# More Amazon Skullduggery



## officerripley (Dec 12, 2020)

Oh, Amazon, Amazon...   So for the first time ever, I had to return something I bought from Amazon. They say they got the return and will process a refund to the credit card I used. So I wait & wait, keep checking & checking that credit card, but the refund still hasn't shown up. So I get into a chat session with Amazon and guess what? The rep tells me that the refund was credited to my Amazon Gift Card. I say, I don't have an Amazon Gift Card. Oh, yes you do, he says. So I checked and he's right; and some Kindle purchases I've made were charged against the Gift Card balance.

So I ask him, is that the way Amazon's doing it now, that now matter how you pay for the orig. purchase, the refund goes to an Amazon Gift Card. Oh no, he ways; you must've used your Gift Card for the orig. purchase or we wouldn't have refunded the Gift Card. I did not, I say; I used a credit card! Oh, he says, that was a glitch, we are so sorry!

In my case, I can live with it since I have a Kindle e-reader & will continue using the Gift Card balance to pay for the Kindle content. But I can see how irritating this would be if you didn't have a Kindle, if in fact you only bought from Amazon once in a blue moon. A "glitch", my butt; I think it's their sleazy way of just getting you to spend your refund with them. Grumble, grumble.


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## debodun (Dec 12, 2020)

Why I don't buy online.


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## Ruthanne (Dec 12, 2020)

I never have any problems with returning amazon purchases and getting refunds.  Right after I return them the money is back in my account that I used to purchase.


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## officerripley (Dec 12, 2020)

debodun said:


> Why I don't buy online.


Yeah, buying online definitely comes with challenges, sigh. I've been buying more online since the Lockdown; I miss being able to go into some of the local stores that are now closed.


Ruthanne said:


> I never have any problems with returning amazon purchases and getting refunds.  Right after I return them the money is back in my account that I used to purchase.


Okay, I guess it really was a glitch then. (Has this been a year for glitches, or what.)


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## terry123 (Dec 12, 2020)

Never had a problem with returns.  My credit card has always been credited with the correct amount.  This year I ordered all my gift cards from them and they have been delivered several days before they were expected.  Of course I have not had to return many things as I am satisfied with my purchases. Today I got some books from them that I am looking forward to reading.  Of course I am very content to stay home and read my books.  I got out yesterday and got my flu shot so I am fine until its time to get the covid  ones.


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## Aunt Marg (Dec 12, 2020)

officerripley said:


> Oh, Amazon, Amazon...   So for the first time ever, I had to return something I bought from Amazon. They say they got the return and will process a refund to the credit card I used. So I wait & wait, keep checking & checking that credit card, but the refund still hasn't shown up. So I get into a chat session with Amazon and guess what? The rep tells me that the refund was credited to my Amazon Gift Card. I say, I don't have an Amazon Gift Card. Oh, yes you do, he says. So I checked and he's right; and some Kindle purchases I've made were charged against the Gift Card balance.
> 
> So I ask him, is that the way Amazon's doing it now, that now matter how you pay for the orig. purchase, the refund goes to an Amazon Gift Card. Oh no, he ways; you must've used your Gift Card for the orig. purchase or we wouldn't have refunded the Gift Card. I did not, I say; I used a credit card! Oh, he says, that was a glitch, we are so sorry!
> 
> In my case, I can live with it since I have a Kindle e-reader & will continue using the Gift Card balance to pay for the Kindle content. But I can see how irritating this would be if you didn't have a Kindle, if in fact you only bought from Amazon once in a blue moon. A "glitch", my butt; I think it's their sleazy way of just getting you to spend your refund with them. Grumble, grumble.


I would escalate your case to the top and be vocal about it if you are not 100% satisfied.


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## Ken N Tx (Dec 13, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I never have any problems with returning amazon purchases and getting refunds.  Right after I return them the money is back in my account that I used to purchase.


...Always happy...(so far)


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## Pappy (Dec 13, 2020)

Their return policy is just fine. In all the years I’ve bought from them, never had a problem retuning something. The minute the person who picks up return, scans it and my balance is credited, even before Amazon receives it.


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## katlupe (Dec 13, 2020)

I have never had a problem with them either. In fact, I have had several returns that the 3rd party seller told me to just throw it away and don't return it but they credited my account right away.


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## Kathleen’s Place (Dec 13, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I never have any problems with returning amazon purchases and getting refunds.  Right after I return them the money is back in my account that I used to purchase.


Me too!


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## Aneeda72 (Dec 13, 2020)

officerripley said:


> Oh, Amazon, Amazon...   So for the first time ever, I had to return something I bought from Amazon. They say they got the return and will process a refund to the credit card I used. So I wait & wait, keep checking & checking that credit card, but the refund still hasn't shown up. So I get into a chat session with Amazon and guess what? The rep tells me that the refund was credited to my Amazon Gift Card. I say, I don't have an Amazon Gift Card. Oh, yes you do, he says. So I checked and he's right; and some Kindle purchases I've made were charged against the Gift Card balance.
> 
> So I ask him, is that the way Amazon's doing it now, that now matter how you pay for the orig. purchase, the refund goes to an Amazon Gift Card. Oh no, he ways; you must've used your Gift Card for the orig. purchase or we wouldn't have refunded the Gift Card. I did not, I say; I used a credit card! Oh, he says, that was a glitch, we are so sorry!
> 
> In my case, I can live with it since I have a Kindle e-reader & will continue using the Gift Card balance to pay for the Kindle content. But I can see how irritating this would be if you didn't have a Kindle, if in fact you only bought from Amazon once in a blue moon. A "glitch", my butt; I think it's their sleazy way of just getting you to spend your refund with them. Grumble, grumble.


