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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Refund AIBU

133 replies

Yousillything · 06/01/2022 23:51

So I made a purchase before Christmas from a large online retailer. When I received it, I knew straight away it wasn’t right, so I returned it the same day with a view to getting a refund.

I knew it could take a week, plus Christmas so I left it until today to chase the refund. They claim they refunded me, and yet it definitely hadn’t reached my bank.

Just found out that they had refunded me in the form of a ‘gift card’. I’m both confused and annoyed. I never paid them with a gift card, and could totally understand that if I’d originally paid using a gift voucher, but I didn’t and this is a massive company that does very well for itself.

I asked for it to be transferred back into my bank, and they had said it’s not possible and that it can be used against my next purchase. Tbh I’m fuming as I wasn’t aware they could just use your refund as a sort of voucher retainer system. AIBU?

OP posts:
HiJenny35 · 07/01/2022 01:29

Amazon customer services are generally great. Just give them a call tomorrow. I've twice managed to forget to turn off auto renew on things and they've always refunded all money to me straight away and refunded all missing items etc.

SkiingIsHeaven · 07/01/2022 02:37

Use the live chat function or speak to an agent. That always works best for me. Much quicker and you normally get the result you want.

Blossom64265 · 07/01/2022 02:54

You likely just checked the wrong box when you requested the refund. If it’s a small amount of money, you could waste your time trying to get it swapped or you could just find a basic household product that you are going to buy anyway and that they charge the same amount for that you normally spend and buy it. Just order some washing up liquid or something and be done with it.

NotwhatIthoughtitwouldbe · 07/01/2022 03:53

Yeah, it's actually a clear option to choose gift card or back to payment method. Annoying that the default is gift card but you need to take some responsibility for not actually reading what you were agreeing to. I have also found Amazon customer service to be great, they have given a refund without asking for the item to be sent back even.

KiloWhat · 07/01/2022 06:20

Looks like you just rushed through process and didn't read what you were clicking and agreeing to.

KiloWhat · 07/01/2022 06:21

The preselected option says "fastest" so I can see why it's default

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/01/2022 06:34

It is annoying that Amazon default selects gift card as the method of ‘refund’ as it isn’t really a refund, they still have your money. Funny that the fastest method of refund is also the one, which benefits Amazon the most… ok I get why it is faster. But it’s annoying and I wonder if strictly legal.

opalbutterfly · 07/01/2022 06:40

It’s definitely clear when you go through the process for a refund. I always ask for it to be refunded onto my balance because it’s quicker and will get used pretty quickly anyway.

Original poster
Yousillything · 07/01/2022 07:12

That’s just it though? I spent time yesterday on those chats. I couldn’t get through on the phone so I went onto an online chat. They promised a callback within 2 minutes that never happened. I chased it up and they said it would be soon. I explained my situation and they said they couldn’t give me my money back as they’d given it to me as a voucher. I just think it’s a sneaky way of retaining the customers money

OP posts:
EarringsandLipstick · 07/01/2022 07:20

Well it's clearly not 'sneaky'? You made the error when selecting how you wanted to be refunded.

Now it's done, presumably they are saying it's not possible to change, which seems reasonable.

ffscovid · 07/01/2022 07:40

If it's the large online retailer that's named after a rainforest, when you go through the returns procedure, they ask how you'd like the refund: to your card or 'back to your account' (meaning a credit to your account with them). The latter is usually ticked by default so is it possible that you 'chose' this option in error? I think once that option has been selected and the credit issued to your account, then it's too late to get a refund instead.

But generally, you are entitled to a refund for anything bought online from any UK seller - faulty or not - unless made to order etc. You have 14 days to tell them that you'd like to return it and then another 14 days to return the item (longer if faulty). They can offer a voucher instead of a refund but you have the right to refuse this when offered and ask for a refund instead.

Hb12 · 07/01/2022 07:43

It's not sneaky, it's quite obvious if you are reading what you click.

