Amazon warehouse deals - scam to shift products with reduced warranty ?

[jpaul]

Is some of the Amazon warehouse stock, products where they have an excess stock and are re-categorising them as used, and reducing the price, in the knowledge that warranty costs are reduced too.

Had been looking at smart watches eg. Garmin Fenix 3 GPS Multisport Watch with Outdoor Navigation
they have many in warehouse deals typically £250 versus normal £330 price.

My experience with warhouse products (monitors/headphones) is that they have been reliable (no obvious damage/use signs) and I have not had to make any warranty claims.

However, for something like a watch that may be used in a more aggressive environment, I would like to know what warranty/guarantees there are ?

Amazon themsleves seem a bit vague, talking about an A-Z satisfaction guarantee; anecdotal data on the web suggests warehouse products have a warranty of a year or 90 days - because they are 'used';
some folks say they have successfully registered and used the full 'new' manufacturers warranty too.

Has anyone dug into this ?

I have not been onto chat to see if they will give me warranty advice on specific products, or micro-analysed sale of goods act

 

[Thekwango]

I have not been onto chat to see if they will give me warranty advice

surely that would be your first port of call rather than here?

 

[Marzipanogram]

Register your purchases with the manufacturer...or not.
If you need to claim later on, just show them proof of purchase and I would have thought you'd get the same warranty as buying new.
I don't think the Amazon receipt mentions it's from the Warehouse, just things like price and date etc.

 

[jpaul]

FYI

Hello


I understand your concern that you would like to know about the warranty of an item which you wish to purchase from Amazon Warehouse Deals.

All items offered by Amazon Warehouse Deals are sold as "Used", but are backed by Amazon’s satisfaction guarantee.So All Warehouse Deals items come with 1 year warranty.


Due to the changing nature of the inventory, we won’t be able to replace your item. Instead, we’ll provide you with a refund.
- Consider offering the customer a partial refund instead if the item is damaged worse than expected or missing an accessory which was not covered in the description.
- If it turns out you're unhappy with an item you receive from Amazon Warehouse Deals, you can return the item for a full refund within 30 days of its delivery. We also pay the return delivery costs if the return is a result of our error.

Hi,

I am consideing purchasing
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00S9G2RRQ/
This watch, or similar, fulfilled by Amazon in a warehouse deal
would like to know what warranty it would have.

I understand there is the usual return option if it failed within 30days
And that a minimum of 1year guarantee applies
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citize...rantees-returns/index_en.htm#country-choice-2
In some EU countries, the buyer and seller can agree to a guarantee period of less than 2 years, but it must be no shorter than 1 year. This should be made clear at the time of purchase.

Also if the products failed after 30days that some addtional deduction might apply for wear , if it had signs of use when purchased.

I cannot find an explanation on the Amazon website..

 

[Monkeh]

From my own experience they will ship used and badly damaged returns as warehouse clearance items and all they will offer is a money back guarantee after you pay for return shipping within the 30 days period.

 

[Stokesy]

I got a full refund on Warehouse speakers that started playing up a week or two away from the end of the 1 year warranty. I think Amazon covered the postage but it was a while ago so this may be incorrect.

From my own experience they will ship used and badly damaged returns as warehouse clearance items and all they will offer is a money back guarantee after you pay for return shipping within the 30 days period.

What did you tell Amazon the problem with the item was? If it's a case of changing your mind you'll probably have to pay return postage. If the item wasn't as described or was faulty then they'll usually cover it.

 

[ryhoper1]

Purchased a few things from it when they have the money off deals to clear stock. But I always go for the Like new listings. Never had any issues or problems with them, never been charged for returning either.

I got a ben Q monitor which was brand new, still had the plastic etc on the screen. No finger prints are marks anywhere.

I paid about £70 for it, it was £150 new.

I couldn't decide which Zowie mouse I wanted so ordered 3, they were all immaculate. I think other people had done the same and returned them. Paid about £20 each instead of £60. I wasn't charged for the ones I sent back.

I bought a hard drive but before I got a chance to install it the price new became lower so I sent that back and re ordered a new one.

 

[leemk]

Got some Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 600's for £119 from the a warehouse deal , they where £149 new , described as like new , got them the other day and couldnt tell they where not new.
Tip if you want an extra £20 off , sign up for the Amazon mastercard and you automatically get a £20 giftcard added to your account , got them for £99 delivered , pay off mastercard straight away so free money.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I've only bought one thing but extremely happy with it. Lifting shoes that were less than half price and still had the tag on.

 

[Monkeh]

What did you tell Amazon the problem with the item was? If it's a case of changing your mind you'll probably have to pay return postage. If the item wasn't as described or was faulty then they'll usually cover it.

I told them it was not as described and faulty, and queried if they had even checked the unit's condition before it was put on the website for sale. I also put a review up showing pictures of said item to ward off others buying it again once I returned it. The review was removed.

I bought an Interpet LED light system which was sold as "Condition: Used - Good - Packaging may be damaged.". It arrived looking like this - https://i.imgur.com/uvP29or.jpg. FYI I have older ones of these that would be going on 4 years old, still in use that don't have this kind of water ingress damage to them.

They accepted my return but refused to reimburse my return postage costs. That being said they will also try to sell used items as new, I got the kids new 2ds XL's for Xmas and one of them had been a return (missing items in the box and the console had someone elses details and account on it) they paid for the return shipping on that after several calls to their CS, though its still poor form from a retailer.

 

[Glanza]

Mixed bag of experiences, bought some stuff from warehouse and you couldn't tell it'd been opened. Other items have been scratched all over and sent back faulty and shipped straight back out. Last time I took a punt it still had a note inside from the previous buyer explaining the fault with it.

