Just a heads up on Amazon

[Helihover]

OP are you sure you ordered a prime product? In one of your post you mentioned you had thought it was prime, but later it was confirmed by a rep from amazon that it was prime. I’ve actually made this mistake before. Reps from large companies, especially as large as Amazon, do not know everything. I wouldn’t trust anything they tell me, but that’s just my opinion. They are a business and you are the customer.

I believe I’ve returned about 3 items in the past few months. Yes all were prime. I won’t buy anything unless it’s prime because of the shipping. Someone mentioned products being shipped from China being prime? How would that work?

I do hope you get your money back and if it was in fact a prime product you should no issues unless you somehow damaged the product, but even then.

The company I work for does about 100-125k a month in Amazon sales. We are a prime seller. I handle about 1/2 of the returns. If it’s a machine, I get it. We ship pallets of product every week to the warehouse, but also ship prime orders from our warehouse. I’ve only noticed returns coming from the Amazon warehouse, mostly from the Kentucky warehouse and a few from Seattle. I’m gonna keep my eye out for items coming back directly from the purchaser now after reading this. I’m also going to talk with the owner as he is my go to for Amazon info.

Amazon, ........ taking over the world one sale at a time

 

[Helihover]

I talked to the owner today to get a little info on this. I told him the situation and he immediately stated that this was not a prime purchase. I kind of agree with him. As I stated before, Ive done this same thing.

He also went on to tell me depending on the sellers location, the seller will turn off their prime during certain times of the week in order to meet shipping demands. We are on the west coast so ours gets turned off around 2pm on Wednesdays. This is so we can make shipments to say, New York with priority shipping in the 3 days to fulfill the prime shipment. We then turn it back on sometime on Friday. This is what Amazon recommends to their prime shippers. Amazon does not count Saturdays as a shipping day either which was news to me.

He stated that if in fact this was a prime purchase, the seller, no matter the situation, IS required to pay return shipping. He also stated that no matter the situation, the seller IS required to give you a full refund. He even went into detail about how the seller is notified and what not, but Ive already given out too much info all ready.

If you still feel that this was a prime purchase, watch the seller everyday, and you will see the seller come back on as prime. At that point take a screen shot and you'll have your proof.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The only way to be assured your Prime purchase can be returned directly to Amazon under Amazon's liberal 30 day return policies is if the vendor description states Sold by Amazon and Fulfilled by Amazon. Returns must always be sent back to the seller, even if it was a Prime labelled purchase. I always look for Amazon itself as the seller, because the marketplace sellers can set their own return policies, which are binding upon you when you purchase from them, which may prohibit returns, especially on DJI drone purchases! Buyer beware!

 

[msinger]

Returns must always be sent back to the seller

This is certainly not true. Over the past couple of years, I've personally returned items to Amazon that were sold by someone else and fulfilled by Amazon.

 

[GadgetGuy]

This is certainly not true. Over the past couple of years, I've personally returned items to Amazon that were sold by someone else and fulfilled by Amazon.

The marketplace seller has a right to make you return it directly to them, rather than Amazon. Some sellers may allow you to return them to Amazon instead, but you have no right to do so, absent their allowance of it, unlike sold and shipped by Amazon purchases.

 

[msinger]

The marketplace seller has a right to make you return it directly to them, rather than Amazon

Please link your source. I'm interested in learning more about this.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Please link your source. I'm interested in learning more about this.

You'll find it in the same place I did, under the returns policies for sellers other than Amazon themselves. If you can find anything to the contrary, feel free to provide your link.

Seller Return Policy
When you order from a seller that fulfills and ships its own inventory (also called a third party seller), your return will be sent back to the seller instead of Amazon.com. While most sellers offer a returns policy equivalent to Amazon.com's, some seller returns policies may vary. You can view the Seller's return policy before you purchase an item by viewing the Returns and Refunds Policy section of the Seller's profile page. Once you've ordered, you can select your order in the Online Returns Center, to view the seller's return policy.

Third-party sellers must either provide a return address within the United States, provide a pre-paid return label, or offer a full refund without requesting the item be returned. If a seller does not offer these methods to return your items, you may file an A-to-z Guarantee claim to seek help with your return.

If you are sending the item within the United States and the order is valued at $100 or more, insure the shipment for the value of the merchandise and ship your return with a signature shipping service. Items valued over $35 must be returned to the seller with a trackable shipping service. For items below $35, we suggest USPS delivery confirmation service. If a package doesn't arrive and you don't use a trackable method to return or if you refuse the shipment as a method of return, we may not be able to cover you under the A-to-z Guarantee.

Amazon.com Help: About Our Returns Policies

 

[msinger]

You'll find it in the same place I did, under the returns policies for sellers other than Amazon themselves.

