Hello,
I represent MuscleSquad, a seller of fitness equipment. We ship dumbbells over 32.5kg on micropallets to minimize damage by couriers during handling and to achieve slight cost efficiencies.
A customer has initiated a return request for a 37.5kg dumbbell, citing it as too heavy and requesting an exchange for a 32.5kg option. Amazon Customer Service has informed the customer that this return will be free. However, the cost of returning these items through a courier network could reach £40 per item, totalling £80.
Additionally, Amazon advised the customer to leave the dumbbells outside for collection. We promptly instructed the customer not to do so, as arranging a suitable collection for such heavy items will take time and we wish to prevent loss or damage.
From my perspective, this appears to be a change-of-mind request, which typically does not obligate us to cover return shipping costs. However, the customer insists no deductions should be made from their refund amount.
I am considering driving five hours round trip to personally handle the exchange, aiming to maintain customer satisfaction and potentially combine this with other deliveries from our .com store.
Could anyone advise on my position here? Are we liable for a free return in this scenario? Any insights on managing this through Amazon’s policies or alternative solutions would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Chris - MuscleSquad
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