Are Amazon returns taking longer now?

Silentmemory

I've returned two items in the last month.

The first was while I was on holiday and didn't have access to a printer easily. So I needed the 'print in store' option. That used to be really easy at Hermes parcelshops. This time, that wasn't listed as an option for parcelshops and I had to take it 5 miles to the local Royal Mail sorting office as that was the nearest place I could print. Not exactly convenient.

For the second item, I printed the label myself and took it to the Evri/Hermes shop. Tracking showed it sitting in the shop for 4 days and then as delivered back to Amazon. But it went back a week ago and the return still hasn't been acknowledged at Amazon's end!

I've been buying from Amazon since 2013. Returns have never ever taken this long. Usually they update as soon as you've dropped the item off.

Amazon won't even discuss it until 2 weeks has gone by. It has really put me off buying anything I'm not 100% sure I'm going to keep.

Mnoee

My partner returned something last week, print at the post office, and the refund was in his account the day we dropped it off. Not much use to your situation, but at least you know its not some nationwide policy change. 

oldagetraveller1

I can only add that I had similar about a month or so ago. Amazon sent the wrong item, should have been a (door)sashlock and they sent a deadlock.

Return organised, collected by Hermes, (prior to name change I think). Tracking did show delivered three days later but it took a further week before there was a return confirmation in my account. The refund to payment card took another week.

On the very rare occasion of a collected return the refund has been initiated not long after pick up by courier.

Amazon items, not 3rd party sellers.

Silentmemory

Return has been acknowledged this morning which is good.

Maybe slower returns cost less for Amazon (his profits have been down recently!   )