Amazon account closing

[laufer]

I posted this on AAAC but I would like to warn SF crowd too

Gentlemen caveat emptor

This August my amazon account was abruptly closed. I was puzzled why I cannot log in. I called customer service which gave me this strange story how my billing info did not match and assured me that somebody will get back to me. A few days later I received email from amazon executive relations informing me that I have experienced large number of incidents and this cannot continue and my account was permanently closed. I immediately protested replying back and asking for explanation what have I done to offend Amazon. A couple of days later I received explanation that my account was closed due to the number of returns I made.

Indeed pas 18 months the number of items I sent back was higher than usual. However there is perfectly good explanation for this. See lately I have been purchasing clothing on Amazon and usually I would buy 2 sizes of item and keep the one that fits and send the one that does not. To me this did not seem any different than going to the store and asking sales associate to bring me two different pair of shoes. I assure you I did not abuse Amazon return policies like some folks do. I did not "buy" $3000 lenses and then returned after coming back from vacation. Here you can reed the post I posted on the other forum about my shopping history at Amazon. http://forums.slickdeals.net/showpos...&postcount=427

Here is my shopping history
Year # items bought # returned
2001 20 3
2002 10 0
2003 16 0
2004 61 5
2005 51 12
2006 38 5
2007 84 18
2008 42 11

I received no reply from Amazon but my account was re-activated. I thought they must have come to their senses so I continue to buy on amazon but this time I stayed away from clothing items. Well last week I my account was closed again. I was puzzled I have placed 6 or seven orders through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and third party merchants I made no returns. I send the polite email what is going on and this is reply that I received.

Hello again from Amazon.com.

We again closely examined your payment methods, your account, your history, and any related accounts to ensure that any decision regarding your account was made in accordance with our policies.

I understand your viewpoint, and I regret that you are so disappointed by our company's decision. I wish things could have worked out differently. We remain unable to serve you as a customer. I'm sorry, but we will not reopen your closed Amazon.com accounts. This decision is final.

I am happy to answer any order related questions regarding your closed accounts. Keep in mind our decision regarding this matter will not change.

Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and thank you for contacting us.

Best regards,

Darin Craven
Amazon.com Customer Service

I always paid with the credit card and shipped merchandise to my billing address. I never had any problems with my billing or shipping. I think I know what is going on here. My last 5 or 6 orders were all just above $25.00. For example, I placed order for 6 packs of steel cut oatmeal and 1 book. Another order placed 4 weeks ago was for another book and microwave heating mug. Then I placed an order for box of DVD from amazon.co.uk. I did not return any items. Amazon is probably trying to get rid of unprofitable customers.

Anyways I wanted to warn you in case you are blindly in love with Amazon and think they can do no wrong. I certainly was. Be very careful if you are planning to buy a Kindle. In case you are kicked off the amazon.com you will not have access to you digital library anymore.

 

[B1FF]

Amazon is probably trying to get rid of unprofitable customers

Of course they are. You are ordering items you know you don't want and returning them. 11 this year alone. You are probably costing them a ton of money. I'd have closed your account too.

 

[laufer]

Originally Posted by B1FF

Of course they are. You are ordering items you know you don't want and returning them. 11 this year alone. You are probably costing them a ton of money. I'd have closed your account too.


I do not think you read this through. My account was re-opened after I appealed. Since then I had no returns and they closed my account claiming there was something wrong with my payment history.

It looks like some folks have no problem walking into department store, trying on merchanidise and then ordering items from internet because you can get them cheaper.

 

[AintDatRite]

I read what you posted; they temporarily reopened your account during the appeal. During that time, they reviewed your account to ensure that they followed proper procedures when they initially closed your account. Their review found that they had closed your account for 'reason' and, as such, your appeal was denied and they permanently closed the account.

Its kind of like 'instant replay' in football - except in this case, the officials allowed the game to continue whilst they reviewed the tape... once they were sure they made the correct call the first time, they stopped the game.

It's not the same as walking into a 'brick & mortar' store and buying two identical items, keeping the one that fits and returning the other. 40% of Amazon.com's sales come from associates/resellers who sell their merchandise on Amazon's website. A lot of those associates are small businesses, based out of their homes. It's a headache when someone buys something and then returns it... and you did it eleven times. That causes the small associates to lose money in shipping, restocking, 'rebalancing the books', etc.

