The Amazon.com seller incident
It all started with a summer course. The local bookstore had the required text for the course on sale, for $100! I bought the book and headed home. Later that day I realized that I could probably search for the book on Amazon.com to see if anyone is reselling the book for cheaper. I typed in the ISBN number and dance dance! The book is being sold by a Mr. Chase Reese for $25! All I have to do is order this book and when it comes in, return the text to the bookstore with receipt and save $75 (desperately needed in June, since father's day, my mom's birthday, and my car registration were all due this month).
After few weeks or so, the book hasn't arrived. As the deadline (highlighted and circled on the receipt) approaches for being able to return the book, I email the seller to ask if it has been shipped and the seller responds promptly to say that I should receive it in the next couple of days. Since its too close to the return date, I reply to the seller that I would like a refund instead, (assuming that he still has the book on hand and hasn't shipped it yet, which would be the only reason for such a lengthy delay) since I don't want to have two books on hand and none that I'm able to return. My summer class is in full swing now, so I can't be without the book for a day. The seller tells me that the book has been shipped last week, and that he cannot accept refunds and that the shipping was more than expected, more than $5 (Amazon automatically adds a shipping fee of $3.99 per book). He tells me that I can probably re-sell the book on Amazon for the same price. Fine. I can't feel too bitter about this, it is what it is. However, when I receive the book, the shipping cost is clearly written on the package as $3.49. I'm assuming that the packaging is maybe $1-$2 more? Ok, so maybe he's got me here, to ship the entire thing would cost anywhere from $4.49 - $5.49 fair enough, maybe it was more than $5. When I wrote out my seller feedback, I didn't consider this and I should have. My bad.
In the seller feedback on Amazon, I want to write objectively. I write out the positives, “Positive: Prompt email responses, book in good condition as described, arrived before June 24. Good shipping packaging. Negative: Ordered June 2, book didn't arrive until June 15th. Contacted seller for a refund but seller does not give refunds. Said that shipping cost more than $5 but the package was shipped for $3.99 (was printed on the envelope) from the same state."
What happens next is insanity! This was his response to the feedback I left:
"Told to allow 2 weeks for delivery....On Time! Never said no refund available. Only full refund minus our shipping cost which is fair with no explanation of "Return to Sender." Returned package is right in front of me and says, "$4.74" for shipping, Plus $1.69 Package and delivery confirmation."
Yes, you are on time sir, I did say that it was, didn't I? I just don't know why he waited to long to ship the package so that I would get it 13 days later (just barely making that two week requirement) and wanted to warn others who were maybe expecting the usual shipping time of 5-7 days or so. And he did say no refund. I have the email. I was never offered an option for refunds at all. The insane part is the last part, in which he fictionalizes a package being "returned to sender." I have the book at home on my bookshelf. I never got to return it and I plan to sell it on Amazon later. And even if I had "returned to sender", why would I expect a refund if I stiffed him on shipping? Does that make sense? I understand being upset about my negative feedback (my rating was a 3 out of 5), but the least you can do is tell the truth. He made up all of the last part on his own? Why lie?
After few weeks or so, the book hasn't arrived. As the deadline (highlighted and circled on the receipt) approaches for being able to return the book, I email the seller to ask if it has been shipped and the seller responds promptly to say that I should receive it in the next couple of days. Since its too close to the return date, I reply to the seller that I would like a refund instead, (assuming that he still has the book on hand and hasn't shipped it yet, which would be the only reason for such a lengthy delay) since I don't want to have two books on hand and none that I'm able to return. My summer class is in full swing now, so I can't be without the book for a day. The seller tells me that the book has been shipped last week, and that he cannot accept refunds and that the shipping was more than expected, more than $5 (Amazon automatically adds a shipping fee of $3.99 per book). He tells me that I can probably re-sell the book on Amazon for the same price. Fine. I can't feel too bitter about this, it is what it is. However, when I receive the book, the shipping cost is clearly written on the package as $3.49. I'm assuming that the packaging is maybe $1-$2 more? Ok, so maybe he's got me here, to ship the entire thing would cost anywhere from $4.49 - $5.49 fair enough, maybe it was more than $5. When I wrote out my seller feedback, I didn't consider this and I should have. My bad.
In the seller feedback on Amazon, I want to write objectively. I write out the positives, “Positive: Prompt email responses, book in good condition as described, arrived before June 24. Good shipping packaging. Negative: Ordered June 2, book didn't arrive until June 15th. Contacted seller for a refund but seller does not give refunds. Said that shipping cost more than $5 but the package was shipped for $3.99 (was printed on the envelope) from the same state."
What happens next is insanity! This was his response to the feedback I left:
"Told to allow 2 weeks for delivery....On Time! Never said no refund available. Only full refund minus our shipping cost which is fair with no explanation of "Return to Sender." Returned package is right in front of me and says, "$4.74" for shipping, Plus $1.69 Package and delivery confirmation."
Yes, you are on time sir, I did say that it was, didn't I? I just don't know why he waited to long to ship the package so that I would get it 13 days later (just barely making that two week requirement) and wanted to warn others who were maybe expecting the usual shipping time of 5-7 days or so. And he did say no refund. I have the email. I was never offered an option for refunds at all. The insane part is the last part, in which he fictionalizes a package being "returned to sender." I have the book at home on my bookshelf. I never got to return it and I plan to sell it on Amazon later. And even if I had "returned to sender", why would I expect a refund if I stiffed him on shipping? Does that make sense? I understand being upset about my negative feedback (my rating was a 3 out of 5), but the least you can do is tell the truth. He made up all of the last part on his own? Why lie?
Tags: amazon.com, books, lies
3 Comments
-
Comment by Meg..Looking Right on July 9, 2009 at 4:47pm - I would respond again and I would also issue a complaint with Amazon directly. I have bought numerous text books from Amazon, and am very leery of books sold from vendors via Amazon. Eighty percent of the time it is fine, but often the ISBN will not be the same (the vendor simply has the book available but it was not the correct edition), or there is no recourse if they screw up. I am sorry this happened to you. For books, esp expensive ones, I make sure that the edition is clearly made on the description, sometimes ebay is a good source for good used books- you can at least email the seller and request the ISBN number before bidding, also many texts are for rent by book vendors. If it is not likely that you will be using the text again, it might be cost effective for you to use it
-
Comment by LVRSolis on July 10, 2009 at 9:53am - I didn't know that I could comment back. Thanks for the advice! :)
-
Comment by Devheart on July 10, 2009 at 1:50pm - maybe he got you confused with someone else?
Add a Comment
© 2009 Created by KKITM
You need to be a member of Kiddnation to add comments!
Join this social network