Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by culturestate on Sunday June 10, 2012 @11:46PM
(#4093138)
I had a similar experience, except it was a MacBook Air stolen from my doorstep. They overnighted a replacement immediately with no questions asked (other than, "did you check with your neighbors?")
Your point about the service level relating to your customer history is a good one, though - I've spent upwards of $50,000 with Amazon in the last 3 or 4 years, so the real test would be how they'd react to a new customer in the same situation.
Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by marisela_arias on Monday June 11, 2012 @12:45AM
(#4093252)
Packages are insured so, unless they suspect fraud, they will let insurance cover it.
Consumers usually pay FedEx for insurance when we need a package but I bet Amazon self insures, given their size. Either way, money is set aside to cover situations like this.
Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by culturestate on Monday June 11, 2012 @02:01AM
(#4093393)
I know insurance covers it; I'm wondering how they determine what situations are likely to be fraudulent. Is customer history involved? My parents have never ordered from Amazon; if the same thing happens to them on their first purchase, what would the resolution be?
Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by keeperofdakeys on Monday June 11, 2012 @03:13AM
(#4093519)
They probably give users the benefit of the doubt the first time, then flag them if they do it too much. At the scale of amazon, the cost of a product is less then the cost of the time to chase up every single report of theft.
Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by ricardobeat on Sunday June 10, 2012 @11:10PM
(#4093046)
Do you mean something else instead of 15mm? That would be a huge gift. A 15mm fisheye costs around a thousand bucks, the Canon 15-85mm ~$600.
Re:Real Life UX: Returning Items to Amazon Makes Me Smile
by GuiA on Monday June 11, 2012 @02:12AM
(#4093412)
Oops, typo. It's a 14mm pancake (micro 4/3 format)
Once, I've had a package stolen from my doorstep, and they replaced it free of charge (fortunately it was just $5 guitar strings).
Last year, I bought a camera with a 18-35mm lens ($500) a week or so before leaving for vacation. It arrives 2 days later (thanks prime), but unfortunately Amazon Warehouse had shipped me the bundle with a 15mm lens. I contact their support right away— they propose that I return the camera and they send me the original 18-35mm bundle, but I tell the lady that I'm leaving in 3 days and would like to have the camera for my vacation. She talks with her supervisor, and 2 days later I get the 18-35mm lens in the mail (~$200 value) and they tell me I can keep the 15mm lens.
I spend a couple of hundred dollars at Amazon each month (research books are expensive), which is probably why I got such a great treatment— but I was pretty blown away.