Obtaining my delivery
On 17 October 2023 I ordered a new Apple iPad from Amazon UK. I always ordered from Apple directly formerly, but my last MacBook package was damaged by the courier company Apple used and I felt I had more trust in the Amazon fulfilment system. However, although I had left clear instructions that the package should be delivered to my neighbour if I was not in, I had a failed delivery attempt by the Amazon delivery van driver on the morning of 18 October, and they did not attempt to leave with my neighbour once, even though I had left the unique code to confirm this was a bona fide recipient of the delivery. Checking the delivery status on the Amazon web site, it stated that the driver may try to deliver before 10pm but he didn't. The Amazon delivery arrived on 19 October 2023, to my own house and I challenged the driver about not leaving with my neighbour. His answer was that drivers wouldn't know about delivery instructions such as that left on my delivery preferences in my Amazon account.
Opening my package
Once received, I brought my package into my kitchen immediately and opened it in front of my partner, both of us relieved that it had arrived. To both of our amazement, it was not a new iPad box I slipped out of the Amazon packaging, but a £2.99 box of "Daz" washing powder! I immediately ran to the front door again to try and arrest the van driver, but he had already disappeared from the street.
Contacting Amazon support and returning package
I eventually worked out how to phone Amazon support (much more difficult than it used to be). It did not sound as if it was a UK support centre. I was told that I could not be refunded until the delivered package had been returned to Amazon. A return request was initiated. After arranging this on 19 October, I used X (formerly Twitter) to contact @AmazonUK about the matter as the support representative did not give me much confidence that I was being believed. My tweet was responded to. I was told they were unable to assist me further because the package had to be returned first. The arrangement had been made for UPS to pick up the package on Friday 20 October 2023. I was assured that I would be refunded completely as soon as this was received back at Amazon. The package was picked up by UPS on that day as promised.
Re-ordering another iPad
On 28 October 2023 I ordered another iPad, in complete trust of Amazon that the first purchase would be refunded. The price had risen by £30, but I proceeded nonetheless. I received this iPad in good condition on 30 October 2023, and have been using it since then (along with the Logitech Folio Touch iPad Keyboard Case with Trackpad that I ordered on 17 October (the same day as the iPad) and had arrived on 25 October).
Email from Amazon regarding the return package
I kept monitoring the status of the return in my Amazon account. The return was recorded on 24 October and since then the status has stayed the same.
On 29 October, I received an email titled: Important Information regarding Your Amazon.co.uk Order 206-2434716-8235564. It stated:
We wanted to let you know that, due to longer than usual processing times, your Amazon.co.uk order 206-2434716-8235564 is still not refunded. We are working as fast as possible to process your return. You can check the status of your refund at any time, by accessing your order details via the following link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/your-account/order-details/?orderID=206-2434716-8235564
We’re sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause. Once processed, the refund will be credited to the payment method that you used for your order number 206-2434716-8235564. We will confirm that with an automated e-mail.
I have received no correspondence from Amazon since then. I have regularly checked the order status to try and ascertain what is happening, but there has been no update.
Contacting Amazon support again
Almost a week later and two full weeks after the incorrect Daz package had been collected by UPS, on Friday 3 November 2023, I tweeted about my issue on X. The Amazon contact @AmazonHelp responded to me and asked me to contact them via X private chat only. I was told that I should wait a full 30 days, during which time the refund would certainly be completed. I was also asked to complete a form that would expedite this refund:
Please submit your details here and we will look into this as a priority, thanks: https://amzn.to/49heTFX. -Kara
I followed the link and filled it in and submitted as requested straightaway. I received no confirmation of the form being submitted nor was there any followup.
After 30 days still no refund
On 18 November 2023, 30 days had expired since I first received the Daz package instead of my iPad and I contacted Amazon support again via X. This time, I was asked to complete an Incidence Report. I have only been able to complete this report today, 22 November 2023 and submitted correctly on 23 November 2023.
My current experience of Amazon
We have used Amazon for online purchases since our company first began trading online. Together we have spent thousands and thousands of pounds via Amazon. We adopted Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host our company's web servers and, being impressed by the service, we have promoted AWS widely (not just in the UK and Ireland, but also via other roles in which we have been contracted all over the world). Amazon has been a paragon of quality customer centred service for us... until recently. Something seems to have changed. The support now seems distant and indifferent. The care and consideration for the customer seems to have gone. Surely this is not what the founders desire? A company should get better and better at what it does well, which has always been the case with Amazon until now.
