Amazon Refund not Received

saintscouple

Hello,

I'm really struggling to get a solution in being provided with the refund due from Amazon.

A chromebook i purchased in Jan 2021 from them (sold by Amazon) went faulty a couple of months back, and it was agreed I could return and have a refund. 

I returned, they received, and was informed the refund was processed on the 20th October, over 2 weeks ago, yet the refund still hasn't been received by my bank, Lloyds.

The purchase transaction was processed on a 5 monthly installment plan through Amazon directly, however Amazon incorrectly took the full amount on dispatch, but we left it as that, so the full amount paid on my now expired debit card. (I have a new card for the same account which remains active)

I have been going back and forth with Amazon and the bank wanting to know when this refund will appear. 
Each time I contact Amazon I get a different story, the latest being it can take up to 30 days as the refund has to be released by the installment company, though they don't know who that is.

I have been given from Amazon the refund payment reference and provided that to my bank, but they insist the refund hasn't been received.

There doesn't seem to be an obvious route to make a complaint to Amazon, and Lloyds just bat me back to Amazon each time. 

Does anyone have any suggestions how i can progress in getting my money back, as Amazon has the chromebook back, and have done so for 3 weeks now - yet i'm 499 out of pocket.

Thank you 

saintscouple

Update:

Had a response to my email to the MD of Amazon UK - His office is investigating so hopefully will get my refund soon.  

born_again

You would need the ARN (acquirer reference number) from Amazon with the date & time they made the payment. This is a unique number for every transaction made.
Your bank will then be able to find the payment. Do not let the front line fob you off. You need to get to one of the back office teams (fraud/disputes) for us. Who have the systems to find payments that have gone to stopped cards.

saintscouple

born_again said:

You would need the ARN (acquirer reference number) from Amazon with the date & time they made the payment. This is a unique number for every transaction made.
Your bank will then be able to find the payment. Do not let the front line fob you off. You need to get to one of the back office teams (fraud/disputes) for us. Who have the systems to find payments that have gone to stopped cards.

Thank you, 

I did speak to the disputes department a couple of times...... initially i was advised to go to trading standards as the original transaction date meant the time frame had been exceeded.
The 2nd time i was asked to supply the ARN which i did obtain from Amazon and furnish them with.
A week later i chased disputes again and that was when i was told they have to send this info back to Amazon asking where it is, and await their reply. 

As i said in my OP so many different stories, i really doubt if any of the stories I've been told are true, and they just want me off the phone asap to maximise their call handling volume stats. 

born_again

As a guide. If the ARN shows on banks system it means the payment has been made. Not sure why they are contacting Amazon, unless it is not there. As system will show card used. So if it was a old expired, or lost/stolen card it would go to one of the banks internal acc & they would be able to trace it. From the details.

It does take a while to search, and is something that we would not keep customer on hold while is being done. Can take a very long time when internal accounts are involved. Would usually require a call back or message to customer to say payment has been found & transferred to account.

saintscouple

Had to make a complaint to Lloyds as seems although i supplied the ARN over a week ago, it hasn't been picked up.
The agent has sent a message to the back office, but am told it can take up to 2 weeks for them to reply.

It's been a month now since Amazon sent the refund!

Lloyds have got a cheek, offering me 40 pounds to close the complaint even though the issue hasn't been resolved and they haven't allocated my refund. Pressuring me to close the complaint saying i won't get compensation if the complaint is escalated!

Fuming! 

Well it is escalated now, and got the complaint reference number. 
Think i've been with Lloyds for too long 20+ years, time for a change after this is resolved. 

born_again

Takes all of a couple on minutes to look up a ARN 😂
They must really be rushed off their feet. 

saintscouple

Still no joy from the Amazon Exec office to verify the refund was released even though there is an ARN! 
Been with the exec office for a week now, but still no update. 

Had advice from CAB and given Amazon 14 days to get the refund in my account before i started proceedings against them. 
Just trying to cover the basis from both sides.
CAB have also informed trading standards, but they are more about data gathering and unlikely to want to get involved.

At least now the ball is firmly with Lloyds and Amazon so it's up to them to get back to me - If Lloyds state they haven't received it, that will be evidence if i have to take Amazon to mediation or court....... i've had to ask Amazon if they are a member or willing to be involved in an ADR scheme, under CAB advice. 

CAB are being brilliant, and have asked me to report back for next steps when responses are received. 

born_again

If there is a ARN, then the payment was sent.
ARN is proof of payment. As it is only applied once payment is sent through card system.

saintscouple

Lloyds sent me an SMS this morning - requesting the ARN and date of transaction, same as they did 10 days through secure messaging when i replied the same day with the info. 
This time they want the info via email.
So again sent the info.
Seem to be going around in circles.
Glad i raised the complaint, although wish i had done it sooner. 

saintscouple

Finally resolved.

Although Amazon provided an ARN the bank could not locate it, further investigation from Amazon resulted in discovery the refund had not taken place, even though 2 of 3 systems said it had. 

They said there was a hiccup with the original transaction, i processed it via the 5 monthly free installment plan - yet the whole amount was deducted at once, but through amazon installments. 
So when they went to refund the transactions it had to be refund via the installments account, but no installments were found. 

Anyway - they refunded it through recent transactions instead, so all received plus a gesture of goodwill.