
Amazon applies a restocking fee of 25% of the item price - dxxvi
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;raw.githubusercontent.com&#x2F;dxxvi&#x2F;amazon-restocking-fee&#x2F;master&#x2F;Amazon-restocking-fee.png<p>It&#x27;s a surprise that nobody outside of Amazon knows about Amazon restocking fee.
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1stranger
One of the problems is Amazon decided to become a bazaar instead of a store.
So it might be sold by Amazon, or fulfilled by Amazon, or sold by somebody
else. You have to pay attention to who you're buying from and what the
policies are. It's like walking into Target and there's the regular store but
there's been a flea market setup inside as well.

Personally I wish they'd segregate the experience. Have one experience be the
Amazon store as it used to be with consistent expectations. If you can't find
the product you want it could then direct you to the bazaar.

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NicoJuicy
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=...](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=901926)
?

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mockindignant
Came here to post this. Some items are marked Free Returns, others are not.
This is not news, and plenty of people know about it.

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LyndsySimon
I've not had any issues with this, though I am somewhat hesitant to return
items because of the articles I've read about Amazon sometimes closing
accounts - including access to AWS and previously-purchased digital goods -
for "too many returns".

In the past month I've returned a cellphone case (not as described) and a
marine-grade amplifier (despite being explicitly "waterproof", it failed the
first time it got rained on). I probably won't buy anything expensive from
them for a while because I don't to have to return something else if it's
faulty.

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PopeDotNinja
"Items in original condition past the return window*"

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user5994461
"If your item was fulfilled by a third-party seller, you may be charged up to
20% restocking fee even if you return the item in original condition within
the return window."

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user5994461
That must be an American thing. Here in EU an online seller must give a full
refund for any item returned within a few weeks.

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zzleeper
Is there a reason for that? Here (US) a lot of people buy stuff on a whim and
when they decide they don't like it, they just return it, as Amazon usually
doesn't charge anything.

I always though that as a huge cost that ends up being passed on to people who
don't buy+return stuff on impulse.

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halfdeadcat
This is a risk Amazon assumes, by offering products that customers cannot see
in-person before purchasing. There is no substitute for actually handling the
product, and Amazon can't exist if people are reluctant to purchase items for
this reason. While returns may cost Amazon, they are essential to convincing
customers it's ok to by unseen merchandise. Think Zappos (also an Amazon
company).

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kakarot
> To set expectations, we have a restocking fee if Amazon is not in error.

> To set expectations, we have a 30-day free return window. This is why I
> could wave the fee.

...What? Is this not conflicting policy? It creates an artificial price
increase only for the ignorant customer. If there is a free return window, why
are they charging anything? The expectations they set are very confusing.

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Tomte
Amazon is strange in that way.

On my first Kindle Paperwhite (second Kindle overall) I paid for removal of
ads.

For my second Paperwhite I just called the hotline and asked them to cancel
the ads. Done. For free.

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kakarot
I bought a Paperwhite last month and I was planning to do this. Heard it
worked for a lot of people. How long did you wait before asking?

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chrisseaton
If you return an item, Amazon probably cannot reasonably literally 're-stock'
it as they can't be sure what you have done to it, even if it appears sealed.
I would imagine the item now has to be sold at a massive discount, recycled,
or simply thrown away, so to them it's probably 100% loss when you include
things like shipping.

You're at fault for that - you simply decided you didn't want it after
previously agreeing to purchase it - so it seems very reasonable to me to
charge you for that. I think in the US they don't have to accept returns at
all when you don't really have any reason (in some countries they do) so
they're already doing you a favour!

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dxhdr
> I would imagine the item now has to be sold at a massive discount, recycled,
> or simply thrown away, so to them it's probably 100% loss when you include
> things like shipping.

I've received numerous "new" items that were previously opened and returned
merchandise; things like a vacuum with hairs in one of the cleaning
attachments. Same with a pair of headphones. I'd be happy if there were a
discount for accepting a minimally used item. As it is Amazon just hopes you
don't notice.

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esaym
"amazon warehouse deals" is where all the returns go. And yes you can get good
deals.