I bought something with a credit card, and it was applied as a gift card as well for Amazon.  It’s no glitch and it is sleazy.  But Costco is doing this now as well.  Your refund can be applied back to your debit card, which takes forever, or you get a Costco gift card, but no more cash refunds.


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## Ken N Tx (Dec 14, 2020)




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## officerripley (Dec 14, 2020)

Yeah, online shopping: sigh. I've been forced into doing more online shopping since so many of the stores around here have closed & won't be re-opening due to Covid. There was a great place here in town that would refill ink jet cartridges and they worked great and were open 6 days a week, bunch of nice 20- 30-somethings owned it/worked there, great to be able to run in there just about anytime to get a cartridge but Covid got 'em. So now I gotta order from Office Depot online since the nearest one is a long drive away.


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## JB in SC (Jan 8, 2021)

Amazon offers a choice of how you want to credit the return, gift card balance or original CC. Just tick the corrrect box. If you choose the gift card it’s refunded as soon as the return is scanned. Otherwise it won‘t show up until they receive the return.


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## officerripley (Jan 8, 2021)

I don't think I ever got offered that choice when I started the return; it just said click here to start the return; I didn't even realize I even had a darn gift card; seems like Amazon just decided to create one for me and that's where they put the return credit; it would've been nice if they'd let me know that; I didn't even know they did gift cards; oh, well.


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## Sassycakes (Jan 8, 2021)

I've been lucky so far shopping with Amazon. I've been shopping with them since 2006. I've had to make a few returns and so far all went well. I recently returned something from Amazon by taking it to Kohl's. As soon as my husband dropped it off the money from the purchase was immediately put back in my account. Another time I purchased a recliner. It came with the box that was soaked and wet and so was the chair . I sent them a picture and  They told me to just throw it out and they refunded my money. I hope I never have a problem with Amazon because using it makes it very easy for me.


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## Jeweltea (Jan 8, 2021)

I have had good luck returning items to Amazon but I don't mind if they give me the refund on a gift card since I buy a lot anyway. The only time I had any issue with them was when I bought a two-pack of something and they only sent me a single. I complained and they sent me another single (which was fine) but then they charged me for it AND kept emailing me that I needed to return the original one. It took a couple of months to get that sorted out.


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## Pappy (Jan 8, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> I've been lucky so far shopping with Amazon. I've been shopping with them since 2006. I've had to make a few returns and so far all went well. I recently returned something from Amazon by taking it to Kohl's. As soon as my husband dropped it off the money from the purchase was immediately put back in my account. Another time I purchased a recliner. It came with the box that was soaked and wet and so was the chair . I sent them a picture and  They told me to just throw it out and they refunded my money. I hope I never have a problem with Amazon because using it makes it very easy for me.


Me too Sassy. I’ve been more than pleased with them. Been with them a long time and returns are so easy.


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## Nathan (Jan 8, 2021)

I'll save comments on my annoyance with Amazon's practices for a whole 'nuther thread, but

it seems to be a common practice to issue refunds with a 'gift' card.    When I dumped Frontier internet they owed me a refund which they issued via gift card.  I had them convert that into a check which I deposited.      
Gift cards often get forgotten about, I think that's why refunds are issued in this way, so a good percentage will never be redeemed.


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## C'est Moi (Jan 8, 2021)

JB in SC said:


> *Amazon offers a choice of how you want to credit the return, gift card balance or original CC. Just tick the corrrect box.* If you choose the gift card it’s refunded as soon as the return is scanned. Otherwise it won‘t show up until they receive the return.


Exactly.   And the "choice" defaults to gift card, so just pay attention.


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## officerripley (Jan 8, 2021)

C'est Moi said:


> Exactly.   And the "choice" defaults to gift card, so just pay attention.


"Pay attention" to what? I was never offered a choice of anything when I processed the return. In fact, when I called Amaz to ask why the return hadn't been credited to the credit card I used, he told me that it should've been, that they always credit the credit card you used. When I said, well you didn't; then he checked and said Oh, it went into your Am GC and that's when I found out that I suddenly had an Am Gc.


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## peramangkelder (Jan 8, 2021)

Same thing happened to me with an Amazon purchase that was cancelled 
The original amount was credited to an Amazon Gift Card not my original credit card
Didn't bother me too much because Amazon deducted the Gift Card balance from my next purchase


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## C'est Moi (Jan 8, 2021)

officerripley said:


> "Pay attention" to what? I was never offered a choice of anything when I processed the return. In fact, when I called Amaz to ask why the return hadn't been credited to the credit card I used,* he told me that it should've been, that they always credit the credit card you used.* When I said, well you didn't; then he checked and said Oh, it went into your Am GC and that's when I found out that I suddenly had an Am Gc.


He was incorrect.   You can _choose_ whether to get the refund to original payment or a gift card.


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## officerripley (Jan 8, 2021)

C'est Moi said:


> He was incorrect.   You can _choose_ whether to get the refund to original payment or a gift card.


Yeah, depends on who you talk to sometimes; Amazon's not the only company where that happens; boy could I tell ya some horror stories about my internet/tv provider, good grief.


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