Paying for return shipping at Amazon?

[biscoffcookies]

I have Amazon Prime. I seem to remember that in the past I have returned things to Amazon at no charge. Today, however, I went to print out my return label and it informed me that, since my return was not the result of their error (it turns out I just don't need the item), I would be charged up to $5.78 for return shipping, which would be deducted from my refund.

I called Amazon to ask if this was a new policy, and the customer service person wouldn't give me a straight answer.

Am I crazy, or is this a new thing?

[wannabe]

I noticed this too. I don't know if it's new, but I ended up paying for the shopping.

[jenny1223]

Are you sure the item was directly from Amazon and not a seller on Amazon?

[redheadk]

It seems to be random. I returned something I ordered and the return was totally free. DH returned something he ordered and had to pay the return shipping fee.

I tried to return a swaddle I bought but don't need that was right under $10 and they credited my account and told me to keep it. Weird.

[makingithappen]

I've never heard of paying before although I remember something about free USPS but paying for FedEx on an item if I did it that way. I don't remember the details.

[ohgillian]

I remember paying for return ship in the past when it wasn't due to their error. So I am thinking it's not a new policy. (We also have prime.)

[catbus]

Yeah, it's new. They keep changing their return process. A few months ago, it was either use their prepaid return label (at no charge to the customer) or use your own method, and they'd refund a certain amount to you for the cost of the return shipping. Then it switched so that you had to use their prepaid return label in any case. At some point in the last month or so, it apparently changed again so that they deduct the cost of return shipping from your refund.
I found this out when I considered returning a $10 item, but saw that they estimated $5+ would be deducted from my refund.

[Deleted]

I have only ever noticed certain items on Amazon that include free return shipping (baby items, shoes and accessories, a few other things). Otherwise I assume I'd have to pay return shipping unless there is a problem with the order. I have had Prime for a few years and I feel like it's always been this way.

[Deleted]

I've been seeing that I have to pay for returns as well. I received a gift from Amazon, but it wasn't the particular item item I had wanted, so I tried to return it and the return cost was going to eat up most of the refund.

[catbus]

Jan 8, 2013 11:43:45 GMT -5 redheadk said:

I tried to return a swaddle I bought but don't need that was right under $10 and they credited my account and told me to keep it. Weird.

Yeah, actually I forgot the same thing happened to me. I bought a SleepSack Swaddle from WarehouseDeals (Amazon's open box options) and it was mislabeled, with a too-small size inside. I did a customer service chat about the issue, and they immediately credited me the cost but told me to keep the mis-shipped item. (Which I donated.)

[LoveTrains]

Where is the customer service chat on amazon? I have been trying desperately to find it!
I need to complain to them about how it took a freaking week to receive something tha tI should have gotten in two days (amazon prime)

[hlke]

Jan 8, 2013 11:46:07 GMT -5 @carmensandiego said:

I have only ever noticed certain items on Amazon that include free return shipping (baby items, shoes and accessories, a few other things). Otherwise I assume I'd have to pay return shipping unless there is a problem with the order. I have had Prime for a few years and I feel like it's always been this way.

Yeah, this. Some items have free return shipping with Prime and it's stated when you buy the item. Others you pay return shipping unless it's their error. For very low cost items they know they can't resell, they sometimes don't make you ship them back.

[biscoffcookies]

Yes, they wanted to charge return costs for items sold directly by Amazon.

Seeing the varying responses made me super-curious, so I tried again with the online chat. This agent said that they cover shipping costs for anything that is their error, all baby items, clothing, shoes, and some jewelry and watches.

The customer service rep did give me a free return shipping label this time "as an exception," so that's good. But this seriously makes me hesitate about buying certain things from them -- the return charge would have eaten up 1/3 of the cost of the item.

[LoveTrains]

WHERE IS THIS ONLINE CHAT? Someone give me a link please.

[biscoffcookies]

Jan 8, 2013 11:55:43 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

WHERE IS THIS ONLINE CHAT? Someone give me a link please.

Ack, I tried to find it again for you and I can't! How did I find it the first time??

Found it!! Click here: www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=518316

Once you sign in, it should ask you to pick an order and then decide whether to call, email, or chat with them.

[mellymel]

You can usually find the customer service chat under the "Return Center" area or near "Your Orders" - i just used it this weekend and that's where I found it.

[catbus]

LOL. I just accidentally clicked my Amazon "Add to Wish List" browser add-on for this thread. Awesome coincidence.

Jan 8, 2013 11:55:43 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

WHERE IS THIS ONLINE CHAT? Someone give me a link please.

Lovetrains, it's totally circuitous.
Go to your account, then scroll down to the very bottom to "Let Us Help You," then click "Help," then on the right-hand side of that page click the yellow "Contact Us" button. From there it's pretty self-explanatory.

[biscoffcookies]

Jan 8, 2013 11:57:52 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

Why should they eat the return cost if it isn't their fault? I figure paying for return shipping is the risk I take shopping online.

I am not perturbed by the charging of the return shipping per se, just that I erroneously thought they covered it (which played into my purchasing decision).

[catbus]

Jan 8, 2013 12:02:28 GMT -5 biscoffcookies said:

Jan 8, 2013 11:57:52 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

Why should they eat the return cost if it isn't their fault? I figure paying for return shipping is the risk I take shopping online.

I am not perturbed by the charging of the return shipping per se, just that I erroneously thought they covered it (which played into my purchasing decision).

Ditto. I wish the policy were spelled out a little better, because to me it's seemed totally inconsistent. Now that I know what is and isn't covered, it makes a bit more sense.

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2013 12:02:28 GMT -5 biscoffcookies said:

Jan 8, 2013 11:57:52 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

Why should they eat the return cost if it isn't their fault? I figure paying for return shipping is the risk I take shopping online.

I am not perturbed by the charging of the return shipping per se, just that I erroneously thought they covered it (which played into my purchasing decision).

Yeah, you have to look on the item listing by price. It will say Price: $10.99, Prime eligible, & eligible for Free Returns. If I don't see the free returns I assume I will be responsible for the return ship price.

Sorry this happened to you; it's frustrating. I recently bought an item on Amazon that it turns out I really can't use in the way I thought I would and it's not eligible for free returns so I am just out the money (returning it would just not be worth the shipping cost). I figure I save so much money by shopping on Amazon that the occasional oops and return ship cost is a small price to pay, but it can still sting, especially if you weren't expecting it.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure. I found this recently too, I ended up returning 2 books that I bought as gifts (also on Prime) because I ended up finding them on sale on the Kindle version after Christmas and told my recipients I'd gladly buy them the Kindle version instead if they wanted.

I still came out ahead (the books were $13.49, shipping was $3.99) and the books on the Kindle were $3.99, so I didn't worry much about it. I do think this is the only time I've had to pay return shipping, though. Usually I only send stuff back if it's defective/damaged/poor quality/not what I expected, though. This may be the first time I sent something back simply because I changed my mind.

[LoveTrains]

Thanks for the chat link! I got them to give me an exgtra month of prime for free. The item I ordered on 12/29 did not come until yesterday. I was pissed.

[cosmowife]

I thought the order page specified whether the item qualified for free returns? Like, all baby items have free returns but most regular stuff doesn't. It has been this way for at least three years that I can remember.

[Mushe]

I returned some gifts that were shipped with Prime, and even though they arrived in two boxes, I was able to return it in one. They deducted two different shipping charges from my credit.

[kaylie]

I was about to return something for that reason, but when I saw that they were going to charge me the return I used the back button and went with "not as described on website" and they removed the charge.