# Handling problems with Amazon returns **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673 "2024-03-10T16:19:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/1 "2024-03-10T16:19:19Z")
In theory, Amazon’s return process is simple and straightforward: you bring the item to a Koh’s or a Whole Foods, they scan it, you get your money back when Amazon receives the item. But what if Amazon doesn’t receive the item? We’re in this predicament at the moment – we just got a notice from Amazon’s “Try Before You Buy” program that the clock is running out on 4 items my wife selected, didn’t like, and dropped off at Kohl’s. They don’t give you a receipt. The Amazon tracking just says “In Transit”. How do we prove to Amazon that we really did return these items? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/2 "2024-03-10T16:26:37Z")
The Kohl’s clerk screwed up or did something unlawful. They were suppose to give you a receipt and you should have had a in process type message on your orders screen if you checked back. I’ve done this enough times with Kohls and UPS to know how it is suppose to work at least. [This might be a small bit of help, Amazon Return Policy](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GKM69DUUYKQWKWX7): ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/3 "2024-03-10T16:26:42Z")
No paperwork at all? I’ve never done this kinda return. Is there any reason to believe they would need proof, yet? Also if it says in transit wouldn’t that mean you’re in the system? Go to Amazon and chat, via text,with customer service. My experience with that is it’s fast, in real time and they can check the status of anything that you’ve ordered. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/4 "2024-03-10T16:30:18Z")
I just dropped something off at a UPS store. Usually I hand to a clerk and it’s all good. This time the store had a little kiosk that had me scan my email QR code, it printed a label, I put my item in a bag and put the label on it and put it in a bin. This was a week ago and I haven’t heard anything else about it. I wonder if Amazon has changed the process and there’s a glitch somewhere in the whole system? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/5 "2024-03-10T16:45:55Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > No paperwork at all? > > I’ve never done this kinda return. > Is there any reason to believe they would need proof, yet? > > Also if it says in transit wouldn’t that mean you’re in the system? What’s curious and frustrating is that we dropped off 6 items. 2 were successfully received by Amazon; the other 4 still show as “In Transit”. But the status provides no more details than that, so we don’t know if “In Transit” means that it was received at Kohl’s or just “somewhere, possibly still in your house”. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/6 "2024-03-10T16:52:59Z")
It means the return was logged at Kohls but hasn’t been processed by Returns yet. What’s weird to me, someone that used to process Amazon returns, is them hassling you when they know the RMA is in transit because that means they know you’ve returned the item to Kohls. They only give you 30 days to send it back, but I’ve processed returns that sat at the facility for months, though that’s odd for Kohls returns; they’re quickly processed so people snatch them up to make quota (150 items/hour). ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/7 "2024-03-10T17:01:59Z")
Good info, epbrown…thanks. So if “in transit” means that it was received at Kohl’s then presumably it’s somewhere between Koh’s and Amazon. When the clock runs out on our Try Before You Buy window they’ll charge us for all the items…I presume that when the items eventually get back to Amazon they will issue a refund? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/8 "2024-03-10T17:22:26Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Go to Amazon and chat, via text,with customer service Where do they hide the Chat button? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/9 "2024-03-10T17:36:22Z")
I did my IIRC very first Amazon return yesterday. Really. Started the process online and got a QR code via email. Bagged the item and took it to Whole Foods. The counter person at the dedicated Amazon counter scanned my code, a bar-coded label popped out of a printer, and he slapped it on the package, then scanned it with his device & tossed the package into a bin with another couple hundred items. Then I walked out. By the time I started the car the Amazon app beeped to tell me I’d been credited $XX. I admit I was impressed. If the folks at Kohl’s don’t give you some sort of proof of return I’m not sure what to think. Except that they screwed up / conned you. Maybe avoid returning things to Kohl’s, or at least that particular Kohl’s, in the future? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/10 "2024-03-10T18:02:10Z")
