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Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :( - Page 2

post #31 of 51
9/2/08 at 10:03am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

No way to read through that entire thread, but some of the stories are disturbing. It seems that some abuses of Amazon's shipping and Prime membership lead to some of the cancellations, but many more seem to be innocents caught in a random net. I'm pretty much an ideal customer-- one return this year out of 30+ items and it was an item purchased from another seller that was defective. I would've just exchanged it, but Amazon's own policy prevents it.

The interesting thing is I just read the Prime terms and conditions and it puts no limits on the addresses you ship to, but this is one of the suspected reasons for some of the bans. 95% of what I order goes to my home, but I'll occasionally ship to work or gifts to family members.

This whole thing is just a stinking mess and could turn out to be a PR nightmare for Amazon. I've been one of their biggest fans and I probably spend more with them than any other retailer, but this upsets me.
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post #32 of 51
9/2/08 at 10:06am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Reuben
From reading the thread at SlickDeals, it appears to be not just a matter of returned orders, but a combination of that and other factors, such as repeated invocation of the post-order price guarantee. If invoking the POPG is indeed a factor, it seems particularly unfair, since the POPG was simply an official Amazon policy. I know I've used it numerous times in the last year, especially on HD media, where for a while the prices were changing almost weekly (and sometimes still do).

M.

Yeah, one the general themes at SlickDeals seems to be that people were taking advantage of (should be read as using) Amazon's own policies. If it is presenting you with business challenges, change the policies (as they have), but don't punish people for doing business according to your rules.

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post #33 of 51
9/2/08 at 6:06pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

I would be VERY surprised if this is just about disc returns. Being in Canada, there's no such thing as amazon.com returns, at least in the sense of physically returning items, and I have had my share of problems with DVDs over the years, but most were not amazon's fault (i.e. not from shipping). It would be very easy to abuse this system from Canada. I am very reluctant to "return" things because of this, so I keep the odd item that I would have returned if bought at a local B&M. Usually it's a battered package I wouldn't have picked up in the first place. I guess I have been reasonable enough since no letter (yet)...and the account works. Getting that letter from amazon would be devastating for me. I buy the vast majority of my discs there, whether U.S./U.K./Canada, they're all linked.

They may have set some "profit margin" for each account, accounted by some means we don't know, and whatever account the computer saw not meeting that level got the letter. I can say from my position you would have to have had a hell of a lot of returns, because I have a whole shelf full of amazon "returns", and that's after I have given many away (usually one disc in a set is screwed, and the set may have had each title separately cased). But then again, I do buy a LOT from them, books and CDs too.

I should say I have never used the POPG, so you guys may be right about that.
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post #34 of 51
9/3/08 at 11:38am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

I notice that John and Joseph are in England and Canada. Did anyone here who lives in the US get an account cancelled?

Maybe that has something to do with it.
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post #35 of 51
9/3/08 at 12:29pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

^ Could be, in their specific cases. One might think if it was "foreign" purchasers targeted, they might just limit them to their "local" amazon so they could do physical returns.

OTOH, I have numerous items from the "Canadian" amazon from the last year or so that they didn't ask me to return (mostly severely dented Disney tins IIRC), so I'm speculating that the way all the different amazons have their accounts linked these days doesn't allow the flexibility of selective "banning", it's all or nothing.
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post #36 of 51
9/3/08 at 2:39pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

The Consumerist finally picked up on the story. Given that national media tends to follow this site maybe it will begin to see wider attention.

Link
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post #37 of 51
9/3/08 at 8:21pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Good. I want this to get more attention.
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post #38 of 51
9/4/08 at 3:40am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
Wow, that's about as uncustomer-friendly a correspondence as I've ever read.
Huh? Without leaving out any of the necessary disclosures ("necessary" being determined by them, not you), how else would you have worded it? Keep in mind that this is not a customer, but a former customer, and one that the company doesn't want back. It is a customer that the company suspects of behavior that the company finds objectionable, so figure also that the company thereby has some reason to suspect any other people that that customer might recommend to the company.

Let's keep things in their proper perspective.
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post #39 of 51
9/4/08 at 3:45am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
... but if you have a problem with it we may hold it against you.
To be fair, this isn't applicable to the return of one item. Again, we need to keep this in its proper perspective.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
I wonder what kind of internal threshold number it takes to trigger such a tersely worded letter from Amazon.
I suspect there is some combination of things, not an absolute number.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
This is one of those ideas that sounds great in theory behind closed doors in a managerial meeting, but in execution, it has disaster written all over it.
Not at all. One of the big problems with a lot of businesses is that they act like whores. It is very important, especially in tough times, for companies to focus on their core strengths, rather than trying to be everything to everyone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
Whatever happened to the customer is always right?
It was never true. And the line actually was, "Make the customer feel like they're always right."

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
But, in this age of Internet communication there has to be a less public way of enforcing such a policy.
Uh, anything more private than a personal email wouldn't get the message to the intended. Maybe I'm missing the point you're trying to make?
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post #40 of 51
9/4/08 at 3:48am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph J.D
The letter was certainly a shock to read, that's for sure. The way it's worded, Amazon is treating customers like myself as if they were outright criminals.
On the contrary. In such a case, you'd have received a legal notice -- a letter from an attorney, perhaps. This is the only effective way of of doing what they determined that they needed to do, as far as I can tell. And it is right, even though it isn't very pleasant for you to be the target of.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph J.D
What's infuriating is that despite being banned, I still get emails from Amazon to buy stuff. Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.
I can imagine that can be annoying.
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post #41 of 51
9/4/08 at 5:51am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Wow. That is unreal. But reading that thread is like reading one on UFO sitings.

