Item damaged in post. How long does a customer have to notify us?
We sell glassware and although we package them in a way as to reduce the risk of breakages in the post, we accept that on very rare occasions a customer will receive something that’s been broken during delivery. In these instances we of course refund in full or send a replacement. However, we realise that there’s always a chance a customer could accidentally break the glass themselves within the standard 30 day return period and claim that it was damaged upon arrival. To counter this, we have placed a term in our refund policy stating that a customer should report any damages in the post within 2 days of receipt and provide a picture of the damaged item. Does this 2 day reporting period carry any weight with Amazon? If it went to dispute, would Amazon favour the buyer?
The reason we’re asking is because a customer has just taken 5 days from delivery (as evidenced by Royal Mail Track & Trace) to report that their glass was broken upon arrival. They’ve provided a picture of the broken glass but we have our doubts as a) why has it taken 5 days to tell us; and b) the date they claim they received the item is much later than the date Royal Mail provided. We’ve given the customer the benefit of the doubt on this occasion and refunded them in full in order to avoid negative feedback but if something similar happens in the future, does Amazon provide guidance on when a customer has to report an item being damaged upon arrival?
26 replies
Seller_EJIX7rqDNQJi2
Actually, Amazon will act based on what you tell them.
If a buyer opens a return request for whatever reason, you authorise it and receive back a pile of broken glass, you will be able to either refund minus the cost of loss of value or refuse to refund at all.
In case of a potential A-Z claim, when you state that the item which you shipped was exactly as described in the listing and the carrier’s tracking results don’t indicate any damage, Amazon will then fund it.
Seller_cJms0GbotqqtV
Getting back to OP’s question, Amazon would not accept a refunds policy that allows buyers only 2 days to inspect items and report any damage. There are numerous circumstances where 2 days would not be reasonable:
- if the recipient was on holiday and therefore did not open the package until several days later
- if the item was bought as a gift or for a special occasion, and was not opened until the date of that occasion
- if the item was delivered to a work address, and sat in the mail room awaiting collection by the addressee
- if the item was accepted by a neighbour, and was not passed on to the addressee until days later
Tracking may show an item was delivered on a particular date. It does not mean the package was opened on that date. The law, and Amazon, allow consumers 30 days from the date of receipt to open, inspect and report any visible damage. Sellers on Amazon must abide by this, or risk having their account suspended or closed by Amazon.
Paul
Seller_BuNMsd0so0Amp
Put in a claim with RM.
I did three in one day last week and the cheques arrived within a few days.
Give RM the photo of the damage and a screenshot of the Sale Page showing the Price, refund and the item.
Seller_lJfjQBSxAdvgt
Madness Bhilai,mnvcxcn, nbgfdcvnn. Gets
Seller_T1hNAspnBn0vV
I must admit I’m terrible for ordering a few things at once on the internet, they turn up whilst I’m on my way out or doing something and they end up sitting on my dining room table for a few days until I finally start wondering what’s inside them.
I’ve also had my mum pop by my house whilst I’m away and waited in for deliveries, they can be left unopened up to a week until I get back.
I had a bathroom suite delivered a few weeks ago and the retailer advised me at time of purchase via email that I must check and report any damages within 5 days… as I had been asked directly I did this a immediately, maybe you could do this?
Another poster mentioned gifts not being opened immediately. I always open the gifts, inspect and repackage but a lot of people don’t do this, hence why a lot of retailers extend return periods around Christmas.
You have to understand that not every customer springs the box open the second the van drives off. Could the customer have broken the glass themselves accidentally? Most likely. Could it have been damaged in transit and the customer has just opened the package now? Also very likely.
I would definitely put a claim in to the courier but I would send a replacement out to the customer and apologise for the inconvenience, it just depends on how much it will cost you (replacement cost + postage) and how much of your time it will take up fighting a customer that could be completely innocent.
