Amazon refusing to exchange gift

ripplyuk

My mum ordered a handbag for me, that was on my amazon Wishlist. Problem is, they sent the wrong bag. It's tiny, and costs about a third of what the bag on my wishlist costs. She was charged the full price of the bag I wanted.

I remember last year, that returns to amazon for unwanted gifts were very easy. I don't remember all the details but I didn't have to contact the gift giver, and was able to get a gift card in exchange with no issues. Not anymore though.

I've rang amazon and they told me that I need to ask my mum for the original order number. I'm reluctant to do this as I know my mum will have no idea what the order number is, or have any interest in finding it. I'd also prefer not to tell her that she's been ripped off and sent a much cheaper bag.

Amazon sent an email after the conversation, which stated that they could find the order number for me if I could provide the buyers name, address, phone number and email address, but when I rang back and offered these details, they said they couldn't give a refund because the item was not sent directly to me as a gift. (It was sent to my mum).

I just wanted to warn others about this. Most of my family/friends like to buy from my wishlist but its become a bit risky if returns aren't easy anymore. I'm not only stuck with an unwanted handbag. I also have two Bluetooth speakers due to amazon not marking the first as 'purchased' once it was bought from my wishlist.

AylesburyDuck

ripplyuk wrote: »

My mum ordered a handbag for me, that was on my amazon Wishlist. Problem is, they sent the wrong bag. It's tiny, and costs about a third of what the bag on my wishlist costs. She was charged the full price of the bag I wanted.

I remember last year, that returns to amazon for unwanted gifts were very easy. I don't remember all the details but I didn't have to contact the gift giver, and was able to get a gift card in exchange with no issues. Not anymore though.

I've rang amazon and they told me that I need to ask my mum for the original order number. I'm reluctant to do this as I know my mum will have no idea what the order number is, or have any interest in finding it. I'd also prefer not to tell her that she's been ripped off and sent a much cheaper bag.

Amazon sent an email after the conversation, which stated that they could find the order number for me if I could provide the buyers name, address, phone number and email address, but when I rang back and offered these details, they said they couldn't give a refund because the item was not sent directly to me as a gift. (It was sent to my mum).

I just wanted to warn others about this. Most of my family/friends like to buy from my wishlist but its become a bit risky if returns aren't easy anymore. I'm not only stuck with an unwanted handbag. I also have two Bluetooth speakers due to amazon not marking the first as 'purchased' once it was bought from my wishlist.

But why?
Surely this alone will be the incentive for her to give you the order number and get it sorted out.
I'd be livid if someone knew i'd been ripped off and didnt tell me.
It really doesnt seem as if Amazon are being unreasonable.

System

The order number is easy to find she just has to look in her history. Amazon can't do anything without it.

agrinnall

You seem to be expecting them to do several things which consumer law does not require them to do. You might get them to see it your way in the end, but it would be so much easier if you are just honest with your mum and work with her to provide Amazon what they need in order for the refund to be made.

ripplyuk

I guess I've just learnt to expect more from amazon. They've always been great with Christmas gift returns previously. My partner and I have already returned stuff to both Debenhams and Marks and Spencer with no issues, and no receipt. They were happy to exchange them.

With Amazon, it's the conflicting information that annoys me. The email says I can contact them to find the order number if I'd prefer not to contact the gift giver, but when I did that, they said no.

Last year, I was able to find the order numbers myself through my wishlist. I could also see who bought what. This year I can't do any of that. Also, it seems that a lot of people have had issues this year with getting duplicate items from their wishlist so there must be some problem with items not being marked as purchased.

I know legally they are not obliged to do any more, but I've always found Amazon to be hassle free, and the whole thing is just very disappointing.

elsien

I don't think Amazon are being unreasonable. You are asking them to send a new item out to someone who has no bearing to the original order, if it wasn't even sent to your address.
They're not refusing to exchange at all, they're just not willing to send something out to (from their perspective) some random person on the phone.
You don't need to tell your mum she was ripped off, just that they accidentally sent the wrong thing. Does your mum have the email confirmation to forward to you, if she doesn't want to find the order number through Amazon?

Bogalot

Your mum hasn't been ripped off, a mistake has been made. They'll rectify that mistake once they have the order details.

Why does everything have to be so dramatic?

custardy

ripplyuk wrote: »

My mum ordered a handbag for me, that was on my amazon Wishlist. Problem is, they sent the wrong bag. It's tiny, and costs about a third of what the bag on my wishlist costs. She was charged the full price of the bag I wanted.

I remember last year, that returns to amazon for unwanted gifts were very easy. I don't remember all the details but I didn't have to contact the gift giver, and was able to get a gift card in exchange with no issues. Not anymore though.

I've rang amazon and they told me that I need to ask my mum for the original order number. I'm reluctant to do this as I know my mum will have no idea what the order number is, or have any interest in finding it. I'd also prefer not to tell her that she's been ripped off and sent a much cheaper bag.

Amazon sent an email after the conversation, which stated that they could find the order number for me if I could provide the buyers name, address, phone number and email address, but when I rang back and offered these details, they said they couldn't give a refund because the item was not sent directly to me as a gift. (It was sent to my mum).

I just wanted to warn others about this. Most of my family/friends like to buy from my wishlist but its become a bit risky if returns aren't easy anymore. I'm not only stuck with an unwanted handbag. I also have two Bluetooth speakers due to amazon not marking the first as 'purchased' once it was bought from my wishlist.

As has been covered. You are really making a mountain out of this.

Sharon87

As for the 2x bluetooth speakers, if one of the people bought them but didn't click through your wish list then it wouldn't have come off - or they may have disabled cookies on their computer and therefore didn't track it back to your wishlist.

Are you sure your mum bought it through your wishlist and she didn't accidentally just buy the wrong one? This is why you need the order number to look to see what bag was actually bought

ripplyuk

Yes, she definitely bought it from the wishlist. I can see it when I check under 'purchased'. The bag is listed together with the other items she bought for me, and the date she purchased them. Last year, I could also see the order number from there, and sort out the return but now there's no other information.

She is very upset at the minute because a relative she was close to has died. She's away to stay with the family to help sort things out. It would just have been easier if I could have returned it myself without bothering her, like I've done previously.

With the Bluetooth speakers, both people say they checked that it was gone from my wishlist after they put it in their basket, so I'm not sure what has happened but from reading online, it seems a lot of people are having the same issue recently.

I'm not trying to make a fuss about this. I thought it would be helpful for others who, like me, might have got used to being able to return amazon gifts themselves. This seemed like the right part of the forum for that.

[Deleted User]

ripplyuk wrote: »

I'm not trying to make a fuss about this. I thought it would be helpful for others who, like me, might have got used to being able to return amazon gifts themselves. This seemed like the right part of the forum for that.

You are making a fuss though. You are asking Amazon to refund/ exchange to yourself rather than the customer who purchased it, but data protection forbids them from accessing someone else's account in that manner. Obviously, you have to provide details of the sale (the order number) and it really is that simple. No amount of discussion of your Mother's recent bereavement etc will be able to change this. You were obviously able to get a refund in the past because the goods were sent directly to you as a gift.

Secondly, are you sure the item you received isn't exactly what you put on your Wishlist? You say it's "small", but did you actually check the dimensions in the product listing?

Lastly, are you absolutely certain that your Mother gave you the bag she apparently purchased from Amazon? She may have decided to buy something cheaper (and smaller) and hasn't actually told you...