Amazon - no refund, item missing

robclark74

Purchased a mobile phone from Amazon, which was then returned via Royal Mail without the Amazon packaging being opened and also placed in additional protective packaging and a postal bag. Item posted on a Friday, received on a Monday and then I received an email on the Thursday saying the item was missing, the accessories would be discarded and I would not receive my refund. 4-5 weeks later we still have no resolution and I'm £999 down. I have requested some kind of evidence of the condition of the packaging when they received it. This request has not even been acknowledged and continuously just get a reply with the standard response that they cannot process the refund until I return the item, and they are sorry they cannot help me further. Can anybody point me in the direction of how I can escalate this beyond the complaints level and hopefully deal with a UK based complaints department (last email I received from them was sent at 1230am) or what other options I have? Banging my head against a wall, they won't let me speak to an agent about it and keep telling me to email in, but this then gives them the easy option to just email back. I would have thought they have some kind of company insurance or a policy or process to write this off and process a refund to pacify a customer, especially after 4-5 weeks of querying but obviously not

couriervanman

Here we go again

couriervanman

Was it from Amazon uk or 3rd party seller

NBLondon

Why was it returned by Royal Mail?   As opposed to asking Amazon for return labels?

MalMonroe

For every single thing you want to return to amazon, be it an amazon item or a third party marketplace item, it's the same procedure. You login to amazon, go to your orders and then click on 'problem with order'. In that section you describe the problem. I have never had any trouble obtaining a refund or replacement using this method. Amazon provide a label for you to print out and generally I arrange for parcels to be collected from my home, since I'm isolating right now. In fact, sometimes the refund has arrived before the seller has received the item returned. I've even returned books I ordered from Kindle and received a full refund. 

Unfortunately, you appear to have circumnavigated the system and that has led to amazon assuming something fishy is occurring. 

Do you have any proof of posting from Royal Mail? It's sheer folly to neglect to pay for special delivery with an item as expensive as this. If so, you should chase Royal Mail for compensation.

If not, your only alternative is to chase amazon, send them an email as they request. And then keep on sending emails until they take notice of you and take action. They can afford to replace this item!
But you don't seem to have any proof of returning it. 

There's comprehesive advice from Citizens Advice here - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/  

You can also apply to Trading Standards but apparently you have to go through Citizens Advice to do so. You need to chase this and keep on chasing because it's a lot of money to lose.

[Deleted User]

 Funny how its only ever very expensive phones that go missing. 

ThumbRemote

_shel said:

 Funny how its only ever very expensive phones that go missing. 

Its almost like people are more likely to post about valuable items, isn't it?

[Deleted User]

ThumbRemote said:

_shel said:

 Funny how its only ever very expensive phones that go missing. 

Its almost like people are more likely to post about valuable items, isn't it?

 There are plenty of other valuable items available and bought. Only phones go missing if you look at these boards 

robclark74

couriervanman said:

Was it from Amazon uk or 3rd party seller

Direct from Amazon UK

robclark74

NBLondon said:

Why was it returned by Royal Mail?   As opposed to asking Amazon for return labels?

When you process the refund through Amazon, you can select Royal Mail. I think you get deducted £3.99 from the refund. You then get emailed a QR code, package it up and take it to the Post Office. I have a proof of postage from them which shows the weight etc, which is consistent with the item sent back.

robclark74

Yes, I have proof of posting. I basically got an email saying the phone was missing and all other items were being discarded. Any attempts to get them to prove the item was missing just get ignored, like I said, just no acknowledgment. They won't put the call through to any escalation department, and just advise to send an email, to which I seem to get the same stock automated responses