Need help with Amazon claim

[Greyfox]

First of all if this is in the wrong place please move it to the correct section as I don't know where it's supposed to go.

I purchased a new electric guitar for myself via a third party seller on Amazon. The seller stated that the package was being sent from within the UK. After about 2 weeks it finally turned up and it was in fact sent from China. Alarm bells started ringing and as I feared the guitar is a fake. I contacted the seller about it and he promised me it was the real deal. I knew it wasn't but took it to a guitar shop anyway and they confirmed it to be a fake. I then filed a claim with Amazon and received their verdict yesterday. They've basically said that as it's a third party seller there's nothing they can do. They said that I have to send it back for a refund from the seller and that it's up to the seller if they want to reimburse me for the shipping costs which they obviously won't do.
It's going to cost between £80-100 to send it back so I've pretty much been fucked over for something that's not my fault. The only way amazon said they would take action was if I send the item back and don't receive a refund within 5 days of them receiving it. Essentially even if I do get a refund I'm still goign to be out of pocket by £100. Is there anything I can do?

Cheers

[blacksheep]

Did you pay by credit card?

[Greyfox]

I paid with a master card visa debit but it was about 4 weeks ago. I've been waiting for a good 3 weeks for the amazon to investigate the claim only to have them come back with this.

[consoles]

Report to trading standards there are long distance laws which you are well within your rights to a full refund.
Your bank may also be able to charge back the payment.

[Fon]

Send back a load of bricks, and flog the guitar!

Fon

[CzarJunkie]

Amazon are a fucking joke. They're more than happy to take the 17% or so of every sale from the 3rd party merchant but when something goes tits up they don't want to know and just blame the 3rd party.

The sooner people stop shopping with Amazon and look for maybe smaller retailers with decent customer service the better it would be for all consumers. Amazon are just too big now and are driving many small amd medium sized independant retailers to the wall.

Soon there'll only be Amazon left and they'll be able to treat everyone like shit whether you bought it direct from them or a 3rd party seller on their marketplace.

[Greyfox]

I rang Natwest and they said they could generate an authorization code which I could give to whoever I brought the guitar through (amazon) and they can use that code to issue me with a refund from the seller. Is this true or them to fobbing me off? Would Amazon do this? Also with regards to getting Natwest charging back the payment. The transaction was May 31st, is that too long ago for them to do it?

[Greyfox]

Amazon are a fucking joke. They're more than happy to take the 17% or so of every sale from the 3rd party merchant but when something goes tits up they don't want to know and just blame the 3rd party.

The sooner people stop shopping with Amazon and look for maybe smaller retailers with decent customer service the better it would be for all consumers. Amazon are just too big now and are driving many small amd medium sized independant retailers to the wall.

Soon there'll only be Amazon left and they'll be able to treat everyone like shit whether you bought it direct from them or a 3rd party seller on their marketplace.

You're not wrong. Everyone rants on about how good their customer service is but the way they have dealt with me has been terrible. They've basically told me they don't give a shit as it's a 3rd party seller. Cunts!

[evilsatan]

It used to be the case that amazon protected you with marketplace purchases. If he claims the item was sent from the UK then you should only have to return to a UK address which will cost less than £20 Inc. Insurance with a courier. Try parcelmonkey but do not use the Hermes delivery service.As for amazon, if you buy from them directly and the item breaks within warranty and is no longer available you will always get a full refund. That is one reason I like amazon although the process is not as simple as it used to be. I sent back a printer last week that developed a fault, it was 2 weeks from warranty expiry, got a full refund so not only have I bought an upgrade but I have another full warranty left to run.

[blacksheep]

there's still some protection with a visa debit - have a poke on their site and contact them, see what they say. I know hindsight is a bitch but anything over £100 and pay by credit card as the credit card company are jointly/severably liable. Anyway, have a look on the visa site and see what they say about their debit cards.