Amazon "Keep this item and receive a refund!" message

[Elleshoodat]

Has anyone had this happen before?

I made an impulse purchase from Amazon (story of my life), and this morning after I filled out a return request, I got a pop-up saying "Keep this item and receive a refund! It's on us! As a valued customer, you don't need to return this item to get a refund."

Granted, the item was only $18, but I've never heard of a company doing that. We've had Prime for a little over a year now and I definitely do more shopping than I did before Prime (it's hard to beat the free two-day shipping), but still -- it was a nice surprise.

 

[Mom 2 a Princess]

Never had that happen, but what a nice surprise!

 

[SueInBoston]

That happened to us once...it was a pair of headphones.

 

[donalducky]

Yes, this happened to me once. I purchased The Pacific bluray from the UK Amazon website and because it would have cost so much to ship it back they told me to just keep it. It really makes me want to purchase more from them because of their great customer service and return policies.

 

[wvjules]

It happened to me once. It was a book.

 

[wiigirl]

It happened to me once....cover for my phone.

 

[scard192]

happened to my sister, it was an order for oatmeal

 

[Praying Colonel]

Had it twice--once for an optical cable, and again for a Gentle Leader I wanted to try on our dog.

 

[patsal]

If the item is more to ship back and cannot really be restocked it is written off.

 

[ljcraw555]

Staples does that A LOT for our business! They tell us to keep or donate it to a shelter.

 

[TifffanyD]

No but recently I returned some items I got for Christmas (2 people used my wishlist and it didn't update... which it should... and so I got multiples). They deducted the return shipping from me (unopened, unused, GIFTED items). I wrote a letter and got no reply. I've had great Customer Service from Amazon in the past... so I am hoping this is unusual...

 

[lisalis]

We just had that happen to us earlier this year. My son was taking an online class for the first time & it was cheaper to buy the books through Amazon than through the bookstore. The next day, he came home & said his TAG teacher gave him the books for his class We immediately e-mailed to cancel the book order. One book had already shipped, but we got the message from Amazon to just keep it.

Fast forward a month. Our bill still hadn't been credited for the book, so my husband contacted Amazon. They said they didn't know who gave us that message, but we needed to return the book No big deal to us, but I wish they would make up their mind. I almost recycled the book since it was not a hardcover.

 

[Elleshoodat]

We just had that happen to us earlier this year. My son was taking an online class for the first time & it was cheaper to buy the books through Amazon than through the bookstore. The next day, he came home & said his TAG teacher gave him the books for his class We immediately e-mailed to cancel the book order. One book had already shipped, but we got the message from Amazon to just keep it.

Fast forward a month. Our bill still hadn't been credited for the book, so my husband contacted Amazon. They said they didn't know who gave us that message, but we needed to return the book No big deal to us, but I wish they would make up their mind. I almost recycled the book since it was not a hardcover.

That's too bad. I was leery about it so took screenshots of the messages I got. It sounds like it works out for most people, though, and hey -- you were still able to return the book and get your refund. It's a good thing you didn't recycle it!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

No but recently I returned some items I got for Christmas (2 people used my wishlist and it didn't update... which it should... and so I got multiples). They deducted the return shipping from me (unopened, unused, GIFTED items). I wrote a letter and got no reply. I've had great Customer Service from Amazon in the past... so I am hoping this is unusual...

Why should you get shipping refunded? That is not Amazon's policy. Shipping is usually only refunded for defective items.

OP - yes, I have had this happen three times for defective items I wanted to return.

 

[patsal]

Why should you get shipping refunded? That is not Amazon's policy. Shipping is usually only refunded for defective items.

OP - yes, I have had this happen three times for defective items I wanted to return.

Perhaps because the "wish list" did not operate properly and if it had there would not have been anything to return?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Perhaps because the "wish list" did not operate properly and if it had there would not have been anything to return?

Maybe, maybe not. We don't know what really happened.

 

[TifffanyD]

Why should you get shipping refunded? That is not Amazon's policy. Shipping is usually only refunded for defective items.

OP - yes, I have had this happen three times for defective items I wanted to return.

Because the wishlist didn't update as it is supposed to... so their error is what caused the duplicate items.

I didn't want the cost that people spent to ship it to me refunded... I just didn't want to essentially pay to return it...

 

[TifffanyD]

Maybe, maybe not. We don't know what really happened.

Seriously? I definitely only requested one copy of a movie... and the 2 folks did not buy them at the same time (my mom had already shipped the gifts to me before my husband went on and bought it for me). Not sure what you are getting at here... all I am saying is that I hope that the issue I experienced is not the norm. Kinda crappy to have to return gifts due to their error and get penalized for it too.

 

[grelca]

Seriously? I definitely only requested one copy of a movie... and the 2 folks did not buy them at the same time (my mom had already shipped the gifts to me before my husband went on and bought it for me). Not sure what you are getting at here... all I am saying is that I hope that the issue I experienced is not the norm. Kinda crappy to have to return gifts due to their error and get penalized for it too.

I don't think they were implying you were lying. Just that you don't necessarily know the exact process the buyers went through when purchasing the items. You can buy something and ship it to someone else as a gift without it registering from their wish list if you don't add it to your cart right from the item page that is linked from the wish list. If you browse a while and then go back to that item to buy it, or if you see it on the wishlist and then get to the item's page through other means (searching, whatever), even if you ship it to someone else as a gift, it won't be a wish list purchase.

 

[TifffanyD]

I don't think they were implying you were lying. Just that you don't necessarily know the exact process the buyers went through when purchasing the items. You can buy something and ship it to someone else as a gift without it registering from their wish list if you don't add it to your cart right from the item page that is linked from the wish list. If you browse a while and then go back to that item to buy it, or if you see it on the wishlist and then get to the item's page through other means (searching, whatever), even if you ship it to someone else as a gift, it won't be a wish list purchase.

I am thinking about quitting the wishlist feature (or hiding it to just be a list for myself) because of their issues. It shouldn't be that difficult. I use it because I have a lot of out of town family and try to make things easier... and it helps amazon because then they get the business. But might go back to paper lists.