Amazon High Number of Refunds Email

impoze on 30/07/2021 - 10:15

I recently received this email from Amazon AU, after returning a few items. These were within my rights and were just normal returns.

I have read recently about accounts being suspended without warning, losing access to their gift card balance and also prime subscription so I was wondering if anyone else had received this before?

Hello,

We recently reviewed your Amazon.com.au customer account for order activity details. Your order history shows that you have received a high number of refunds for your orders.

We know that occasional problems with orders are expected in the normal course of business. In these instances, a refund or replacement may be issued.

You can learn more about our return policies at the link below:
www.amazon.com.au/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=XXXXX…

Sincerely,

Account Specialist
Amazon.com.au
www.amazon.com.au

General Discussion

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Comments

  • foxmulder on 30/07/2021 - 10:23
    +2

    When you say normal return what is that meant? Chang of mind? Are they opened?

    • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 11:01
      -5

      non-opened, items.

      I think it might have been triggered from returning 3 separate orders of the same item. I had to order 3 separate because of the promotion not applying to all three.

      • photonbuddy on 30/07/2021 - 11:34
        +32

        So you tried to garner the system, decided to return all three, and got caught?

        • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 11:38
          -3

          they were eligible items and unopened.

          just that it would show up as 3 returns instead of 1

          • photonbuddy on 30/07/2021 - 11:43
            +35

            @impoze: So why did you buy three items and then return them? Sounds dodgy to me, and doesn't pass the pub test.

              • brendanm on 30/07/2021 - 13:14
                +52

                @impoze:

                Arrived and wasn't happy with the quality

                How did you know if you didn't open them?

              • Mistredo on 31/07/2021 - 18:57
                +4

                @impoze: If you never tried the item, and you are unsure about the quality, why would you order the same item three times? You could buy one, try it, and if you like it order more.

              • kaleidoscope on 01/08/2021 - 00:22
                +2

                @impoze: For things like these chat to their support team. They will happily offer you some credit in to your account. It saves them from handling logistics for a needless return and you doing a repurchase of the same item.

                Sure you may be entitled to do a return under their terms. But don’t get to the habit of abusing that.

          • HerpinDerp on 31/07/2021 - 19:56

            @loropy9: loropy9, with (a) comment like this, I rec(k)on you'd make a perfect bot for the system. Calling someone out for someone calling someone out correctly makes no sense when you write stuff like Has Anyone Really Been Far Even as Decided to Use Even Go Want to do Look More Like?

        • ATangk on 31/07/2021 - 21:05

          Ive returned 2 of the same item and nothing happened. But I was trying my luck on models of RAM sticks which weren't clearly labelled as to which revision they would be. Unfortunately Amazon AU had all the old stock so couldn't get what I wanted.

      • CalmLemons on 31/07/2021 - 23:16
        +1

        I would think amazon would have at least a 3 strike system, especially on the same item.

        They also look out for seller/buyer espionage - like you're intentionally stuffing around with the seller/and or amazon if it's direct. Even amazon has transport costs, I believe on average each delivery costs them about $10USD or about $15 australian from what I heard on a video.

        A few years ago after complaints from sellers, amazon started to stop taking shit from abusive customer accounts.

        I would think that e-mail is purely a warning shot and nothing will come off it.

  • BOGOF on 30/07/2021 - 10:24
    +1

    what percentage of orders have you returned in, say, the last 4 weeks?

    • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 11:02

      the last 4 weeks, hardly any.

      I've made a lot of new pantry orders to up my ratio of orders

    • SF3 on 30/07/2021 - 11:29

      My guess is, an overall threshold, of kept quantity (and its total $amount?) vs returned. Like Ocker said below, could be more than disclosed…

  • Big Lenny on 30/07/2021 - 10:26
    +6

    probably suspected you of doing the dodge

  • Muzeeb on 30/07/2021 - 10:33
    +9

    impozse

    verb
    take advantage of someone by demanding their attention or commitment.

