HN Explorer

Amazon removes “contact us” support, disables support for wrong grocery orders

144 points by IronWolve ↗ HN
Received a wrong grocery item via amazon store. It now says grocery items are excluded from opening a return or refund ticket and the contact us option goes back to the main help search page. Appears now you have no recourse for amazon mistakes with their automated support.

Contact Us just takes you back to the support search page.. Error in their support loop.

https://i.postimg.cc/cLfyLbs0/amazon-order-loop2.jpg

* Thanks to the commenter below, resolved via their 800 number.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2022/09/14/how-to-contact-amazon-account-inquiries/7867529001/

69 comments

[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 145 ms ] thread
IronWolve
The "incorrect item" no longer provides support on a growing list of items. Read their TOS page, they have no support on groceries, computers, laptops, etc.

The automated loop of hell.

https://i.postimg.cc/cLfyLbs0/amazon-order-loop2.jpg

jleyank
What’s the option(s) on computer gear that’s not filled correctly then, calling your credit card and opening a fraud investigation? Sounds like they don’t want to be in these businesses.
IronWolve
This is just 1 item in an order, so its not really a fraud. I think if you order a computer, make it 1 order with the computer by itself. That way you can just credit card that 1 order. Might be the best way to handle large and expensive items on amazon. Dont order groceries with a tv.
arbuge
Note that if you really need to go down the chargeback route, partial chargebacks are allowed.
IronWolve
Good to know, trying their 800 number support now (suggested by another comment)
behringer
if you chargeback on amazon, you'll be lucky to ever order anything on amazon again.
jleyank
Well, if they screw up a 2K laptop order and won't fix it, I'll never order anything on Amazon again and I'd be looking at chargeback or small claims. As I wrote initially, if there's no customer service available in certain market segments, Amazon isn't interested in participating in them. Caveat Emptor.
Shank
If you do this you’ll get your Amazon account banned. Chargebacks are instabans on most services. If you get the wrong item unless you’re highly frugal losing access to all of Amazon usually isn’t worth this.

This advice is very dangerous as many people wouldn’t want to be ToS banned from Amazon over random items unless they’re worth a lot.

netr0ute
I don't know about this, as you'd essentially be self-selecting yourself toward the best suppliers because you'd weed yourself out from the bad ones.
TAForObvReasons
If you walk the logic to its conclusion, you might be better off taking the ToS ban:

"received wrong item but didn't fight" -> "concern that future orders may be wrong" -> "use amazon less or for smaller items" -> "prime is not worth it" -> "leave"

The difference between that and the chargeback, at first blush, is that you at least get your money back on the item if you chargeback.

zeroimpl
Is this from experience? From a quick google search it seems that’s not automatic, and they also have a documented process for how this works for 3rd-party sellers too, giving them the option to dispute or accept it.
benj111
I've done it with Ali express multiple times and they haven't banned me. Ultimately you can just set up a new account. What are you losing if Amazon bans an account?
ballenf
Video purchases, Audible library, Kindle library.

Order history, wish lists.

jleyank
If they lock you out of legal kindle purchases I would think they have to refund? Or is there obscure ToS that gives them the right to rip you off at their leasure?
cglong
When's the last time you tried to refund a grocery item? I remember a few months back, we ended up having to tell the chatbot "I need more help" until we eventually got a human.
2OEH8eoCRo0
We have Whole Foods delivered and sometimes they forget items or the item is jacked up.
IronWolve
I rarely get the wrong item or wrong count. I mostly order bulk food items. I stopped buying can goods on amazon as prices went up higher than walmart/cash and carry. Problem is cash and carry are the big number 5 cans.
cglong
Our local Amazon tends to make an unexpected substitute rather than giving us a refund :(
chizhik-pyzhik
Sometimes the 'frugality' leadership principle wins over 'customer obsession'.
nevir
Really wish that frugality wasn't used in so many perverted and hypocritical ways (internally, mainly)
dylan604
I mean, at some point, when you knowingly allow your site to list items from vendors you do not curate in any shape so that you without a doubt know that your vendors are selling legit, legal, un-spoiled, not past sell by date, or any other form of decent business practices, then of course you're going to make it harder and harder for people to complain. The first step is always just ignore complaints. The second step is to just remove the option to allow for complaints. Just like that, you're complaints go way way down, and some manager gets a bonus for improving something.
morpheuskafka
I googled the Amazon 800 number the other day and found it was still working. It looks like they are doing what they can to stop advertising it, but the underlying phone system still works.

