Amazon - Why the hell would you buy anything in Oz if you could get it from Amazon?

voteoften on 09/02/2012 - 02:50

I bought a specialty French textbook for my lil' one from Amazon. For about the price of what I could have bought it for here in Oz, I got it delivered, with an extra French workbook and a cookbook that would have cost around than $50 here in Oz. Stephane Reynaud's 365 Reasons to sit down to eat.

The cookbook was damaged in transit. I tried to go through the return process to print a return label. I had difficulty and also thought that my return cost might be capped at 7 British pounds for postage. It is a big book and I figured it would be more than $10AUD.

So I emailed them and received the following comprehensive response. The response was more respectful than I have ever been treated in OZ and did the trick. The response came within hours. Service in OZ is crap and prices are outrageous. If I ordered this from a speciality bookseller and it arrive damaged, I can picture being completely and utterly disbelieved and being forced to return the book at my expense and then being forced to lodge a complaint through Aus Post or similar. I am so down on Oz business. Why should I support any company with lesser service and higher prices. RIP OZ online biz. Go to hell while you're at it.

Hello Ms VOTE OFTEN,

I understand from your e-mail that you would like a replacement for a damaged book you you received. However, have experienced several issues while attempting to use the Amazon Online Returns Centre - specifically, you are unable to navigate to the page which generates the returns label, and you are concerned with regards to the costs you may incur whilst returning this item.

Please accept sincere apologies for the issues you have experienced - I can appreciate that you didn't expect to encounter these issues when you placed your order #20 - NOYB for this item.

To rectify this issue, I've placed a new order on your behalf, #02-NOYB, for the same item and it'll be sent as soon as possible to the same address.

As your original order was placed using our Super Saver Delivery method, I've upgraded your replacement to Standard Delivery to make sure you receive it as soon as possible, at no extra charge to you.

We'll let you know by e-mail when the order is sent out to confirm the date, contents and method of delivery.

Your replacement order is scheduled for dispatch tomorrow, on the 9th of February, for estimated delivery between the 18th and the 23rd of February.

To see the availability time and an estimate of the dispatch date of your replacement order, please visit Your Account on our home page:

www.amazon.co.uk/your-account

When sending a replacement for an damaged item, we usually request that you return the original. However, as the cost of returning this parcel will be prohibitively expensive, please keep the original item with our compliments. Perhaps you'd like to donate it to a charity, if you feel it would be appropriate to do so. There'll be no additional charge for the replacement order.

If you don't have a printer, make sure to enclose a copy of your packing slip or a note with your order number. Wrap the parcel securely and post it to us at the address shown on the label.

To see further information online about our Returns Policy, please visit our Help Desk using the following link:

www.amazon.co.uk/returns

I hope this helps. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Did I solve your problem?

If yes, please click here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/survey?p=VOTEOFTEN is the BEST MUM IN THE ENTIRE FRICKEN WORLD &k=hy

If no please click here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/VOTEOFTEN is a HOT MUM

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section of our website: http://www.amazon.co.uk/help

Warmest regards,

Andrew J
Amazon.co.uk
Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company.
So bloody true……

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Comments

  • MikeKulls on 09/02/2012 - 08:02

    It's the same old thing, if you can wait for something then you can get it cheaper, if you're in a hurry then it's more expensive. 7-11 make an entire business selling over priced stuff to people in a hurry. Nothing has changed except we have more options when we are not in a hurry. Btw, I like the way you assumed the aus business would be bad based on nothing.:-)

    • voteoften on 09/02/2012 - 08:09
      +3

      Assumption is based on countless experience.

    • kirasuran on 09/02/2012 - 22:19

      most aus business is pretty bad.

      on the other hand, walked into a Lowes the other day and i was absolutely amazed at the service there from every staff member i encountered (3)

  • alexandrazanza on 09/02/2012 - 08:30

    The customer service in the states is far superior to here.

    • tshep on 09/02/2012 - 10:01

      I have also had the exact inverse of this from companies in the states (generally clothing companies/smaller retailers) but when you're dealing with a giant like amazon it's not suprising they have service like this.

      I have also had the exact same from Australian retailers. I don't think it's strictly based on the fact that is American. Also I would assume all this was purchased from the UK amazon not US.

    • eug on 09/02/2012 - 18:14

      I bought an action camera from the states last year. When inserting an extended battery, I snapped the battery clip. I emailed the store and they said no problem just mail it back. Mailing everything would be quite expensive, so I asked if I could just mail the camera body back. They said yep no problem - and they mailed me back an entirely new package. Now I've got double the batteries, remotes, mounts, etc. That'll never happen here.