    Username checks out

  • bobbified on 30/07/2021 - 10:39
    +5

    These were within my rights…

    The question is, have you been abusing those 'rights'?

  • holdenmg on 30/07/2021 - 10:40
    +50

    You could return the E-mail they sent you and keep the game going.

    • SnoozeAndLose on 30/07/2021 - 12:06

      What different would this make?

      • holdenmg on 30/07/2021 - 12:30

        Well, it takes two to play Ping Pong…

      • 2023 on 31/07/2021 - 11:47
        +1

        Maybe the quality of the email wasn't to his liking and they're 'well within their rights' to return it?

        • holdenmg on 31/07/2021 - 12:23

          Yes, I'm pretty sure that is in the ACL. lol

  • BargainCowboy on 30/07/2021 - 10:46
    +3

    I don't understand what they're trying to convey. Is this a threat? Because no threat is included.

    • AussieDaddy on 30/07/2021 - 10:57
      +11

      A threat is implied. Amazon is passive-aggresive here.

  • moo on 30/07/2021 - 10:57
    +3

    Has this got anything to do with getting free shipping from Amazon US or UK?

  • Ocker on 30/07/2021 - 11:03
    +22

    Would suggest that as with a lot of posts on OZB there is more to this story than we are being told

    • tessel on 31/07/2021 - 18:43
      +5

      People share just enough to make them look innocent and be the victim. They don't lie but deliberately leave out info. See it all the time where I work.

  • Thunder-Wombat on 30/07/2021 - 11:07
    +12

    Had this with damaged items I received in post so returned for non broken replacements. Happened quite regularly about once a month due to delivery driver not taking care, spoke with the support everytime and documented the issues asking for solutions and they didn't try fix it and in the end they closed my account cause of it. So be careful of the warning it jumps straight to closure after that email

    • popsiee on 30/07/2021 - 11:13

      Don't you know the rule I abide by don't return anything .
      And you see the consequences .

    • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 11:17
      +1

      yeah, planning to use up my balance, and start a fresh one once my prime subscription ends.

      • popsiee on 30/07/2021 - 11:48
        +4

        Belive me Bud they have record of your previous accounts .
        They are the Orignal Data Masters .
        Once upon a time I could buy max in 8 ac's in my name .
        Now max applies to me and even family memebers ac's of same household are included in it .
        They are DH's .

        • Thunder-Wombat on 30/07/2021 - 11:52
          +6

          Yea creating new accounts won't save you. They bundle any address used on your account and IPs to stop you making new accounts. It all gets bundled up

        • capslock janitor on 17/01/2022 - 14:05

          wdym "buy max"?

      • Mistredo on 31/07/2021 - 18:59
        +1

        You will have to change also your address, phone number, and your credit card and most probably name as well.

  • Martop on 30/07/2021 - 11:40

    I got it, also don't get many of my packages actually delivered correctly, packages have incorrect items, items out of date etc…

    If they were able to deliver it to the correct address or in fact deliver it to begin with, send the correct items and in date items… They wouldn't have to refund so much……

    • jetblack on 31/07/2021 - 08:25

      Complain when it gets delivered to the wrong address or takes longer than the time indicated on the listing. They'll compensate you.

      Don't abuse this. Their delivery drivers take photos of the place they deliver to, so it'll be obvious if you're talking the piss.

      • Martop on 31/07/2021 - 08:53

        This is what I've done, I'm not at fault, their money delivery drivers are…. It's only been an issue when they started delivering instead of auspost and fastway

        • chriise on 31/07/2021 - 21:24
          +2

          In my experience amazon has improved massively since they started delivering their own stuff rather than fastway

          • lint on 02/08/2021 - 12:48

            @chriise: I've had issues when they first started doing their own deliveries (generally them attempting delivery to a workplace at like 8pm, sometimes claiming to have delivered it when there's zero access after hours), but it's generally been good since then.

