Ok, I need to vent.  I've got friends here, and this is a good a place as any.  Settle in, I have story to tell.

My sister's wedding is this weekend.  I decided to buy a nice watch for my future brother-in-law.  Found it on Amazon, and ordered it back in August.  Received the watch.  Watch is left new, unused, in original packaging.  Wasn't cheap, $1600.  A few weeks go by, I talk with my future brother-in-law, and decide another, different gift would be more appropriate.  He's not really a watch guy, and this isn't a cheap watch.

I contact Amazon, requesting a return around the first of the month.  Amazon informs me sale was from a third party, they have to authorize return.  The seller says, "I'm outside the return period" and won't accept my return.  Hmmm.  I re-read his return policy, its says 30 days from receipt, and I'm well within this period.  I contact Amazon, and open an "A to Z Guarantee" claim.  Amazon sends me a note 2 days later, stating I am within the return period.  A day later, the seller sends me the following note:

Mr. (redacted), 

 

Please return the package to the following address:

 

2xxx (redacted address)

XXXX, Texas XXXXX

 

Once we receive the package you will have your refund. 

 

Sincerely,

 

(redacted) 

I package the item, take pictures of the watch, packaging, and labelled box.  I ship the item back to the seller via UPS, and provide tracking information via Amazon.

I track the package, and it shows as delivered on early Monday, Sept. 14.  "Left at Front Porch" is the note on UPS tracking.  Hmmmm.

Tonight, Tuesday, I get a call from UPS.  UPS says the seller has opened a case, the package wasn't on his porch.  An hour or 2 later, the seller leaves me this note on Amazon:

Hello Mr. (redacted),

 

The UPS tracking number says the item was delivered however no package has been received. Everyone on my street received their packages yet I have not received mine. UPS has contacted Mr. (redacted) and they will be conducting a formal investigation within 8 business days. I will be filing a police report as well. 

 

Mr. (redacted) was any insurance purchased on the watch as it is $1574.49?

Every scam-alert in my being is now going off.  So, I leave this note back to him:

I followed your instructions exactly and shipped to the address you provided.   I'm surprised to learn this is apparently a home address.  Your are not a business with employees to receive items?  

 

You did not ask to either insure the package or require a signature delivery.  I had no way on knowing the circumstances of your receipt.  Clearly, if this was to be delivered to a home address, you should have either provided the shipping label as every other Amazon return has done for me, or instructed me with specifics including the amount of insurance and whether a signature delivery should be required.  

 

I've fulfilled every request made, promptly.  I shipped the new item back to you, with full tracking and photographs of the package.  It was your responsibility to arrange receipt.  This return has become something of a nightmare.  

 

Please refund my full purchase price immediately, and you can take up with UPS the status of the package that was delivered to your door.   Simply, that's not my problem.  

And that's where I am now.  No, I didn't send the package signature required, it didn't even cross my mind (note use of the term "we" in his instructions, doesn't sound like some guy selling out of his house).  I really did think this was going to a business, with someone to receive.  

Anyway, that's where things stand now.  Let's see what Amazon does about this.  Yeah, I may be screwed here.  It's a tough lesson.  Yes, you can get scammed by sellers on Amazon.   This was the first return I've done on Amazon in which a label wasn't provided by Amazon, now I know.  Anyway, wanted to vent about this, and perhaps warn others so you don't make a similar mistake.

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by diablo2112

My 2 cents....

1. I would never buy a high dollar item from a third party seller, as you can always expect their return policy to be worse than Amazon.

No offense to any sellers here lol...

2. The item is your responsibility until it reaches the recipient's hands ie: always get sig confirmation.

3. Never assume anything, do what is necessary to cover your own a$$

Success!!!

Edit: Amazon just told me the seller requested the refund.  Apparently, my firm letters to him finally convinced him to do the correct thing, as I'm sure he didn't want the police simultaneously investigating his claim of a stolen package and the same watch appearing on eBay a few miles away.

Well, guess what?  This appeared on my Amazon claim page later today:

Success!  The lesson?  It pays to be persistent, I suppose.

Edited September 18, 201510 yr by diablo2112

Lesson is you got lucky and owed members of this forum a round of drinks 

That or get a signature.  I'll take a watch instead of the drink please.

