To give up and order everything on Amazon?

[Pineapplesonpizza]

Ordered sports shoes direct from shoe manufacturer's website. Had to pay £9 shipping, which I accepted. Shoes didn't fit so I returned them, but I did not get a refund for the shipping. If I had ordered from Amazon (where they were available at same price) there would have been free shipping and free returns. I'd MUCH rather support businesses and order direct from them, but I'm now out £9 (having purchased no shoes). So, in the future I will order from Amazon (unless free returns are specified). AIBU?

It’s up to retailers to match the service from Amazon if they don’t want to keep haemorrhaging customers.

@Tippexy - you are absolutely right, I take it all back! My DH actually physically placed the order on my laptop and told me it was £18, but I've just looked at my bank statement and they had indeed only charged me £9.97. They've obviously bestowed some sort of promotional discount upon me, but when I looked up what 'promotional discount deduction' referred to last night after doing the return, there were lots of people frothing on Reddit about it being to do with shipping, and it was a heavy item that would probably have cost about £8 to ship, so I figured that was what it was.

Well you wouldn’t have your bus fair refunded if you bought them from a high street shop. Businesses, especially small businesses make a loss on refunding postage so it’s not to be expected although I do agree bigger retailers (I’m looking at you, Next) could do with refunding the postage.

That’s why I only ever use Amazon if possible

River Island wouldn’t even refund the shipping for an item I sent back because it was faulty.

I don’t shop there anymore.

I cannot fault amazon. Have never had a problem with returns and they were exceptional when I asked a real human being on their customer services if I could return roller skates 2 month after the return deadline. Had bought them months in advance for granddaughter and on her birthday realised I had ordered wrong size!
They were collected following day and I was reimbursed same day ! Brilliant service.

Many times I’ve found shoes or clothes I want to buy in a high street shop only to be told they don’t have it in my size. Get home and they want high postage to purchase on line.

But Amazon has tons of small businesses on it! In fact 60% of what is sold on Amazon globally are from independent small and medium sized and in UK 50%.

That and not paying tax

I'm weaning myself off Amazon, even if I have to pay more and wait longer. I realise I have the privilege of being able to pay more so no shade to anyone for whom that's not an option, but I don't want to give them my money anymore and I don't want to be reliant on them.

@NumberOneFanNot but I think they pay all the tax they have to pay? Otherwise they’d be fined surely. The don’t voluntarily pay extra tax but no business would. It’s up to our government to change the tax regs if we want more tax from them

AI seems to think they paid 1.3 billion in direct uk tax last year

I’ll always order from somewhere that has the product cheaper or free shipping for the item.

So sorry to whatever shop but if you want me to pay £7 shipping on my £50 Item and Amazon just want £50 then Amazon gets my order.

and yes free returns as a must. If you are sure of your product I won’t need to return it. But I shouldn’t have to pay to return a faulty or late parcel.