  • Bad Wolf on 30/07/2021 - 12:07
    +3

    I actually got similar but better a week ago (below). Seems totally uncalled for when I think of the actual total number of orders 2020 maybe 150 orders and a few grand.

    These were my refunds for 2020
    -June prime day Coke Zero asked for replacement expiry august

    -may totally wrong item - think food but recieved a $5 household item (shipped by amazon)
    -may 2x 4L ketchup short dated

    -feb jigsaw returned missing pieces

    -January 3 shipments from the uk were returned damaged in transit (never left the uk)

    There’s a few more for 2019 but less the 0.5%

    The only unusual activity would be cancelling S&S
    Canceling orders before they ship (fine by their own policies)
    A family member uses prime video from another location but within the device limits

    “
    Hello,

    We noticed that you have requested refunds for a large number of orders.

    We understand that occasional problems with orders are expected in the normal course of business. However, the unusually high number of problems that you have reported with your orders exceeds this occasional expectation.

    When unusual account activity such as this comes to our attention, we evaluate each account on a case-by-case basis to determine if additional action or account closure is necessary. As a result, we can no longer compensate you for any additional issues with your shipments. If this problem continues, we may not allow you to buy on our site.

    You can learn more about our policies by visiting the Conditions of Use & Sale page at the link below:
    www.amazon.com.au/help/conditionsofuse

    If you believe you may have received this message in error, or if you would like to clarify your order activity, please respond to this email within 30 days.

    Sincerely,
    “

    The response to my inquiry of why was meet with a generic

    “
    Hello,

    Thank you for writing to us.

    We're concerned about the activity on your account. We want to do all that we can to help you avoid any problems with the delivery of items you purchase from Amazon.com.au.

    Your account remains open and available for your use. Please keep in mind that we may close your account if you do not meet the terms applying to use of your account. To learn more about our policies, visit our “Conditions of Use” page. You can find a link to this page at the bottom of any page on Amazon.com.au.

    If you have any order or account related concerns, please contact our Customer Service team via the link below:

    https://www.amazon.com.au/contact-us

    Sincerely,
    “

    • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 12:31

      thanks for sharing

    • photonbuddy on 30/07/2021 - 12:37
      +7

      As a result, we can no longer compensate you for any additional issues with your shipments.

      Not sure whether that's just an appallingly worded phrase, or if it's an attempt to dodge consumer rights.

      I can only imagine the amount of returns they get because of their own idiotic packaging standards.

    • Name on 01/08/2021 - 08:31

      As a result, we can no longer compensate you for any additional issues with your shipments

      Should respond to their email with

      https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees…

    • lint on 02/08/2021 - 12:57

      If the general experience buying groceries from them is that they're sending out items close to the expiry date, I personally wouldn't continue buying groceries from them. They probably don't deserve your business.

  • kusama on 30/07/2021 - 12:35

    Am i going to get an email for the amount of subscribe and save items i cancel?

    • BargainCowboy on 30/07/2021 - 12:38
      +1

      I doubt that, I've been doing it all the time, it doesn't cost them out-of-pocket like refunds.

      • impoze on 30/07/2021 - 13:53

        no, I don't think it has anything to do with cancelling subscribe & save.

  • biltong2go on 30/07/2021 - 14:14

    It seems that the email was automatically generated and triggered by your 3 returns.
    So, I don't think your account will be suspended, especially if you continue to make normal purchases

    • supafly on 30/07/2021 - 15:17

      This…. Amazon is mostly automated… hell, even their internal Hiring/Firing/ HR departments are mostly RPA/ Automated.

