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Hieveryone

macrumors 603
Apr 11, 2014
5,622
2,337
USA
I just got an email from amazon.com telling me that I am no longer welcome to use their site and that my account has been closed with immediate effect. The reason, they say, is that I've had too many problems with shipments. I confess that over the past few years I've returned far too many apple computers than is normal, but most of the time I've first been to Apple who've told me that I can either have it fixed or return it to amazon and recommended the latter.

I've also bought tons and tons of expensive stuff from them over the years without any issue at all, including cameras, lenses, telephones, computers and books.

I'm really really outraged because I also have lots of amazon credit that I got by using my amazon.com credit card AND all my receipts are on my account so that I have no way of proving purchases anymore. I can't even log on!

Needed to vent. I really can't believe that they would penalise me for using their return policy. If they can't handle that people return defective products, they shouldn't have that policy. A lot of stores don't.

Any advice? I don't want to lose my receipts because it'll be hard to get warranty service if I need it. And, of course, I don't want to lose my credit that I have accumulated through my amazon card.

Unbelievable.

How many products did you return?

If they're losing money, they're not going to give you business.

It's as simple as that. "Follow the money."
 

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
If Amazon gives you that option, then they bear what goes along with that.
 
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cooa99

macrumors regular
Sep 30, 2011
122
2
Amazon pays pittance in tax in the UK.

I don't really feel sorry for them.

Its a shame there are no competitors.
 

mac-n-me

macrumors newbie
May 14, 2013
17
0
Would a ban originating from the USA site include banning on Amazon UK, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Japan, etc?
 

GigabitEthernet

macrumors 65816
Jun 21, 2013
1,193
895
United Kingdom
Ban on one means a ban on all. But you can make a new account.

In the UK Amazon have to accept returns even if you're banned so the ban doesn't really do anything.

By the way, the whole system is completely automated. They have an algorithm that decides if you should be banned or not. I believe the emails you receive are from any Amazon employee; the "Account Specialist" part just gets added on the end.

I believe when any Amazon account is made an automatic check is done to see of that account is linked to another banned one. With the number of customers Amazon have, there is a delay hence why you can order a few items without them banning you. This check I believe is also done when an order is shipped.
 

Thunderboltedge

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2014
143
18
Milan
I am quite shocked reading this thread.
It appears to be impossible to happen to me such a thing in Europe, at least in country like Italy France or Germany.

Don't you have a consumers' association in US? In Europe generally they are very strong, we do not generally apply the "class action" but this association can sue and force company to certain behaviour.
 

laurim

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2003
1,985
970
Minnesota USA
I am quite shocked reading this thread.
It appears to be impossible to happen to me such a thing in Europe, at least in country like Italy France or Germany.

Don't you have a consumers' association in US? In Europe generally they are very strong, we do not generally apply the "class action" but this association can sue and force company to certain behaviour.

I'm quite shocked that a guy who whined about being banned from Amazon for continually ordering and returning computers eight years ago is still being commented on and people are still outraged that a store doesn't have the right to decide to not do business with someone who is more trouble than they are worth. If he indeed was banned, which I take with a grain of salt like that of anyone else who creates a rant and disappears soon after when questioned about it, Amazon had every right to do it. Buying stuff from a particular store is not a right, he's not being deprived of something he needs to survive. When I have a trouble client, which has only happened once or twice in my career, I tell them thanks but no thanks for future business. I don't know what the big deal is or why it's in question whether I or Amazon has that right.
 

t0m2910

macrumors newbie
Apr 9, 2015
1
0
So the OP is upset because Amazon closed his account putting the kibosh to his credit scam?

OP buys a MBP to triggering the $25 credit from his rewards program then returns the MBP claiming it's defective. Instead of opening a replacement order because "it takes too long" OP returns the MPB for refund and buys another MPB and gets another $25 credit.

I know this thread is like 20 years old but jesus 10 pages of people that blame Amazon is just lawl..
 

26139

Suspended
Dec 27, 2003
4,315
377
Huh?

I wonder how many times this thread will be returned.

----------

Wow I just saw this thread. I never knew you could get banned from Amazon for returns. I don't return a lot of stuff to them but I have occasionally bought items that I've returned because I didn't like the item or changed my mind.

Makes me think twice about doing that in the future.

You're going to be fine.

OP ordered and returned so many laptops he LOST COUNT.

Have you ever, once in your life, ordered OR returned a similar thing so many times you lost count?

I'm betting you, like most of us, have not.

All good.
 

DontAsk

macrumors newbie
Apr 25, 2015
1
0
I've been banned so many times that I cant keep track of lmfao.... There's always a way to return lol
 

taradene

macrumors newbie
Apr 30, 2015
23
0
Phoenix & San Diego
I'm sorry, that really sucks! I love Amazon and have always found their return/exchange program very user friendly for an online site. I didn't know there was a max to the amount of returns you can do. Good to know, but yes I would definitely try writing the company and including photos and present yourself in a classy manner, making sure not to point fingers, but to understand the situation and hopefully regain access to your account since you innocently thought you were following policy and not abusing it. Let us know what happens.:(
 

eko91

macrumors regular
Apr 3, 2015
149
7
Amazon is customer friendly

Amazon is known to have the BEST customer service! They are always on the customers side, when a 3rd party seller is involved. You must have returned far too many items in order for Amazon to kick you out. I never heard of this, maybe you want to email them and ask them for the reasons why you were kicked out.
 

Jazper

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
643
34
It's true that Amazon do indeed, sometimes ban people's usage if they have a high number or returns of refunds as it simply isn't profitable for them. On most used products Amazon takes the hit (unless it is good enough to re-sell).