 

[visionology]

You think they would send you a warning first though, something to the effect of "In accordance with our guidelines we have noticed you are abusing the return policies of this company... yada yada".

I'm surprised companies like Zappos doesn't do this more as well, I know people who order 10 items because of their free return shipping and maybe keep 1 or 2 items. I can't figure out how they can eat all those shipping costs.

 

[laufer]

Originally Posted by AintDatRite

I read what you posted; they temporarily reopened your account during the appeal. During that time, they reviewed your account to ensure that they followed proper procedures when they initially closed your account. Their review found that they had closed your account for 'reason' and, as such, your appeal was denied and they permanently closed the account.

Its kind of like 'instant replay' in football - except in this case, the officials allowed the game to continue whilst they reviewed the tape... once they were sure they made the correct call the first time, they stopped the game.

It's not the same as walking into a 'brick & mortar' store and buying two identical items, keeping the one that fits and returning the other. 40% of Amazon.com's sales come from associates/resellers who sell their merchandise on Amazon's website. A lot of those associates are small businesses, based out of their homes. It's a headache when someone buys something and then returns it... and you did it eleven times. That causes the small associates to lose money in shipping, restocking, 'rebalancing the books', etc.

No. The third party merchants I made return to were Nordstorm and Macy's. I bought a lot of items from small merchants but I never returned anything aside from two before-mentioned stores. I think Amazon is playing with fire I do not think I am the only person who ordered 36 and 38 size jenas and kept one that fits returned the other. Sooner or later they will banned some journalist and wehn this get in the news it may generate bad publicity.

Having said all this I actually support retailers, online or brick in their attempt to ban or neutralize serious abuser be that return abusers or coupon/discount abusers. I just think Amazon is going wrong about this. They could have send me a letter, warning or sometihng like that.

Again I do not think it was returns it was probably that two thirds of my orders we smaller orders book and another item ussually book just above $25 to get free shipping. They probably lost o lot of omey when I buy 2 books for $27 and then they have to ship it for free.

 

[Thomas]

I see returns as:

1) a major hassle for all parties, and
2) proof you didn't choose well in the first place.

For quality issues, though - of course I return.

 

[unjung]

I think what you were doing was a little excessive. Zappos is pretty clear about hassle-free returns, so I wouldn't sweat it there. But if a company doesn't say out of the gate that they're comfortable with this, I wouldn't push it. Clothing doesn't really come in a try-before-you-buy model.

 

[B1FF]

Originally Posted by laufer

I do not think you read this through.

You are wrong.

Originally Posted by laufer

Sooner or later they will banned some journalist and wehn this get in the news it may generate bad publicity.

I doubt this is keeping Jeff Bezos up at night.

Again I do not think it was returns it was probably that two thirds of my orders we smaller orders book and another item ussually book just above $25 to get free shipping. They probably lost o lot of omey when I buy 2 books for $27 and then they have to ship it for free.

Almost all of my orders are small ones like this, and have been for at least a decade now. My account still works.

 

[Gradstudent78]

Originally Posted by laufer

Again I do not think it was returns it was probably that two thirds of my orders we smaller orders book and another item ussually book just above $25 to get free shipping. They probably lost o lot of omey when I buy 2 books for $27 and then they have to ship it for free.

I buy things practically every month that are just over $25 for the free shipping, so I highly doubt it has anything to do with that. I'd say it's the high number of returns. I also agree with the poster that said your repeated ordering two and returning one was a little excessive in nature.

 

[Milhouse]

You abused the system with the high number of returns. It has ZERO to do with the 25 dollar orders. It has everything to do with you returning many items. You just seem to be refusing to accept that amazon is not set up to handle large quantities of returns and will close accounts that do so in order to remain operational and profitable.

If you don't like it, I'd suggest shopping elsewhere. I'm sure there are places that are willing to cater more to a shopper like you.

 

[NoVaguy]

Yeah, definitely too many returns. No Amazon for you!

 

[ProfMonnitoff]

in my history of purchasing from amazon, i've never returned anything.
one time i bought a boxed dvd set from amazon where one of the dvds didn't work. i emailed them about it and they sent me a new set and didn't even ask for the first one back.
you were clearly abusing amazon's returns policy. shoe stores don't have to pay for shipping when you ask them to bring out two sizes.