  • netjock on 30/07/2021 - 15:53
    +7

    Bound to happen with Amazon. Only a matter of time. Bezo's spaceship isn't free.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 19:51

    Amazon will punish you (close your account) if your returns are higher than a preset percentage they have in their system. Amazon's business model is slim margin high volume, so if you return too much stuff you are no longer profitable, which totally makes sense.
    10 odd years ago I screwed with them, and after about 12 months they caught on and closed my accounts because I didn't adhere to their rules.
    As a result I'm now very careful with what I return and on what basis.
    As per other comments its very difficult to open a new account as they log your credit card, IP and delivery address from your original offence.
    Personally I only return product now which is faulty or damaged, not change of mind stuff.

  • dmbminaret on 31/07/2021 - 08:23

    I've only contacted them via chat when glass drinks are broken, etc. The latest was a shower soap that had unscrewed a bit leaking in the box. Iade a point of saying I was letting them know as they used to send in zip lock bags and they offered full refund without me asking.

    Not sure if it will help with automated closing of accounts but I'll fight it if it happens.

  • roh008 on 31/07/2021 - 09:53
    +1

    Yes we had the same issue with iPhone screen protectors - ordered multiples one for each phone and spares - and returned them as they were substandard.
    The value of items we have returned tend to be lower vs kept.
    At the end of the day if the product is not as described we are within our rights to return.

    It's just a shame that Amazon are within their right to close the account using a bot.

  • HeWhoKnows on 31/07/2021 - 10:43

    Obviously OP is the problem here. Not amazon.

    Suggest OP stop returning every second item they buy and instead choose more carefully

    • Bad Wolf on 31/07/2021 - 11:44
      +6

      Amazon is the issue, they are counting any credit as a refund.
      * wrong item / qty
      * broken in transit
      * not delivered
      * faulty

  • hoodiejs on 31/07/2021 - 12:36
    +1

    I'm always doing returns and I've never had an issue yet.. mhm.

    • CalmLemons on 31/07/2021 - 23:21

      most likely you're spending/buying high value stuff so they are actually making money off you.

      • hoodiejs on 01/08/2021 - 00:16

        I guess so. Because if I go on live chat and complain about an item, they usually just give me a refund no questions asked. They even randomly gave me a refund for a $120 item when I asked how long I had to return it during Covid..

  • SnoozeAndLose on 31/07/2021 - 13:33

    It is all about how Amazon written their algorithm to pick and trace with any return or refund of an account.

    So it doesn't really matter what is the reason behind all the returns.No matter it is Amazon's or buyer's fault. They only want to keep high end customers.

    Same for how it fire their drive and staff:
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-06-28/fired-by-…

  • bamzero on 31/07/2021 - 14:11
    +3

    I wonder if ordering lots of free eBooks helps keep your refund ratio healthy…

    • Forfiet on 18/08/2021 - 17:17

      Could count as customer activity/engagement? It's probably considered neutral at worst….

  • beefmaster on 31/07/2021 - 18:13
    -8

    Last 2 month I have made a lot of purchase and made a lot of return. Even return then repurchase (Cannot make up my mind).

    Thanks for bring this to my attention.

    I guess all the return resulted in "Jeff Bezos Loses $13.5 Billion After Amazon Disappointment"

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-30/bezos-s-w…

    • photonbuddy on 31/07/2021 - 21:26
      +3

      Even return then repurchase (Cannot make up my mind)

      This is just taking the p**s!!

      It's this sort of thing that will eventually lead them to stopping change of mind returns altogether.

      • beefmaster on 31/07/2021 - 22:04
        -3

        Yes, this is why we cannot have nice thing.

        To be fair, I did return in a resellable state and never used and the return I paid postage. But Amazon bot probably dont care and so is everyone voting down.

        • photonbuddy on 01/08/2021 - 11:07

          and the return I paid postage

          And you paid the full real cost of shipping the item to you as well? No free Prime delivery or otherwise subsidised delivery costs?

          What about the actual cost to ingest your returned item and store it back in the system?

          • beefmaster on 01/08/2021 - 16:29
            -4

            @photonbuddy: Amazon offer the services and accepted the return. I did nothing wrong and exercise the option available to me.