 

[Jono8]

Yes a bit hit and miss. My main gripe is with a few graphics cards i have had that were advertised as "like new", but had been delivered in no packaging, so literally just the retail box is what the courier gives you. Said box is covered in courier and amazon warehouse stickers which you cant get off without ruining the box. One time, the box had nothing in it except the card ( no manual,disc accesories etc) but was described as like new and made no mention of it.

I have complained and got a partial refund for things like this as something advertised as like new (ie with no reference to a damaged box or anything) should not have the box ruined as that can devalue a product somewhat come resale time.

Warranty wise, often the Amazon invoice makes no reference to it being a warehouse item so i have in the past used this to claim a manaufacturers warranty on a monitor that was faulty. Manufacturer was fine with it and replaced it (to be honest, it technically would have been in warranty anyway still)

It is very hit and miss. One monitor i ordered which was advertised as like new had loads of dead pixels, bright spots and backlight bleed. I think things like monitors and tv's are not a good thing to get from Amazon Warehouse because 99% of the time you are just getting one that someone else returned due to dead pixels/backlight bleed etc.

I think it is better for things like graphics cards as they basically work or they don't. I wont be buying anything with a screen from a warehouse deal again.

 

[scratch]

We ordered what was advertised as 5x 12-pack of Pampers baby change mats for a fiver. They're normally ~£35 so we knew it was a bargain, but what actually arrived was just 1x 12-pack. When we contacted Amazon they refused to do anything apart from refund us, stating that's all their computer system would let them do. We escalated it several times and raised a formal complaint with Customer Services, but they wouldn't budge.

We also ordered a Medela Breast Milk Storage System, listed as "Used - Like New" and was ~75% of the price of a brand new non-Warehouse item. Turns out it was actually faulty and clearly a customer return..the base of the storage bottles are convex, so don't even stand up straight. We contacted CS, but once again, because it was a warehouse purchase all they would do is refund us upon return of the item. I contacted Medela to see if they could help, but they advised that the item is only actually officially sold in the US, so Amazon were the only ones who could help.

Don;t get me wrong, you can pick up some pretty good bargains, but I'd be very very weary of anything listed as "used".

 

[Jono8]

We ordered what was advertised as 5x 12-pack of Pampers baby change mats for a fiver. They're normally ~£35 so we knew it was a bargain, but what actually arrived was just 1x 12-pack. When we contacted Amazon they refused to do anything apart from refund us, stating that's all their computer system would let them do. We escalated it several times and raised a formal complaint with Customer Services, but they wouldn't budge.

We also ordered a Medela Breast Milk Storage System, listed as "Used - Like New" and was ~75% of the price of a brand new non-Warehouse item. Turns out it was actually faulty and clearly a customer return..the base of the storage bottles are convex, so don't even stand up straight. We contacted CS, but once again, because it was a warehouse purchase all they would do is refund us upon return of the item. I contacted Medela to see if they could help, but they advised that the item is only actually officially sold in the US, so Amazon were the only ones who could help.

What were you expecting them to do?

 

[scratch]

What were you expecting them to do?

Supply us with the item we have purchased and which they have contractually agreed to supply! They had others in stock in the warehouse at the time (and still do), so offering just a refund in the case of the changing mats is a breach of consumer law. The Medela bottles is a case of them being lazy and not offering us a replacement.

Most of the interactions I've had with Amazon CS have been very sub-standard recently, and Prime delivery is getting worse and worse as time goes on..so much so that I'm trying my best to purchase elsewhere were possible.

 

[Thekwango]

They had others in stock in the warehouse at the time (and still do)

so take the refund and rebuy the ones in stock?!

so offering just a refund in the case of the changing mats is a breach of consumer law.

you sure about that?

 

[LeMson]

Send them a box with the missing 4 items in

 

[scratch]

so take the refund and rebuy the ones in stock?!

Shortly after I reported the problem the price went up, so that wasn't an option unfortunately.

you sure about that?

They took my money and shipped me 20% of what I'd paid for. We'd entered into a legal contract at that point, which Amazon then tried to squirm out of.

If I didn't have better things to be doing I'd be considering legal options, but my 6 month-old daughter takes up all my time nowadays so I have better things to be doing

 

[Jono8]

offering just a refund in the case of the changing mats is a breach of consumer law.

I don't think it is.

 

[crinkleshoes]

Supply us with the item we have purchased and which they have contractually agreed to supply! They had others in stock in the warehouse at the time (and still do), so offering just a refund in the case of the changing mats is a breach of consumer law. The Medela bottles is a case of them being lazy and not offering us a replacement.

Most of the interactions I've had with Amazon CS have been very sub-standard recently, and Prime delivery is getting worse and worse as time goes on..so much so that I'm trying my best to purchase elsewhere were possible.

Shortly after I reported the problem the price went up, so that wasn't an option unfortunately.



They took my money and shipped me 20% of what I'd paid for. We'd entered into a legal contract at that point, which Amazon then tried to squirm out of.

If I didn't have better things to be doing I'd be considering legal options, but my 6 month-old daughter takes up all my time nowadays so I have better things to be doing

You have a gross misunderstanding on consumer law... you might like to get off mumsnet and read the actual law.

I bet you're the type who expects to a receive an item anyway if there's a massive pricing error...

What they did was not a breach of consumer law, not at all.

You could have asked them nicely to honour the previous price to compensate for the issue you experienced... but that would be a good will gesture from them and they are under no obligation to do so.

Your better approach instead of angry man... would have been to just ask nicely, it's often better received by the HUMAN on the other end of the communication.