# Fuck 3rd party sellers on Amazon **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 25, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162 "2019-02-25T04:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/21 "2019-02-26T00:24:49Z")
Still no resolution. Amazon is telling me I have to pay return shipping and get reimbursed. This is fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/22 "2019-02-26T01:44:12Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > If I’ve shipped something, and the buyer says it never arrived they need to contact the shipper (UPS, USPS, whatever). If you’ve shipped something, and the buyer says it never arrived _you_ need to contact the shipper _you_ arranged to deliver the goods, and ensure that they are delivered as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/23 "2019-02-26T14:50:53Z")
> [@UCBearcats](#): > > Still no resolution. Amazon is telling me I have to pay return shipping and get reimbursed. This is fucked up. That was my experience a while back, except I never got reimbursed. I received a musical instrument with defective electronics. I contacted the seller and wanted a replacement, but they said I had to send the defective one back and refused to issue a return label for a defective item. I reported them to Amazon, Amazon said I had to send the item back at my expense then email Amazon the confirmation of delivery. I got refunded for the item, but not for the shipping, which came to about a third of what I’d paid. So I ended up paying about 30 bucks for nothing. Amazon declared the matter settled and never responded to my 3 or 4 emails explaining that I hadn’t been reimbursed for the return shipping. ---
**Author:** ![nate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nate/32/13085_2.png) [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/24 "2019-02-26T15:48:10Z")
I’m really surprised that Amazon isn’t giving you a refund or sending you a return label. Sometimes you need to talk to a rep on the phone and get your issue escalated to a supervisor for them to actually do something. You don’t have to get mad or angry, just calmly state your case, reading Amazon’s own policy back to them and they usually try to make things right. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/25 "2019-02-26T15:49:40Z")
> [@nate](#): > > I’m really surprised that Amazon isn’t giving you a refund or sending you a return label. Sometimes you need to talk to a rep on the phone and get your issue escalated to a supervisor for them to actually do something. You don’t have to get mad or angry, just calmly state your case, reading Amazon’s own policy back to them and they usually try to make things right. With being from a third party vendor, Amazon doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/26 "2019-02-26T17:07:46Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > From [Amazon’s help page on return policies](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=15015721): > > > [@](#): > > > > When you order from a seller that fulfills and ships its own inventory (also called a third party seller), your return is sent back to the seller instead of [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). While most sellers offer a returns policy equivalent to [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com)’s, some seller returns policies may vary. You can view the return policy of the seller before you purchase an item by viewing the Returns and Refunds Policy section of the seller profile page. To view the seller’s return policy, once you’ve ordered, you can select your order in the Online Returns Center. > > > > Third-party sellers must either provide a return address within the United States, provide a prepaid return label, **or** offer a full refund without requesting the item be returned. If a seller does not offer these methods to return your items, you may file an A-to-z Guarantee claim to seek help with your return. > > Have you looked at the vendor’s return policy? Did you look at it before you bought the item? Do you have some reason to believe the vendor won’t make good on the return postage? Emphasis added. Sounds like the seller is choosing the first route. I don’t interpret that as those are 3 options to the buyer, but that the seller must provide at least one of those options to the buyer, and if none of the options is available, then Amazon will intervene. Just my 2¢. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/27 "2019-03-01T00:30:18Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Emphasis added. Sounds like the seller is choosing the first route. I don’t interpret that as those are 3 options to the buyer, but that the seller must provide at least one of those options to the buyer, and if none of the options is available, then Amazon will intervene. Just my 2¢. YMMV. Amazon CS is a bunch of fucking moronic assholes. They only care about their 3rd party vendors and Bezos next billion. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/28 "2019-03-01T01:19:47Z")
I’ve always found Amazon CS to be helpful, including when I’ve had problems with 3rd party sellers. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/29 "2019-03-01T02:57:12Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Yeah, I know a seller, and they tell me refunds are pretty much automatic. Out of their hands. Just call and The Big A does it. > > The seller, by the way, also hates Amazon. Sure, they make a couple bucks here and there, but are basically beholden to Amazon, led around by the nose and get the short end of the stick pretty often. > > So, the sellers hate it, the buyers hate it and yet it is the biggest thing since the fuckin’ wheel and makes money like nothing else on Earth. 😕 > > And to think of all that money I wasted on Business School. > [@susan](#): > > I’ve always found Amazon CS to be helpful, including when I’ve had problems with 3rd party sellers. Unfortunately they are not helping with this ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/30 "2019-03-01T03:19:46Z")