            I did not even get an email from Amazon about abnormal return.

            As far as I am concern for cost, Amazon asked for $15 which I paid. That is all that matter

            • photonbuddy on 01/08/2021 - 20:13

              @beefmaster:

              I did nothing wrong

              Perhaps not, but if you can't see that a whole lot of people doing nothing wrong will end the choices available to us all, then you're beyond help.

              • beefmaster on 01/08/2021 - 20:49

                @photonbuddy: Wow, you feel my view is beyond help? I can see a lot of wrong in this world but surely me exercising the option available to me is nothing wrong when I legitimately change my mind.

                I did not even get a warning so my action is acceptable from Amazon point of view, maybe it is your view is wrong.

                • photonbuddy on 01/08/2021 - 22:50

                  @beefmaster:

                  Wow, you feel my view is beyond help?

                  Yes. You clearly mis-understood what I said. You did nothing wrong. When everybody does your nothing wrong, then your nothing wrong gets removed because of abuse.

  • BigTone on 31/07/2021 - 19:37
    +2

    Known issue, I think Amazon has started clamping harder on returning items

  • GourmetFoodie on 31/07/2021 - 20:01

    Interesting. I wonder how their algorithm works.

  • Deals For Days on 31/07/2021 - 20:52

    I had a faulty set of earbuds, returned them after two months because I was holding out to test them on more devices to see if my phone was the issue, but it was in fact the earbuds.

    Amazon rep said they'd 'make an exception' since the items were past the 30 day return window… as though they weren't obliged to accept the return under ACCC given faulty product. Rubbed me the wrong way I would have to say.

    Only tangentially related to this, but unless someone is severely rorting the system, I find it odd Amazon sends very mild emails like this for the next action to jump straight to cancellation, especially when they rarely seem to give people specific reasons just 'you've violated T&Cs'. Hear similar stories with Google cancelling & blocking entire email accounts accidentally and providing no information to customers, leaving them dangling in the wind.

    • TEER3X on 31/07/2021 - 21:04
      +2

      Just remember it's probably a highly underpaid worker that responded to your query and doesn't have lawyer level knowledge of the law.

      You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. In return the CEO makes billions, you get your product cheap and the competition eventually gets wiped out.

      • ATangk on 31/07/2021 - 21:09
        +2

        Anyone in Australia would know about the ACCC. Unfortunately, that probably gives insight as to where the customer support is located.

        • lint on 02/08/2021 - 13:04

          I suspect the rep isn't only handling Amazon AU enquiries but also Amazon US and Amazon UK, and they're just following a flowchart of steps that doesn't say "If customer is in Australia, reply we'll accept the return according the Australian law."

          • TEER3X on 04/08/2021 - 08:29

            @lint: sif they'd b able to follow a flow chart.

      • SnoozeAndLose on 31/07/2021 - 21:10
        +1

        I think it is more like a robot or computer auto-generated email.

  • OzHunterNSW on 01/08/2021 - 10:01
    +1

    How many are we talking about… in fact… why are you not talking about?

    For Amazon to consider and act on such tact, I don't think you are returning, 1, 2, or 3 items - are you?

    What seems to be the problem?

  • sauce2k on 01/08/2021 - 10:39
    +1

    Op is the kind of people retail workers hate to deal with.

    Dodgy af for sure

  • justgooddeals on 01/08/2021 - 11:01

    Amazon treats its employees illegally forcing them to take legal action to enforce their
    Employment rights.
    Making its employees bring class action lawsuits against it all in the name of profit. Showing that the bottom line is so much more important than its individual employees.

    Why is anyone surprised it treats its customers exactly the same way?

    https://www.fox29.com/video/961383
    https://www.classlawgroup.com/amazon-employee-class-action-l…

    • popsiee on 01/08/2021 - 11:03

      But Bezos thanks them all for their hard work and helping him get to space .