A lot of times you can get better outcomes calling. For example: promotional credits for late deliveries, actually having a delivery reattempted when building falsely marked as closed on weekends (the entire buildings packages were then delivered to my door, lmao), and recently an offer to keep a used book received on a new order for a refund instead of a replacement.

guidoism
I remember when “they” decided to remove the number from the paper invoices and it was pretty controversial within the company. That was in 2000 or 2001 I think.
lamontcg
Amazon was actually legitimately pretty good about that whole 'voice of the customer' stuff back then. They seem to be going entirely for "juicing the margins" now.
whythre
Well, yeah, when they were the scrappy underdog they had to pay attention to consumers. Now they assume they are too big to fail.
IronWolve
Ok, found the 800 number and email, trying the 800. Also found the number in a recent usatoday news article "how to contact amazon". Amusing.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/retail/2022/09/14/how-t...

Called the 800, they refunded me via amazon gift card balance of the missing items. Got my gift card balance updated with the return in about 10 mins.

metadat
For reference, here is the number:

> Contact an Amazon representative by dialing 1-888-280-4331. This number operates 24/7.

freitzkriesler
I had a misdelivered package and ultimately was able to get a refund via an chat assistant. No where on the regular pages could I find how to report this.

This was a few years ago. No doubt, this was removed now.

themadturk
I had exactly that situation remedied about a month ago by calling their toll free number.
freitzkriesler
I live in a townhouse complex where the doors all look alike. However, I have a welcome mat. Would be very easy to deliver it and shrug it off. The mat however is what I look for in every one of those pics.
dawnerd
Noticed this on a lot of items too. I've had a lot of cans from S&S come busted or expired protein shakes and getting support is really difficult recently. They've also removed the option to return to Whole Foods and instead I have to pack it myself and give to ups.

If only they had a team of delivery people driving around that could pick up returns...

bhhaskin
Local grocery stores are a far better option.
[dead] Bud
[dead]
xen2xen1
If you're in large parts of the US Walmart.com is a better option. Get most of the same stuff, local place to complain and return.
dylan604
The point of some complaints from Amazon is that the stuff isn't legit, so you telling me I can get the same not-legit stuff on Walmart.com is not surprising nor encouraging me to try it. Unless your "most" is doing some heavy lifting and implying the elimination of the bad products? Are you honestly suggesting that the Walmart.com marketplace is better than Amazon's? I'm honestly asking, as I never shop at walmart (physical or online), so I just have no experience. I only assume the worst regarding walmart
IronWolve
True, if you local store carries the item. Some items I'd have to drive a distance to a store that carries it, and gas+time starts to add up.

I find cash and carry to be the best, but its bulk items. A crate of can goods or 20lb bag of rice, or a box of meat. Thats bulk method savings, and cheaper than cost-co.

nerdjon
Not if you live in a big city and don't have a car.

I primarily use Amazon Fresh for my staples that I need weekly so I can do a "big" shop once a week and then go to the local market for the random things throughout the week.

But I have zero interest in lugging home 2-3 gallons of milk, juice, and other heavy items on a weekly basis walking down the street. Especially now that I don't even go into the office so I don't have the excuse of getting something on my way home.

Also on more than a few occasions I have price compared and Amazon Fresh for those staples is better than any of the grocery stores near me.

[deleted]
(comment deleted)
mynameisvlad
From the redirect you mentioned, choose "Something else" then "I need more help" which will open up their chat bot. At that point, you can type "agent" and have it connect you with chat support.

I tested it out and it asked me if I wanted to chat now or get a callback, so it seems like it's still available, albeit very hard to get to.

IronWolve
Strange, didn't get that option to type, just this/that options.

https://i.postimg.cc/cLfyLbs0/amazon-order-loop2.jpg

mynameisvlad
That looks like you initiated the chat bot from Returns, which might not let you prompt (or heavily disincentivize it by making you jump through tons of hoops).