      Coincidentally I bought a piece of clothing from the US off ebay which arrived last week. There was a small rip in it, so I contacted the seller who said just mail it back and I'll get a full refund - including shipping back to the US. I thought that was pretty awesome.

  • dorian_gray on 09/02/2012 - 09:06

    I love Amazon because their customer service is top notch. They do not make you feel like you are responsible for their mistakes.

    One time, JBHiFi delivered a blu ray with the disc dislodged from the case. Maybe, they did send the loose disc thinking I would ignore it. Or maybe, they thought that an envelope provides enough protection (duh!)

    Their solution: drive to a branch and let them swap it with an undamaged one.

    Ah, the covenience of online retail as interpreted by Australian companies!

  • tonyjzx on 09/02/2012 - 09:25
    +1

    Let's be honest here…. Amazon is one of the top5 players if not the very best. They set standards everywhere because they have the volume and money to provide services at this level. And it's in their American culture (strange to say this). They an also buy in huge volumes. eg. AU store buy price is less than Amazon's final sale price.

    Contrast this with Australian books and media stores… they run on a shoestring if not going bankrupt, the attitude is the customer is always wrong, we don't care about repeat business, we're only making $2 on a sale, she'll be right, always some other idiot out there to buy if you don't…

    here's an AU market of 20 mil. people compared to 330 mil. + however many billions they service worldwide

    you're comparing the best to the worst

    AU retailing is terrible, always has been, can never compete… especially in what they would call 'esoteric' items like books. However there are some good things… people rarely buy PC, computer parts and laptops from overseas…. other retailers need to ask why. They don't.

    • kirasuran on 09/02/2012 - 22:23

      just to use an asian example, hongkong has a population of 7 million yet their service is also much better than australias. retail pricing their is also much cheaper than here.

      • Ughhh on 09/02/2012 - 22:31

        hongkong has a population of 7 million yet their service is also much better

        ??? Are you serious? All the sales people sell like they're working for Fitness First. Customer service is terrible especially if youre not buying anything there.

        • tonyjzx on 10/02/2012 - 15:16

          you can't compare to hong kong in all honesty

          they have no tax and HK is THE major shipping hub for the region so everything there is cheaper…

        • Ughhh on 14/02/2012 - 12:37

          so everything there is cheaper…

          Depends where you shop and what you're buying.
          Surprisingly, when I was looking for iPods (4th gen), it was cheaper in Aust than HK!

      • ifixa on 11/02/2012 - 21:29

        u can't compare population without comparing the area of the country. you have to compare density to be fair

  • dr_ rusko on 09/02/2012 - 09:59

    here's one reason
    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/63142

    • tonyjzx on 09/02/2012 - 10:46

      did you miss this part:

      In Stock. Sold by ZINK BUILDING CENTER

      They are using Amazon as a portal. They are not Amazon themselves.

      Far be it from me to defend Amazon but they have heaps of storefronts that are of varying quality. BUYER BEWARE. I was shopping for high end watches on Amazon and the trustworthiness of various stores is vastly different (for a $3,000 watch this matters).

      This OP of this thread made a smart choice. The OP of the other thread… didn't.

      • dr_ rusko on 09/02/2012 - 13:10

        indeed - i admit i was being lazy
        many people might buy from amazon thinking they are signing up for the "amazon experience" - there are in fact many different versions of that depending on what/where in amazon you are

  • c64 on 09/02/2012 - 10:34

    warranty would be the main reason i can think of

  • huntress_love on 09/02/2012 - 12:19

    wish they delivered everything they sold to aus, then i wouldnt go anywhere but amazon.

    dont like to use a mail forwarder as I dont always know the cost upfront and it can really add to the price.

  • alebox on 09/02/2012 - 12:50

    service in the states has to be good. their wages suck so unless they get tips, they really won't survive. I'm not sure how the UK does things, but it might be the same reason.

    I think that some Aussies get very complacent. High wages that isn't limited by how well you really do at them (retail sector, employees rather than owners). If someone does come down on them, unions are ready to fire it up to defend them. There is simply less of a reason to be as proactive here

    • tonyjzx on 09/02/2012 - 12:52

      the retail industry has lax kpi's

      when the boss or supervisor isn't there, the staff run amuck

      even Gerry Harvey was a bit disappointed by his own stores when he posed as a customer (disguised)

    • eug on 09/02/2012 - 18:30

      I've never tipped the person who packed my Amazon order… :)

      I agree about the complacent part. Why work hard when you'll earn the same anyway? sigh.

  • samfisher5986 on 09/02/2012 - 12:51

    Its very strange how so many people on Ozbargain don't care about warranty.

    It can often be cheaper to pay more for a local product and get the 1-2 years of warranty.

    Amazon makes sense for books and other things that warranty doesn't matter for, but for anything else its not as worth it.

