Is Amazon breaking consumer law in the UK

[Berberis]

Over the last few years I have been stung by so Amazon marketplace sellers who either refuse to accept their goods are faulty or who flat outright refuse to adhere to uk consumer laws.

 

One example is a small electronic piece of equipment I purchased via Amazon Marketplace. Within 5 months it had stopped working so I raised the issue with the seller. They refused to replace or refund the item. I raised the issue with Amazon who refused to help and told me to speak to the sell. Other examples are where the seller asks you to send back the faulty item but when they receive it refuse to accept its faulty and you are left out of pocket having paid for return delivery. The latest one I had was a leather wrist band that when it became wet, leaked its dye onto my shirt cuff. The seller took the item back, refunded me the money and this time paid the delivery but then refused to pay for a replacement shirt. Claiming again there as no fault.

 

My question is, if you buy something from Amzon.com, you pay Amazon for the goods and they arrive in a Amazon box. Why can Amazon refuse to do anything about people selling through their site? Are they breaching consumer rights because it feels as if they are.

[Waldo]

If I buy anything from Amazon, I make sure thr seller is amazon.co.uk. Otherwise, I would consider it like buying something from eBay.

[JFKvsNixon]

Same here, there are so many fakes on Amazon nowadays that I buy the majority of stuff from Amazon direct.

[tinfoilhat]

Over the last few years I have been stung by so Amazon marketplace sellers who either refuse to accept their goods are faulty or who flat outright refuse to adhere to uk consumer laws.

 

One example is a small electronic piece of equipment I purchased via Amazon Marketplace. Within 5 months it had stopped working so I raised the issue with the seller. They refused to replace or refund the item. I raised the issue with Amazon who refused to help and told me to speak to the sell. Other examples are where the seller asks you to send back the faulty item but when they receive it refuse to accept its faulty and you are left out of pocket having paid for return delivery. The latest one I had was a leather wrist band that when it became wet, leaked its dye onto my shirt cuff. The seller took the item back, refunded me the money and this time paid the delivery but then refused to pay for a replacement shirt. Claiming again there as no fault.

 

My question is, if you buy something from Amzon.com, you pay Amazon for the goods and they arrive in a Amazon box. Why can Amazon refuse to do anything about people selling through their site? Are they breaching consumer rights because it feels as if they are.

 

People can just be arseholes. They can, and I too, have suffered this, have changed goalposts, presented terms I haven't even seen and just out said no. What's your option? Drive to their place of business (not easy to find on Amazon) and put a gun to their head? If someone refuses to deal with you in a legal fashion you're option might be a small claims court - if they turn up. They maybe breaching consumer rights but getting them to adhere would be difficult and time consuming.

 

Rant over. The thing I learnt from the above was to pay by credit card or PayPal - both are helpful when the seller refuses to act.

[Guest sibon]

People can just be arseholes. They can, and I too, have suffered this, have changed goalposts, presented terms I haven't even seen and just out said no. What's your option? Drive to their place of business (not easy to find on Amazon) and put a gun to their head? If someone refuses to deal with you in a legal fashion you're option might be a small claims court - if they turn up. They maybe breaching consumer rights but getting them to adhere would be difficult and time consuming.

 

Rant over. The thing I learnt from the above was to pay by credit card or PayPal - both are helpful when the seller refuses to act.

 

Better still, buy from a reputable trader. John Lewis don't behave in such a despicable way. #justsaying

[melthebell]

everything ive bought off amazon have been fine, and thats alot Oo

[milquetoast1]

Also be warned about some items marked as "Prime" that are then "fulfilled by Amazon".

 

I've just bought an internal hard drive that I was thinking would be delivered next day by Amazon because it was a "Prime" item, and it even told me it would be when I placed the order.

 

It turned up after four days, in an Amazon box but only fulfilled by Amazon, and is a refurbished drive.

 

Just because it's marked up as "Prime" don't assumed that it will be sold by Amazon or delivered next day. Although I've long since given up on the latter anyway.

[Dozer]

Milquetoast, have you tried complaining to Amazon? They were good to me (when I had Prime) about compensating me every time a Prime delivery was late. They would add a month to my subscription.

[Berberis]

Better still, buy from a reputable trader. John Lewis don't behave in such a despicable way. #justsaying

 

John Lewis refused to price match despite their "Never Knowingly Undersold" promise. An item on deal in their shop and a rivals but the rival offered another 10% discount on top and John Lewis refused to match.

 

Also their stock system only updates once a day (night) and so if an item says its in stock it can be out of stock.

 

---------- Post added 07-04-2015 at 14:41 ----------

 

Same here, there are so many fakes on Amazon nowadays that I buy the majority of stuff from Amazon direct.

 

Its infuriating and Amazon don't seem to care one bit.

 

My issue is, if its sold on the Amazon site, you pay Amazon via your card and it arrives in an Amazon box, why can they refuse to help and say you have to speak to the seller? Thats not how standard shop retail works. If I bought something from Curry's that was faulty, they cant tell you to go to the manufacturer for support.

[Waldo]

My issue is, if its sold on the Amazon site, you pay Amazon via your card and it arrives in an Amazon box, why can they refuse to help and say you have to speak to the seller? Thats not how standard shop retail works.

 

If you buy something from a stall in some town's marketplace; and something goes wrong, do you take it back to the stall, or to the town council who own the marketplace?

 

In future, just make sure you only buy something where the seller is amazon.co.uk (you can actually filter for items where the seller is amazon.co.uk).

 

If I bought something from Curry's that was faulty, they cant tell you to go to the manufacturer for support.

 

Likewise, if you buy something from amazon.co.uk, the won't tell you to go to the manufacturer for support.

 

I always got the impression that Amazon pride themselves on excellent customer service / satisfaction, not so they feel good about themselves, more that it defines their reputation and keeps people coming back to them. Probably just like John Lewis do (although I don't shop there much).