Item not as described on Amazon : what to do.

Spark

I have bought a DVD on Amazon, it was described as used and in good condition, R1 recut-extended-unrated version running time : 147 min.
Instead I have the same film but R2 Recut and extended running time 119 mins.
This is the second time it's happening, the first time I did contact the seller, who was less than amicable but I did let it go because it was a new DVD and I did unwrap it before realising that it was the wrong version.
This time I don't want to let it go that easily, I shouldn't accept a lesser version than the one I was expected to have.
I am more used to Ebay than Amazon, I know that I can ask Amazon for a refund from the 4th december, should I let the seller know that it has sent me the wrong version, and see what he says first? What if he asks me to return the DVD back before refund, will I be entitled to have the P&P back once the seller received the item? (I suppose it'll have to be returned recorded signed for).

catmiaow

They do not have to refund you the return postage, but a good seller will. worth asking politely for this, but can not guarentee.

Spark

So should I just wait the 4th december and ask for a refund with Amazon for item not as described then? I have no idea how it works, I had a refund once for a DVD not received, and that particular seller just sent me a replacement, but had a business selling on Amazon, this one is not, he is just selling a few things he's got around.

teapot2

Hi Spark,

its always best to email the seller and see what their response is. You can do an A-Z for item not being as described but there is a limit to the number of those claims you can make in a 'lifetime' - think its 5?

Spark

"lifetime"? What do you mean? They will give your money back on 5 items then you won't be able to have any refunds ever? Is it different when you buy from the market place than when you buy direct from Amazon?

funkyfunkymonkey

catmiaow wrote: »

They do not have to refund you the return postage, but a good seller will. worth asking politely for this, but can not guarentee.

As a seller on Amazon it is impossible to refund the return postage because you can only refund up to the full amount paid and no more. You cannot refund more than that through the Amazon system - the only way to do it would be to send a cheque, stamps, paypal payment.

You could ask the seller to send you a pre stamped envelope for you to return the item, and explain that you will go the A-Z Guarantee route if they do not provide this. Explain that the item is 'materially different' and it is automatically covered by the A-Z Guarantee.

If they are anything like me they will be terrified of an impending A-Z and will help you to return the item.

Alternatively, would you be happy with a discount? in which case offer that as an alternative solution, saves everyone messing around returning things and doing refunds.

FFM

funkyfunkymonkey

Spark wrote: »

"lifetime"? What do you mean? They will give your money back on 5 items then you won't be able to have any refunds ever? Is it different when you buy from the market place than when you buy direct from Amazon?

Yes, Teapot is correct - it is 5 strikes as an Amazon Market Place buyer for A-Z claims - but usually sellers will do all that they can to keep you happy. Negatives on Amazon are crippling as a small seller - they have a very strict monitoring system. Although, if you are a large American seller that doesn't seem so important.

FFM

Spark

Yes, you're right funkyfunkymonkey, the first time that happened to me was with a large american seller, and they could not give a monkey, as you said.
I am always trying to find the longest version of films and sometimes I have to order from the US to have it.
So I get mad if I don't have the version I wanted.
I think I will get in contact with the seller, just explaining that the version he has sent me is the wrong one, and see what he says.
Thank you for your help.

funkyfunkymonkey

Something I have done as a seller is to ask buyers to seal the package back up, write 'return to sender' on the package and pop it back into a post box. I do run the risk of having to pay the return postage + £1 for lack of stamps - but so far I have always had free returns.

As a buyer you are left with no proof of postage - although, for my buyers that was okay because I would have refunded them anyway if they said they had returned it - I've sold thousands of books and only a handful have ever gone missing - generally Royal Mail do a grand job.

Hope you get an understanding seller, they may not even have realised the difference.

FFM

Spark

Hope you get an understanding seller, they may not even have realised the difference.

If I don't have an understanding seller, I'll go the A-Z Guarantee route and leave him a neg, or leave it at that, buy the DVD I want from another seller, sell the one I've got on Ebay, and leave the seller a neg.
I don't have the package anymore, so the seller will have to send me a pre-stamped envelope for return.
If I was the seller and had made a mistake in my listing, I would refund without problems, but let see if this one think the same.

mnt99york

This is the problem with Amazon. People don't check carefully enough and constantly list things under the wrong item. It's why I prefer eBay, it's usually more expensive, but at least in most cases you can see exactly what you're getting.