    • tonyjzx on 09/02/2012 - 12:55
      +1

      it depends on the item

      its a judgement call… eg. I bought a nikon slr from overseas

      imported was = 2yr warranty

      local nikon = 1yr warranty for about 40% more

      plus side was that the importer has an office in sydney you can drop it off at

      and its a professional camera anyway so chances of being faulty is slim

      eg. i would have an issue buying a laptop overseas… but many don't

    • eug on 09/02/2012 - 18:32

      Sometimes the price difference is so large that if the device breaks down, you can just buy another one from overseas and still pay less in total than the normal retail price for one in Australia.

  • Macgyver on 09/02/2012 - 13:05
    -1

    I got a used tool from the Amazon.

    They gave me the option of a replacement and send back the used tool or 13% of the purchase price

    Maybe if I used their email service instead of there online chat they would have sent a new tool for free and let me keep the used tool also?

  • dorian_gray on 09/02/2012 - 21:19

    I use T-Dimension when buying DSLR equipment. They are far from big and they are very far from the US. In fact, they are based in Hong Kong.

    They pay for returns plus shipping and they also offer warranty (again they pay for shipping).

    Can't huge Australian retailers compete with their smaller East Asian counterparts?

    • bluedufflecoat on 10/02/2012 - 09:08

      I don't know if they can. Everything costs more here.

      • Labour
      • Taxes + Carbon Tax
      • Transportation
      • Rent

      And other silly inefficiencies like smart meters, etc. They just add to the overall cost of everything.

      • eug on 10/02/2012 - 11:51

        With the higher salaries here, our customer service still doesn't have a good reputation. Sigh.

        • tonyjzx on 10/02/2012 - 15:14

          to be fair, sales staff earn stuff all

          no one seriously makes a career out of front line consumer sales

  • shawn_low on 10/02/2012 - 17:40
    +1

    This has happened to me in the past.

    Amazon could save themselves big $$$ by packing their books properly.

    I've ordered several heavy photo books and a massive 75 Years of DC Comics.

    These are heavy, hardback books.

    The packing was abysmal. It was tossed in a thin box with a strip of bubble envelopes that didn't really do anything. The books had plenty of room to shift around. Of course, it ended up being dinged and dented.

    The replacement book arrived in the same shape. I gave up.

    Customer service = great!
    Packging = not so great.

  • voteoften on 12/02/2012 - 02:22

    The books were from Amazon UK. I bought a food smoker from America and had problems. It cost about 150% of the purchases and orig shipping to return it, but they refunded that and sent me the new smoker.

  • Cheeper on 14/02/2012 - 00:33

    Customer service here in oz is pathetic. When I do meet someone who is genuinely trying it comes as a shock. Most times you are treated like an inconvenient piece of dirt.
    Quite often oz retailers cannot compete on price but when the sales staff are not the slightest bit interested then what chance do they have.
    I am always amazed at businesses that spend a fortune on advertising and when you try to deal with them their sales staff are rude as can be. ??? :-(

    • [Deactivated] on 14/02/2012 - 04:17
      +1

      unfortunately its sometimes that these same companies treat their staff differently than they do their customers.

      My wife works for one of the large retailers here are some of the issues she faces.

      1. They are cutting back on staff, when they get busy, the staff get the abuse, after being abused by customers its hard to be friendly. When she asks the customer to put it in writing, they shrug and tell her things like, that's your problem.

      2. They are told not to accept items for return that show signs of abuse, being used, no receipt etc. The standard commonsense issues where someone is trying it on. (Not faulty/legitimate/or even marginal issues with returns etc). The customer sees manager. Manager is also so busy, but authorises return/exchange. Customer tells staff off. Staff wonder why policy sets them up to look like idiots.

      And yes some staff have a poor attitude regardless of the above. Doesnt help that the other staff know that, but legally its hard for these staff to be removed. And when managers are even short staffed, they cant manage either.

      So its not always the staff

      • tonyjzx on 14/02/2012 - 11:27
        +2

        its dead from the top down

        deep down i don't care if westfields and coles/myer and every other retailer has hard times

        you guys deserve it for years nay decades of being crap

        • kirasuran on 14/02/2012 - 16:20
          +1

          Wont be deep down from me. Can see if on My face

  • caleb2003 on 23/02/2012 - 01:05
    +1

    I Bought an $80 Lumina Watercooler from Aldi about 6 months ago and it recently started leaking so called Lumina and they sent an upgraded replacement worth $230 (on Harvey Norman website currently), similar to this Amazon gig they told me to keep the old unit and do as I wished with it.

    So not all Aus Customer Service is bad infact the only problem I had here was with the Courier 'Toll' but thats another story.

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