When going through my flow, I got asked if it was for a particular item, chose "No, something else", then got a text box instantly (along with some suggestions).

benj111
How many hoops are required before we can say that company X prevents you from doing Y?
mynameisvlad
Who said they don't prevent it? TIL that giving someone steps is the exact same as saying a company doesn't prevent you from doing it.

I provided a way for OP to do it, that's all. I even called out the hoops.

gnicholas
That's too bad; they used to have very good return policies for groceries. Whenever the eggs were cracked or produce was messed up, they always refunded immediately. That made it worthwhile with the delivery fees, but if there's no support anymore I don't think we'd use it anymore. Perhaps that's the idea...
CameronNemo
Reminder that you probably have a Community Supported Agriculture group near you that you can get food from without involving a $1tn+ market cap middle man.
warkdarrior
Do they have a support line?
rippercushions
Yes, but it's open only Monday afternoons between 4:45 and 5:22 p.m., which also happens to be when your son has soccer practice.

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/faq-about-your-csa

unsupp0rted
> This might sound expensive, but it’s twenty-four weeks of really high-quality produce, which translates to some excellent bowel movements.
EricE
Yup, about sums up my experience with a local CSA. And I joined one that had been running for over 20 years and was considered one of the more established/well run on the east cost.
probablynish
I thought this was real up until I got to the part about splitting a share with another family..
unsupp0rted
Their standard response is: "what do you expect, we're a Community Supported Agriculture group"
probablynish
But will it be as convenient, as cheap, and have everything I want?
seba_dos1
No. So what?
KRAKRISMOTT
So they are not getting my business. Amazon dominates because their value add is worth the occasional inconvenience.
seba_dos1
When considered in a selfish and shortsighted fashion, sure. Being "as convenient, as cheap, and having everything I want" may be the most important aspect when you're below the poverty line and can't afford anything else, otherwise it's just one of many factors to consider.
probablynish
> So what?

You don't understand why the things I listed are relevant to where people choose to shop?

CameronNemo
I don't know! Try it out and tell us! What've you got to loose? $100?
probablynish
I went to www.localharvest.org and checked out the top three results for my location. They all seemed like a much worse option than my current supermarket (right now I do all my groceries at a supermarket that's 5 minutes walk from my apartment) for a few reasons:

- Delivery: it looks like they have a fixed day of the week depending on zip code, and no ability to choose a time slot within the day. This is a dealbreaker for me since I can't commit to being at home all day and I don't have anyone who could receive and put away groceries for me.

- Selection: they only carry produce, which isn't a surprise, but I'd have to go to my supermarket for some stuff anyway.

- Price: they seemed a bit more costly, maybe because I can't pick and choose individual items I want the way I can at a supermarket.

I think I would use such a service if I had more money (currently I'm a grad student) and flexibility/free time to be able to stay at home. I do like fresh local produce and would appreciate that angle for sure. Thanks for bringing this to my attention anyway!

CameronNemo
Props for seriously considering it!

Indeed logistics of picking up a box or receiving a delivery can be hard. That is certainly something that Amazon is very skilled at.

nerdjon
I have never needed to use the chat function to get a refund for anything through Amazon Fresh, I even did it yesterday.

I just go the order and click "Request Item refund", it has me choose the item and then its all set. So unless this changed in the last day, maybe chat just doesn't do it?

I have noticed that in the last few months more and more Amazon is trying to push you away from the "contact us" section if another page can handle the issue.

wolverine876
Mods - how is this OP related to 'intellectual curiosity'? It seems relatively new (in the last year?) that such posts appear on the front page.
mechanicalpulse
Meanwhile, my wife just initiated a no-hassle refund of moldy pizza crusts we bought from Wal-Mart. She was instantly refunded online without having to talk to anyone. And there's no need to physically return it. Such bizarre timing to find this posted on HN not ten minutes after my wife told me about the pizza crust thing.
dimal
Oh wow. I pay $140/year and can't get customer support when they mess up? I guess I'll be canceling.