Amazon can be strange. They once sent me a free copy of Ladder 29. Or whatever the number was. Very good film...like Backdraft. They requested I write a review. I carefully wrote a spoilerfree positive review but they never published it (a FIRST!) So I reworked it and submitted it again. No dice. One more time...charm? Nope! WTF?! Gave up. I'm a Top 5000 reviewer with them....so I certainly mean something to that site!!
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post #42 of 51
9/4/08 at 12:37pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian^K
To be fair, this isn't applicable to the return of one item. Again, we need to keep this in its proper perspective.
And you know that for certain, how? Who's to say that returning a $3,000 item (computer, TV, etc.) three times might not trigger the same action? You're just returning one item albeit multiple times.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian^K
I suspect there is some combination of things, not an absolute number.
That is exactly why I used the word "threshold" in my post...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian^K
Not at all. One of the big problems with a lot of businesses is that they act like whores. It is very important, especially in tough times, for companies to focus on their core strengths, rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
That's all well and good and if you read my post, I said that Amazon has every right to do just that. The point I was trying to make is that since Amazon is a publically held company, they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. How do they ensure that this e-mail isn't being sent to a shareholder or a shareholder's family member or friend?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian^K
Uh, anything more private than a personal email wouldn't get the message to the intended. Maybe I'm missing the point you're trying to make?
Apparently. If you read the next line in my post, I think I explained it pretty well...
Quote:
It seems to me that Amazon would be better served by canceling these "problem" orders and sending out a "generic" e-mail informing the customer of a 'change in their order status' and to call a toll-free number for more information. That way, Amazon could address the issue one-on-one in a confidential setting.
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post #43 of 51
9/4/08 at 1:02pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
And you know that for certain, how? Who's to say that returning a $3,000 item (computer, TV, etc.) three times might not trigger the same action? You're just returning one item albeit multiple times.
I think you misunderstood what I wrote.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pitchman
That's all well and good and if you read my post, I said that Amazon has every right to do just that. The point I was trying to make is that since Amazon is a publically held company, they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. How do they ensure that this e-mail isn't being sent to a shareholder or a shareholder's family member or friend?
It shouldn't matter -- not one little bit.
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post #44 of 51
9/4/08 at 5:18pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

AFAIK a business can refuse to deal with any customer for any reason, as long as it's not a "protected" reason (i.e. race/gender/etc.). And even then, let's face it... I think it's the nastiness of the letters that's getting people going...I mean whoever drafted that letter and approved of it sure comes across as pissed about something, it almost does seem personal...
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post #45 of 51
9/4/08 at 6:00pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

I would agree. The tone of the email is simply bitter. There are better ways to word/convey the same message.

It's been almost a full week since the first banning, as anyone heard of Amazon replying to their inquiries?
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post #46 of 51
9/5/08 at 6:27pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

priceprotectr.com is saying that they plan to offer a price protection plan for shopping at Amazon.com despite the policy change.

Price Protectr Blog: Price Protectr announces Price Protection for its Amazon buyers!
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post #47 of 51
9/5/08 at 11:36pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Hope I dont get banned. They are linking it to people who use a different shipping/billing address. I have all of my packages shipped to my parents house since everything ive ever had sent to my apartment has mysteriously disappeared from the hallway while I was at work. I never contacted the vendors or the shipping co about it, altho I do have suspicions about the Fedex dude. But its more likely the punk kid that lives on the 4th floor with his grandma. Would it be in poor taste for me to ask her if little johhny has a new Razor mouse and Garmin GPS unit?
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post #48 of 51
9/6/08 at 7:01am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi C
Hope I dont get banned. They are linking it to people who use a different shipping/billing address. I have all of my packages shipped to my parents house since everything ive ever had sent to my apartment has mysteriously disappeared from the hallway while I was at work. I never contacted the vendors or the shipping co about it, altho I do have suspicions about the Fedex dude. But its more likely the punk kid that lives on the 4th floor with his grandma. Would it be in poor taste for me to ask her if little johhny has a new Razor mouse and Garmin GPS unit?
I'd call the police. Stealing of the mail is a biggie. Someone could do a bit of time on that one.

Good luck.
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post #49 of 51
9/17/08 at 7:36pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Well, it took 3 weeks less a day ( along with 2 emails to appeals and 1 more to customer service) but I finally got my Amazon account reinstated.

".........we’ve reviewed your account and purchasing history and have decided to reactivate you’re your Amazon.com account. I’m very sorry for any inconvenience you had while we worked to review your information.

Best regards,

Account Specialist
Amazon.com Customer Service"

So that's that.....I'm back in. Ordered the Godfather Restoration Blu-ray set to celebrate.

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
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post #50 of 51
9/17/08 at 11:07pm

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

"have decided to reactivate you’re your Amazon.com account"

Is the new intern they hired 3 weeks ago the correspondent writing these emails?

Gosh. I don't even think they review them before they send them out.
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post #51 of 51
9/18/08 at 8:41am

Re: Amazon Post-Order Price Guarantee going way :(

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi C
I have all of my packages shipped to my parents house since everything ive ever had sent to my apartment has mysteriously disappeared from the hallway while I was at work. I never contacted the vendors or the shipping co about it, altho I do have suspicions about the Fedex dude. But its more likely the punk kid that lives on the 4th floor with his grandma. Would it be in poor taste for me to ask her if little johhny has a new Razor mouse and Garmin GPS unit?

You've had hundreds of dollars worth of electronics fail to show up and you didn't bother mentioning it to anyone?
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