Update: Crisis averted, happy ending. We found the Amazon chat button despite Amazon’s best efforts, and gave the CSR the RMA ID from our return email. He looked it up and said (texted) “Hmmm…that’s odd…we’ve received those items.” So he updated the system to mark these as returned and canceled the threat to bill us. I guess even a trillion dollar corporation that rules the world is not immune to screw-ups. ---
**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 10, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/11 "2024-03-10T19:24:18Z")
In my experience, Amazon is better about returns than any other company I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve done quite a few returns and it’s usually very simple and the automation gets you your money back almost as soon as you hand over the package, as LSLGuy experienced. The worst one was when I ordered a small item and received an EMPTY envelope. I explained it in a chat and they said they’d take care of it. Then a couple days later I got an email that said I’d be billed unless I returned the item (which I of course didn’t have). A second chat session cleared it up. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/12 "2024-03-10T19:27:46Z")
I’m happy you found the chat . Isn’t it great? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/13 "2024-03-10T21:10:50Z")
We just returned two phones, that were supposed to be unlocked but weren’t. We got notification that Amazon had received them, but that they had to be checked before we were credited. We just got the credit. Amazon returns are indeed great. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/14 "2024-03-10T21:28:29Z")
It is great, and we should leave a trail of bread crumbs to find our way back there. They obviously would prefer that you solve the problem yourself, but if you do manage to get a human on the line they’re very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2024, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/15 "2024-03-10T21:43:29Z")
I will say the only major retail/business entity I’ve had an easier time with than Amazon was -gasp- Walmart. Both are pleasant to work with when it comes to online orders, and in my area, it’s faster to get to Walmart to do returns than Kohls (drastically understaffed) or Whole Foods (very difficult to get to from where I’m at in town). On the other hand, sometimes you buy something through Amazon (and probably Walmart) as the fulfilment or middle-man, and oh god can it be a trial. Though I’ve seen ones that do it effortlessly. I do understand that sometimes it’s the little guys with the thin margins that _really_ don’t want to eat the costs, I do, but when it’s _their_ screwup and they keep dragging things out… Well. 'tis only human I guess. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/16 "2024-03-11T11:33:52Z")
BTW, “free returns” are not as benign as you might think. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EdL85EP7s5M/maxresdefault.jpg "Your Amazon Returns Are Thrown in the TRASH") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdL85EP7s5M) In case you don’t want to watch a 14-minute video (Adam is quite entertaining IMHO, but I get he might not be to everyone’s taste), you can check out his sources in the description section of the video Or here’s an article that covers most of the same points, but rather dryly. > **[Inside the black box of Amazon returns](https://theconversation.com/inside-the-black-box-of-amazon-returns-206551)** > > Returns are becoming a costly sustainability problem for retailers and the planet. A supply chain expert explains. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/17 "2024-03-11T11:42:47Z")
TL;DR: Returning unwanted items is not “free,” increases costs across the board as well as pollution, and a very large portion of items returned, especially clothes, are not restocked and resold, but end up in a landfill. Moral: think carefully about buying things you may not need, and do not let “free returns” make you believe there is no cost to returning stuff. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/18 "2024-03-11T12:17:48Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > In theory, Amazon’s return process is simple and straightforward: you bring the item to a Koh’s or a Whole Foods, they scan it, you get your money back when Amazon receives the item. What do you do if the nearest Kohl’s or Whole Foods is an hour’s drive or further away from you? ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/19 "2024-03-11T12:59:49Z")
You can still print out a label and mail it back, but most people find the drop-off method less trouble. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2024, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673/20 "2024-03-11T13:16:41Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > When the clock runs out on our Try Before You Buy window they’ll charge us for all the items…I presume that when the items eventually get back to Amazon they will issue a refund? I see you resolved it but yeah, eventually someone somewhere would scan the item, the system would update, and a refund would kick out. You moved the process along by contacting a CSR. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handling-problems-with-amazon-returns/998673.md?page=2)