GreenFridays · 07/01/2022 07:43

I just think it’s a sneaky way of retaining the customers money

How is it sneaky when choosing how you want a refund is one of the pages you must go through in the refund process?

Adododoadahdahdah · 07/01/2022 07:43

I regularly return things to Amazon.

The tick box to return onto original payment card is pretty obvious tbh so I have to vote YABU.

Pugroll · 07/01/2022 07:51

It's not sneaky, if you opt for a gift card you get it a lot quicker than cash and a lot of people buy a lot with amazon so are likely to spend it. Make sure you read stuff you're ticking next time.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 07/01/2022 07:53

@Yousillything

That’s just it though? I spent time yesterday on those chats. I couldn’t get through on the phone so I went onto an online chat. They promised a callback within 2 minutes that never happened. I chased it up and they said it would be soon. I explained my situation and they said they couldn’t give me my money back as they’d given it to me as a voucher. I just think it’s a sneaky way of retaining the customers money
You have to click a tick box that says "yes, please issue refund to my Amazon account" then select continue. There's two options on one page alone to change to a refund to your bank account.

They have refunded you the way you requested.

CMZ2018 · 07/01/2022 07:54

You ticked the wrong box when going through the refund process you asked for a gift card rather then it to go back
To your method of payment

KiloWhat · 07/01/2022 07:55

@Yousillything

That’s just it though? I spent time yesterday on those chats. I couldn’t get through on the phone so I went onto an online chat. They promised a callback within 2 minutes that never happened. I chased it up and they said it would be soon. I explained my situation and they said they couldn’t give me my money back as they’d given it to me as a voucher. I just think it’s a sneaky way of retaining the customers money
It's not at all sneaky.
Unhomme · 07/01/2022 07:56

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 07/01/2022 07:58

@Yousillything

That’s just it though? I spent time yesterday on those chats. I couldn’t get through on the phone so I went onto an online chat. They promised a callback within 2 minutes that never happened. I chased it up and they said it would be soon. I explained my situation and they said they couldn’t give me my money back as they’d given it to me as a voucher. I just think it’s a sneaky way of retaining the customers money
It's not sneaky just because you didn't read it properly.

I imagine you just clicked through on auto-pilot and didn't look to see what you were agreeing to. It's normal on Amazon to do it via gift card as a) yes, they retain your money but also b) it's much quicker and they don't have to deal with doing it via your bank.

I've had a few items refunded on Amazon and it's never been an issue to get it back on my card.

SoupDragon · 07/01/2022 07:59

Just call it Amazon! 😂

As others have said though, they've refunded you this was because it is the fastest and because you chose it. You've made a £5 profit anyway (or this has covered any return fee)

WouldIBeATwat · 07/01/2022 08:04

@Yousillything

Let call them Hamazon. It is within the UK. I was under the belief that if you ordered something online, you didn’t have the advantage of knowing it was correct until it turned up, so we’ll within your rights to send back, plus I never even took the home DIY item out of its plastic wrap. They offered me £5 as a gesture, but refusing to give me money back to my bank account Hmm
They ask as part of the returns process if you want a cash refund or a gift card. The latter usually means no charge for the return. You must have chosen it.
Pawprintpaper · 07/01/2022 08:06

I missed out on a £50 JL gift card with their house insurance recently because I didn’t read the email properly (checked my insurance details but not the covering email and wrongly assumed the gift card would be sent automatically). It is annoying and probably designed to be overly complicated to catch people out, but it is what it is and you have to move on. At least you haven’t actually lost your money. Do you need anything else normal like shampoo, dishwasher tablets or a dog bed?

CloudPop · 07/01/2022 08:06

As a matter of interest why are people avoiding just referring to Amazon as Amazon ?

ancientgran · 07/01/2022 08:08

I've always had the choice with Amazon. I usually take the gift card as it is instant and you wait a few days for money to go into your bank but if it is a large amount I've chosen to the money. It is annoying but if you clicked for the gift card I don't think that is their fault.