Amazon's return policy only states the following about items shipped from 3rd party sellers:

"When you order from a seller that fulfills and ships its own inventory (also called a third party seller), your return will be sent back to the seller instead of Amazon.com."

If you can find anything to the contrary, feel free to provide your link.

I've been buying products from Amazon since 2003. Most of the products I buy are sold by a 3rd party and shipped by Amazon. I've never returned any of those products directly to the seller.

Unless you're going to state your source (or show us a case where this happened to you), there is likely no policy that states a 3rd party seller can choose who handles the returns when Amazon fulfills the order. Furthermore, there is no copy on Amazon's website that even remotely suggests this is possible.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Amazon's return policy only states the following about items shipped from 3rd party sellers:

"When you order from a seller that fulfills and ships its own inventory (also called a third party seller), your return will be sent back to the seller instead of Amazon.com."


I've been buying products from Amazon since 2003. Most of the products I buy are sold by a 3rd party and shipped by Amazon. I've never returned any of those products directly to the seller.

Unless you're going to state your source (or show us a case where this happened to you), there is likely no policy that states a 3rd party seller can choose who handles the returns when Amazon fulfills the order. Furthermore, there is no copy on Amazon's website that even remotely suggests this is possible.

I originally stated, "The marketplace seller (3rd party seller, like DJI) has a right to make you return it directly to them, rather than Amazon." You asked for the link. I provided it. You even quoted it. It states "your return will be sent back to the seller instead of Amazon.com." QED If you sent your 3rd party seller merchandise back to Amazon, you were not following the proper return policy.

 

[msinger]

If you sent your 3rd party seller merchandise back to Amazon, you were not following the proper return policy.

This is not true. 3rd party merchandise can only be sent back to Amazon when Amazon fulfills the order.

 

[GadgetGuy]

This is not true. 3rd party merchandise can only be sent back to Amazon when Amazon fulfills the order.

Amazon's very definition of a "3rd party seller" states otherwise.
See above. ^
"When you order from a seller that fulfills and ships its own inventory (also called a third party seller), your return will be sent back to the seller instead of Amazon.com."

 

[msinger]

So, you're saying this is true just because the Amazon website doesn't say it isn't? You would try to argue such a point

 

[GadgetGuy]

So, you're saying this is true just because the Amazon website doesn't say it isn't? You would try to argue such a point

I am saying Amazon specifically defines 3rd party sellers as those sellers to whom you must return the merchandise to the 3rd party seller, and not to Amazon. That's all.

 

[msinger]

I don't really know what you're saying. It's likely off topic though, so I won't attempt to dig any deeper.

The point is that packages must always be returned to the party that ships them. It doesn't matter who is listed as the seller.

 

[Helihover]

You guys are both right and wrong.

Remember, I’m talking strictly about prime orders. The sellers fulfilling prime orders is something new so it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been ordering from amazon.

Prime sellers that ship, are responsible to uphold the same shipping and return policies as Amazon themselves. They have to ship it to you priority and they have to pay for return shipping too. They also have 3 days to refund you in full, just like amazon. It’s the same as ordering from the warehouse.

 

[msinger]

Remember, I’m talking strictly about prime orders. The sellers fulfilling prime orders is something new so it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been ordering from amazon.

It doesn't matter if an order is prime or not. When a package is returned, it's always returned to the party that shipped it.

 

[Helihover]

It doesn't matter if an order is prime or not. When a package is returned, it's always returned to the party that shipped it.

Well duh

This whole conversation has been about prime orders. The OP stated this was a prime order and he should be receiving prime benifits.

Speaking of the OP.......

 

[Pete Leare]

Well duh

This whole conversation has been about prime orders. The OP stated this was a prime order and he should be receiving prime benifits.

Speaking of the OP.......

Heli, what prime benefits are there when it comes to returns? (which was his primary issue)

 

[msinger]

This whole conversation has been about prime orders. The OP stated this was a prime order and he should be receiving prime benifits.

Exactly.

And, shipping prime items back to Amazon when they are sold and fulfilled by a 3rd party is not a benefit of prime. So, the fact that an item is marked as prime doesn't matter.

 

[Helihover]

Heli, what prime benefits are there when it comes to returns? (which was his primary issue)

I stated most of this in post 62. When you purchase a prime product, you can return the product to where you purchased it from, be it the seller or warehouse. All prime returns are paid shipping. The buyer does not pay return shipping on prime orders. After receiving the product, the seller (Amazon warehouse or private prime seller) has 3 days to refund in full.

I believe the buyer has 30 days until he can return under these conditions. I'm not 100%, but can find out in a few hours if needed.

My warehouse just got its first prime return from a customer this last Tuesday.