  • luffyex2010 on 01/08/2021 - 11:10

    A 30 billion profit company last year….that must be a lot of online shopping. Amazon has set a new gold standards of online shopping. Subscription that is value for money based on my opinion

    Free delivery….and unbelievably fast with good packaging methods.
    Discounted shopping of variety of products
    Prime video
    Prime gaming….meh
    Free ebooks
    Amazon Prime day..hardly buy anything

    It is just an automatic email reminder to their customers whom have returned item in the past that is out of their usual t&c not applying the ACCC term where the customer rights are often higher.

    Australia customer return policy is one of the best in the world where the customers rights are beyond the standards in Asia….even in developed countries like South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and China.

    Returning a product within the time frame or in an unopened condition is the answer to most of the problem. Faulty products are very common for returns but at the rate usually these returned products are being evaluate, tested to see if the claimant case is genuine.

    I am sure the emails send out based on the minority of their customers if not there would a massive response on the issue.

    But they are aware there are shoppers/people out there abusing their rights of change of mind, free exchange, and have their own personal agenda of doing something not decent. So it is pretty normal for companies to pin point these rotten eggs ( as in a selection process and I am not labelling those as criminals lol) It is pretty normal for a company as large as Amazon. I have seen countless people brick and mortar stores returning items that have opened, used like one of the excuses which the mom gave an excuse that his son doesn't like them anymore….an opened Thanos infinity gauntlet and the sales person just refunded the money……

    In this information age….every big profile company already have the information about us if we have shop with them before.

    Think of it like how insurance company keep a profile of their customer like… been throwing items at your newly bought television? What is the frequency? How often does this accident happens? Is it only from specific areas or suburb? Everything, everyone has a profile, the way you shop?, the way you spend? The way you return items…? While partnering with a business partner like Google is like having a pandora box to your browsing attitude.

    I am sure we will have a social identification link to everyone one day by these retailers….or maybe they already have with A.I running at the background.

    Long story short.
    It is a fairly simple solution, dont like the way they run the business? Just dont shop with them or it could be the other way as they just dont want you as a customer.

  • trapper on 01/08/2021 - 12:18

    Just make a new account and switch over to it when convenient. Your prime rollover date or whatever.

  • bamzero on 01/08/2021 - 12:29

    If anyone is looking to hunt down these naughty returners, here's the Amazon job profile.

    Just be aware, it requires "24/7/365 availability, including willingness to work on weekends, and outside of the "standard" work day"

    • SnoozeAndLose on 01/08/2021 - 16:35

      how much you will get rewarded with?

    • [Deactivated] on 01/08/2021 - 20:01

      I went to a seminar a few years ago when they were just launching. Presenting on the day was an ex senior employee from the UK, who pretty much summed up the "24/7/365" expectations as an employee. Basically said if you are married, and/or have kids probably not the right fit. Similarly explained they were the biggest tight asses with Christmas celebrations & travel. Christmas celebrated after Christmas cause it was cheaper. Travel done by rail rather than plane as you can work on wifi the whole time whilst travelling. Only upside he mentioned was if you survive 3+ years you come out with a good package.

  • PissLUR on 05/08/2021 - 15:10

    405 orders placed in 2020
    637 orders placed in 2021

    done a number of returns/refunds. all good.

    • luffyex2010 on 06/08/2021 - 10:43

      .just wow… you must have a lot of Amazon boxes/packaging to recycle.

      They should offer its Prime customer to have discounts/ buy back to recycle packaging 🤣

      • [Deactivated] on 06/08/2021 - 18:08

        I doubt he ever sees the parcels, nor the boxes for that matter. Most likely alot of single items in single boxes going to a whole lot of different addresses

  • [Deactivated] on 08/08/2021 - 08:48

    I had the email maybe 6 months ago, nothing come of it have done returns since then. Better than fleabay.

    • impoze on 08/08/2021 - 11:19

      Did you get any non-return refunds or do a few returns at once before the email?

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