I’m sorry. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/31 "2019-03-01T05:04:26Z")
> [@UCBearcats](#): > > Amazon CS is a bunch of fucking moronic assholes. They only care about their 3rd party vendors and Bezos next billion. Huh. Is that the way you call into customer service? Cause I guarantee that is not the best way to get help. You’re a bunch of moronic assholes! Help me now! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/32 "2019-03-01T11:16:41Z")
I’m a Third Party Seller. Been one for ten years. I deal honestly with others. And buyers rip off seller with great frequency. So it cuts both ways. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/33 "2019-03-03T02:38:46Z")
I’m not much of a seller any more, but when I was I always gave no questions asked refunds because the alternative was that Amazon customer service always sided with the buyer and were quick to shut down seller accounts if you had any negative feedback. I learned my lesson after losing a couple cases where I think I should have won but the buyers were being difficult (like paying for media mail and being mad it took 4 days to arrive or claiming a new book was used because it had a minor scratch and much less wear than a book off a store shelf, etc). The customer isn’t always right but sometimes it’s just good business to let it go. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/34 "2019-03-04T17:01:54Z")
I’m a little surprised by this. I have been stiffed by third party sellers once - a shitty Chinese vendor kept selling me two of the same item when I needed - and the listing promised - mirrored ones for different sides, until I was outside of Amazon’s return window. The vendor then basically started ignoring my plaintive emails and messages, but Amazon refunded my money after I explained why I was bringing the matter to their attention outside the return window. They also refunded my money last week for an item that was lost by the USPS somewhere near my town; the item wound up being delivered a few days later. In both instances, they told me to keep the items. Are you a Prime member? It may make a difference with regard to customer service. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/35 "2019-03-04T23:39:32Z")
> [@UCBearcats](#): > > …Bezos and his minions don’t fucking care… > [@UCBearcats](#): > > …Bezos needs more pieces of paper to wipe his ass with. > [@UCBearcats](#): > > …This is fucked up. > [@UCBearcats](#): > > Amazon CS is a bunch of fucking moronic assholes… You have such a gift for words I’m surprised you are not getting a resolution. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2019, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/36 "2019-03-05T12:14:01Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I’m a Third Party Seller. > Been one for ten years. > I deal honestly with others. > And buyers rip off seller with great frequency. > So it cuts both ways. Let me guess. You sell collections of your poetry, right? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/37 "2019-03-05T22:57:53Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Let me guess. You sell collections of your poetry, right? No. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/38 "2019-03-06T02:46:02Z")
I’ve found Amazon customer service to be the best of any company I’ve ever dealt with. That’s the primary reason I buy through Amazon. Returns have always been simple and handled perfectly. I once had a package stolen from my mailbox, and after my wife contacted them, Amazon actually refunded the cost. ---
**Author:** ![UCBearcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/77aa72/32.png) [@UCBearcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UCBearcats)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/39 "2019-03-06T04:31:47Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I’ve found Amazon customer service to be the best of any company I’ve ever dealt with. That’s the primary reason I buy through Amazon. Returns have always been simple and handled perfectly. I once had a package stolen from my mailbox, and after my wife contacted them, Amazon actually refunded the cost. Their CS is great if you buy through them. They don’t care when it is from a third party. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162/40 "2019-03-06T04:40:13Z")
> [@UCBearcats](#): > > Their CS is great if you buy through them. They don’t care when it is from a third party. [About Ordering from a Third-Party Seller](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201889310) > [@](#): > > The steps to place an order with a third-party seller are the same as placing any other order on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). You add items to your cart, **then complete your order through the Amazon checkout process.** Payment for your order may be processed immediately, instead of when the order ships. Amazon will disburse your funds to the third-party seller but never pass along your payment information. > > If a seller asks you to send funds directly to them, bypassing the Amazon checkout process, do not place the order and contact Amazon customer service immediately. Is that what you did? Or did you order directly from the third party? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-3rd-party-sellers-on-amazon/830162.md?page=3)