customers, but when they pay to have you drop it off for a return the price goes up drastically.
 
DMG35 said:
I have a wierd situation regarding an Amazon order that I recently placed. It was for an electronics item that cost around $600. I recieved it on Friday and have ultimately decided that I'm not going to keep it as it isn't something that I feel like our family will get much use out of. I never opened it. I got on Amazon and clicked "start return" and it asked me why I wanted to return it. I listed the reason and then it said "returns are not eligible for this item." The only option was to open a chat with the automated service.

I opened a chat and it asked if this was regarding the item I was trying to return. I said yes and it said it can't take it back due to it containing hazardous materials. It then says I can keep the item and that it will issue me a refund for the full $600. Now I'm not sure what to do. I don't really feel right keeping it as well as getting the refund and I did get an email from Amazon stating that they are refunding me for the amount purchased and that it will be back on my card in 3-5 days.

Has anyone ever had anything like this happen? I'm not really sure what to do now and would love to hear some advice if anyone has any. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Amazon just stick it in landfill if it can’t be sold on. Just stick it on eBay or donate it to a local charity. Amazon are a horrible company. Makes me laugh when they talk about all their green credentials.
 
Janichsan said:
If it makes you feel better, Amazon would have most likely destroyed the item anyway.
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Yup. There was some expensive workout supplement products I ordered a little over a year ago [Each product was like $65.00], and one of the containers was actually defective.

When I started the process of returning by calling and I had additional questions when I called them, they told me to ‘keep it’. I thought to myself, that’s really nice, but; anybody can scam the system by telling Amazon consumables are ‘defective’ and not also be refunded, but keep the original product. To me, that Doesn’t seem like that’s the best practice, especially given people tend to be more dishonest with returns v.s. honest, in fear of their return will be rejected.
 
velocityg4 said:
Just use it. They had the option of taking it back and decided not to. There's nothing to feel guilty about.

Most likely it would just end up in a landfill. So, it's better you get some use out of it.

I've never had that happen with something that expensive. But I've had it happen with them.

They also sent me a giant cat tree I never ordered. Actually, the shipper screwed up and sent it to not only the wrong house but the wrong state. I know it was legally mine but I offered to return it. They told me to just keep it. So, my cat's quite happy.
Click to expand...
Does the cat have by any chance access to your Amazon account?
 
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DMG35 said:
I have a wierd situation regarding an Amazon order that I recently placed. It was for an electronics item that cost around $600. I recieved it on Friday and have ultimately decided that I'm not going to keep it as it isn't something that I feel like our family will get much use out of. I never opened it. I got on Amazon and clicked "start return" and it asked me why I wanted to return it. I listed the reason and then it said "returns are not eligible for this item." The only option was to open a chat with the automated service.

I opened a chat and it asked if this was regarding the item I was trying to return. I said yes and it said it can't take it back due to it containing hazardous materials. It then says I can keep the item and that it will issue me a refund for the full $600. Now I'm not sure what to do. I don't really feel right keeping it as well as getting the refund and I did get an email from Amazon stating that they are refunding me for the amount purchased and that it will be back on my card in 3-5 days.

Has anyone ever had anything like this happen? I'm not really sure what to do now and would love to hear some advice if anyone has any. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Sell it on eBay and give the money to the poor.
 
Ordered a cat harness but didn't fit our kitty. Submitted a return/refund request and right away got back just keep it. I can't complain. I think return shipping costs as well as processing isn't worth it to them. I remember when returning anything incurred buyer shipping charges, unless damaged in transit or prior.
 
I ordered a motorized projection screen several years ago. For some reason USPS did the final leg of delivery and lost the package for 4-5 days. How USPS loses a 9ft long box is beyond me. After 3 days Amazon refunded me and said to keep it if it arrived. It ended showing up a day or so later after I called the post office. This was a $350 screen. I imagine the cost of shipping it back was worth more than it cost to make.

On the other hand, I once received a defective $8 USB cable and Amazon made me send it back. Kinda ridiculous by comparison.
 
A few of you asked what this item was. It was a Playstation 5. The refund processed and is back in my bank account. A really weird scenario and I'm not really sure why they didn't want me to send it back but oh well I guess.
 
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