Also amazon restore access after 1 business year (So OP is good to keep ordering :p) - so anyone banned can make a new account with their old information and continue ordering.


Amazon is known to have the BEST customer service! They are always on the customers side, when a 3rd party seller is involved. You must have returned far too many items in order for Amazon to kick you out. I never heard of this, maybe you want to email them and ask them for the reasons why you were kicked out.

Granted they do.
 

SHNXX

macrumors 68000
Oct 2, 2013
1,901
663
Lol this is an amazingly hilarious story.
Why is it surprising that a business decides to stop taking your business if you cost them more money than they earn?
 

TruthSometimesHurts

macrumors newbie
Jul 7, 2015
4
0
I know this is a very old thread but I wanted to point out some things.

1. I seriously doubt that this person made a lot of purchases with Amazon or anyone else that got banned. I'm sure there are a lot like me but I make a decent amount of purchases a year ($25-30k/year) and I return a decent amount as well. They must track how much you make for them because given my volume, Amazon is always willing to refund payments for me and give me credit even though I don't request it. They are actually overly generous with refunds. For example, one time, they cut my Amazon prime short by half a month and they just gave me a free year. I insisted that I only wanted the half month but the guy insisted that it was ok.

2. With respect to mining for the perfect display, this is just a shady practice. If you KNOW for a fact that the Apple item is mostly defective, you should simply stop buying it because you know it's defective. You shouldn't keep buying and returning until you get the perfect one. I don't know how much it cost but I wouldn't be surprised if it cost Amazon half the price of an electronic when you return it (since they have to certify it and then sell it as refurbished.) So, if this guy returned like 10 of these, it could have cost Amazon thousands of dollars.

Amazon has pretty amazing customer service. Compare it to other companies like Asus, Verizon, Delta, Time Warner, BofA, etc. OP sounds pretty egocentric.
 

Zxxv

macrumors 68040
Nov 13, 2011
3,558
1,104
UK
Amazon is customer friendly

Amazon is known to have the BEST customer service! They are always on the customers side, when a 3rd party seller is involved.
Granted they do.

strongly disagree

Apple has way way better customer service. Something I've told amazon plenty of times when they are *******s from first contact.
 

TruthSometimesHurts

macrumors newbie
Jul 7, 2015
4
0
Apple might have nicer people on the phone or the store floor (Amazon can be pretty nice as well), but Apple isn't generous when it comes down to the money. Amazon blows it away.

Yes, apple will replace a malfunctioning iphone with a new one which is an awesome policy but when I had a lot of experiences where Apple is pretty stingy even though they are in the wrong.

So, I think Apple's customer service people are probably trained better but the terms of the contract between the buyer and seller, Amazon blows it away.


strongly disagree

Apple has way way better customer service. Something I've told amazon plenty of times when they are *******s from first contact.
 

Zxxv

macrumors 68040
Nov 13, 2011
3,558
1,104
UK
Apple might have nicer people on the phone or the store floor (Amazon can be pretty nice as well), but Apple isn't generous when it comes down to the money. Amazon blows it away.

Yes, apple will replace a malfunctioning iphone with a new one which is an awesome policy but when I had a lot of experiences where Apple is pretty stingy even though they are in the wrong.

So, I think Apple's customer service people are probably trained better but the terms of the contract between the buyer and seller, Amazon blows it away.

I had the opposite experience. Go figure. Apple have been very generous to me even when they didn't need to be. Amazon were not generous when they needed to be.
 

imanidiot

macrumors 6502a
May 1, 2011
727
581
Denver, CO
I know this is a very old thread but I wanted to point out some things.

1. I seriously doubt that this person made a lot of purchases with Amazon or anyone else that got banned. I'm sure there are a lot like me but I make a decent amount of purchases a year ($25-30k/year) and I return a decent amount as well. They must track how much you make for them because given my volume, Amazon is always willing to refund payments for me and give me credit even though I don't request it. They are actually overly generous with refunds. For example, one time, they cut my Amazon prime short by half a month and they just gave me a free year. I insisted that I only wanted the half month but the guy insisted that it was ok.

2. With respect to mining for the perfect display, this is just a shady practice. If you KNOW for a fact that the Apple item is mostly defective, you should simply stop buying it because you know it's defective. You shouldn't keep buying and returning until you get the perfect one. I don't know how much it cost but I wouldn't be surprised if it cost Amazon half the price of an electronic when you return it (since they have to certify it and then sell it as refurbished.) So, if this guy returned like 10 of these, it could have cost Amazon thousands of dollars.

Amazon has pretty amazing customer service. Compare it to other companies like Asus, Verizon, Delta, Time Warner, BofA, etc. OP sounds pretty egocentric.
You spend $25-30k per year on Amazon? Really? What do you buy?
 

DesignerOnMac

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2007
827
65
Apple might have nicer people on the phone or the store floor (Amazon can be pretty nice as well), but Apple isn't generous when it comes down to the money. Amazon blows it away.

Yes, apple will replace a malfunctioning iphone with a new one which is an awesome policy but when I had a lot of experiences where Apple is pretty stingy even though they are in the wrong.

So, I think Apple's customer service people are probably trained better but the terms of the contract between the buyer and seller, Amazon blows it away.

I have been with Apple since 1988! I had two issues with their products. 1) A Quadra had a bad HD. I called Apple and they sent a tech out to my business. He agreed the HD was faulty and said he would have a new one in two days. I got the call in two days the new HD was in and the tech installed the new HD on the same day at no cost to me. 2) I had a PowerBook needing repair. I called Apple and they shipped a repair box. Packed the laptop and shipped it off. Received a call from Apple on the problems, and repair costs, ( which was $000.00). I authorized the repair and a week later PowerBook was at my door. Worked great w/no cost to me!
 
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