Edit: I just got off a chat session with Amazon.  They stated the seller issued the refund.  I wrote the seller a pretty firm letter today, and disclosed to him for the first time that 1) I had photos of the watch I returned to him, and 2) those photos showed a shared, distinctive defect on both watches, and 3) I was in contact with law enforcement in Houston to purse the eBay auction as stolen goods.   You might guess that the seller realized something was up, and that a refund at that point was the best decision.  Probably didn't want the police poking around his claim of a lost package and the sale of the same watch on eBay.   

Don't mess with a brick picker, I tell ya!

Edited September 18, 201510 yr by diablo2112

Edit: I just got off a chat session with Amazon.  They stated the seller issued the refund.  I wrote the seller a pretty firm letter today, and disclosed to him for the first time that 1) I had photos of the watch I returned to him, and 2) those photos showed a shared, distinctive defect on both watches, and 3) I was in contact with law enforcement in Houston to purse the eBay auction as stolen goods.   You might guess that the seller realized something was up, and that a refund at that point was the best decision.  Probably didn't want the police poking around his claim of a lost package and the sale of the same watch on eBay.   

Don't mess with a brick picker, I tell ya!

Good stuff. Glad to hear you got your money back!!

Edit: I just got off a chat session with Amazon.  They stated the seller issued the refund.  I wrote the seller a pretty firm letter today, and disclosed to him for the first time that 1) I had photos of the watch I returned to him, and 2) those photos showed a shared, distinctive defect on both watches, and 3) I was in contact with law enforcement in Houston to purse the eBay auction as stolen goods.   You might guess that the seller realized something was up, and that a refund at that point was the best decision.  Probably didn't want the police poking around his claim of a lost package and the sale of the same watch on eBay.   

Don't mess with a brick picker, I tell ya!

wait for it at the end of the clip:

Just a bit more of hilarious post-script.  I finally got an email from Amazon tonight, confirming the return.  The seller left me a note.  Here it is:

"Notes: Hello Mr. xxxx,
We have found the watch and have applied a refund of $1570. (Minus $4.49 for shipping). 
If you need any Rolexes please call us as we have great prices on new and pre-owned luxury timepieces. 
Sincerely,
(redacted)"

Oh joy! He "found" the watch.  I'll bet you did.  Better to find it yourself, than have the police find it in an account linked to you on eBay.  I did all the sleuthing and detective work on this myself, Amazon was worse than useless.  I still love the screen shot with "refund" prominently above the other entry of "claim denied".  I wonder if Amazon is going to take any action?  Personally, I'm done with this, and have learned that once you win, to stay far away from these situations and don't prod the hornet's nest. 

Oh, and that last laugh?  If I need a Rolex now, this is a great source from which to purchase.  

Adios muchacho.

Edited September 18, 201510 yr by diablo2112

Congrats! This calls for an air guitar celebration... Or a real guitar one.

Now, I have a watch that you might be interested in mwahaha!

That's great news.

Good job! I am glad it all worked out for you. 

So now what are you gonna do with the $1500? Seems like the houses money at this point right?  Maybe see Geddy Neil and Alex in person! I saw them last month and they were fantastic!

Just a bit more of hilarious post-script.  I finally got an email from Amazon tonight, confirming the return.  The seller left me a note.  Here it is:

"Notes: Hello Mr. xxxx,
We have found the watch and have applied a refund of $1570. (Minus $4.49 for shipping). 
If you need any Rolexes please call us as we have great prices on new and pre-owned luxury timepieces. 
Sincerely,
(redacted)"

Oh joy! He "found" the watch.  I'll bet you did.  Better to find it yourself, than have the police find it in an account linked to you on eBay.  I did all the sleuthing and detective work on this myself, Amazon was worse than useless.  I still love the screen shot with "refund" prominently above the other entry of "claim denied".  I wonder if Amazon is going to take any action?  Personally, I'm done with this, and have learned that once you win, to stay far away from these situations and don't prod the hornet's nest. 

Oh, and that last laugh?  If I need a Rolex now, this is a great source from which to purchase.  

Adios muchacho.

I don't think you should let up. If you let this crook go he will just scam another person who isn't as persistent as you. 

Yeah I think at least one last message to amazon explaining how blatantly apparent it was that this seller was trying to scam you. To save others this trouble and to make sure they are fully aware of the situation and seller.

 

Congratulations on the win though.

So now what are you gonna do with the $1500? Seems like the houses money at this point right?  Maybe see Geddy Neil and Alex in person! I saw them last month and they were fantastic!

If Joe is smart he will earmark this money to pay for confirmed delivery shipping on his own future sales/returns. It works out cheaper than man hours of detective work afterwards.