Ongoing difficulty with Amazon

suzs34

Hi all,

Any advice appreciated.

I contacted Amazon on 18/11/16 regarding a 'payment declined' issue that was showing under 'my orders' on my Amazon account (I have since learned that this was a temporary security measure placed by my credit card provider). The representative suggested that I try an alternative payment method. Something I agreed to, on the explicit understanding that my order was still eligible for delivery that Saturday (19/11/16). When the representative advised me that the delivery date had changed to Tuesday (22/11/16) - I declined to complete the transaction, even going so far as to explain to the representative why I needed the item the very next day. Looking back, I am adamant that we were both on the exact same page here, and that there could have been no doubt about the fact that I did not want to make the purchase.

Fast forward to the evening of 22/11/16 and a neighbour knocks on my door to inform me that she has 'my television'. Sure enough the transaction was completed, not using the account that was initially declined, but rather the one that the representative had suggested. I telephoned Amazon immediately to raise the issue, and spoke to four different representatives over the course of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

All were adamant, they would not refund me, even partially, until the item had been returned, despite the fact that I had not authorised the purchase. Amazon only uses couriers that collect between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday. Monumentally inconvenient for me (and many others I imagine). Eventually I was able to get one of the representatives to guarantee a collection between 8am and 10am on Friday (25/11/16). Throughout this process I was told repeatedly that I had 'misunderstood' during my initial conversation, and that I was at fault. One particular gentlemen terminated the call outright, emailing me a written ultimatum instead. Furious at Amazon's attitude and unwillingness to admit culpability, I insisted that the matter be escalated, Eventually, it became clear that without Amazon carrying out what they refer to as an 'internal investigation', I was going to get little sympathy, let alone anything by way of compensation.

This is what I was eventually sent:

Hello,
We appreciate your patience in reaching us.

We understand that you had requested us to cancel the order for you but the order was already in the dispatch process so it couldn't be cancelled.

The order was delivered and signed for by one of your neighbours.

Based on the results of our investigation, we won’t be able to provide a replacement/refund for this order at this time.

We advise you to contact your local police authorities, if necessary, in order to pursue this matter further. If the issue isn't resolved after contacting local police, please contact us again with the police crime report number and details of the station where the incident was reported.

Without the police report, we're unable to take further action.

If we can be of further assistance please don't hesitate to call us.

Customer service can be reached by phone, e-mail and chat 7 days a week using the link below. We can be reached by phone 06.00 to midnight (local UK time), and by e-mail and chat 24 hours a day:

Link removed.

If you need to call us, we can be reached on Freephone (within the UK) 0800 496 1081. International customers can reach us on +44 207 084 7911.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

suzs34

A bit trigger happy with the post button there!

The first assertion "...We understand that you had requested us to cancel the order for you but the order was already in the dispatch process so it couldn't be cancelled..." is completely untrue, and anyone even vaguely familiar with the facts of this case would know that.

The remainder of the response had me perplexed, and in all honestly a little scared.

It wasn't until I phoned Amazon again, speaking to yet another representative, that I was informed that the instructions to contact the police were based on an understanding that I had somehow been unable to to retrieve the item from my neighbour's flat!? Something that hadn't come up once, in any shape or form, during the whole process.

suzs34

To add to this, the representative claimed to have no record of my having arranged to have the item collected. I was given no option but to go through the process of re-arranging the collection again, only this time, instead of being given a two hour time slot at the very beginning of the day (something which I had to virtually beg for last night), i've been sent a generic collection text by DPD stating that my collection will take place between 9 and 5. Taking two hours off work first thing in the morning (I work as a teacher) was inconvenient enough, putting a day aside to wait for DPD is simply out of the question.

I've now invested approximately three hours of my time to talk to Amazon about this issue, and I feel like i'm just being pushed from pillar to post now in an effort to make me drop any possible complaint! Additionally, the purchase itself actually placed me into my overdraft, and I am now being charged daily by my bank.

suzs34

Anyway, sorry for the essay, i'm just really angry at the moment. If anyone makes it through that lot and has any advice or opinions, i'd be grateful to hear them.

elsien

Can you return it via collect plus instead? Or arrange for a weekend collection? That would at least get it back to them and sort your refund while you argue the toss about the other issues.

suzs34

From what I understand, Amazon regard this item as 'high value' and as such are only prepared to offer me the option of a courier collection. This limits me to 9 - 5, Monday to Friday.

Incidentally, the same 'high value' policy should in fact have prevented the item being left with a neighbour in the first place!

elsien

Friend or family member who can sit in your house and wait? Looking at their courier page, it does mention 9-6 which is slightly more leeway if you can get them to agree to a more specific time.

ETA - are you sure it's only Mon - Friday as I've had deliveries over the weekend before now? Although that may have been myhermes instead.

suzs34

My most recent text, from DPD, suggests that they will email on the day to indicate a more specific window, but for the time being I have to make-do with 9-5. It's possible that someone will be available to go to the address, but that depends on which window i'm given, which I won't know until it's too late, if that makes any sense.

suzs34

Just found this in the email I was sent about the collection...

"Currently, DPD only collect on weekdays (excluding bank holidays) until 18:00. While they’re unable to specify an exact time, you’ll receive an e-mail and/or text message at least two hours in advance to let you know an approximate collection time."

suzs34

Just been sent another email.

:mad:

"Hello,

We’re sorry to hear that you haven’t received your item.

We have fully investigated this matter with the carrier. It appears that the package weighed the correct weight, upon delivery. The package was delivered in good condition, with no visible packaging damage.

Based on the results of our investigation, we won’t be able to provide a replacement or refund for this order at this time.

If you think that someone has intercepted your item, this is a crime, and we advise you to contact your local police authorities, if necessary, in order to pursue this matter further.

If the issue isn't resolved after contacting local police, please contact us again and include a copy of the police report, crime reference number and details of the station where the incident was reported.

Please forward a PDF, JPG or PNG copy of the report to the following address: uk-cs-carrierinvestigation@amazon.co.uk.

Please be sure to include key information including:

- Name/Rank
- Station/Organisation
- Phone Number
- Crime Reference Number

Without the police report, we're unable to take further action.

Thank you for your understanding."

Feels like i'm banging my head against a brick wall.

wealdroam

Send them an email specifying that you want to cancel the order.

From the date of receiving that notification, they have 14 days to process the refund.