I regularly order secondhand books from Amazon which more often than not come from the USA (£5 - £10).
Two weeks ago I ordered one small paperback, total cost £7.98.
Today I received two separate parcels, the second was totally unexpected but once I opened it turned out to be a big hardback book from the same US bookshop.
Looking at the parcels they both have the same delivery label attached even though the second book it totally unrelated to the first.
Maybe stupidly I've tried to do the right thing and contacted the seller via the Amazon Marketplace using my original order as a way of using the 'contact seller' option.
The replies I received so far are a bit odd, they almost seem to be automated, the reply doesn't really acknowledge that they have sent me an extra book by mistake, they are almost treating it as if I'm trying to return a book I don't want (but ordered), they have suggested I pay of the return back to the US and then claim it back (looking on Amazon the second book is only worth about £20).
Thinking about this I was hoping it would be more like eBay where the seller sends me a prepaid method to return the item.
Of course I could have said nothing and they would be none the wiser….. which I'm beginning to think might have been the better option.
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I had a similar problem with a random DVD finding its way into my Amazon book order. Looking to return it I too found their guidance was all directed to returning ordered items.
Googling suggests its a common issue so once I found the DVD was only worth about a fiver I decided not to pursue it further.
As I recall the UK law all you are obliged to do is give the unordered item back to them if they ask. As you are not actually required to tell them this is potentially a bit pointless! In a case where you do tell them then I believe they have to arrange collection. I don't believe you have to pay these return costs upfront. Others may have a more up to date informed view? And of course, whatever the law, it may result in a black mark on your Amazon file.
Amazon must know this happens and I can only assume they don't think its economic to operate a return channel for those of us who try to do the right thing.
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Many thanks, seems to be one of the areas not covered by any of their 'help' sections.
Seller has now contacted me again as 'really' wants the book back but insists that I pay the return postage to the US (I'll have to repack it as it came in some kind of shrink-wrap that I had to completely tear to open)..
I guess it's fingers crossed and wait for the money to be refunded, I'll send them the tracking number and my cost by email… just need find time to get down to the PO.
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Had he asked me then I probably would have done. But "insisted"? You're a better man than me, I would have declined.
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Had a couple of camping chairs and other such paraphernalia turn up a couple of years ago. Called Amazon and they said just keep it, though I managed to find a female neighbour who's son had ordered it (so not a name we recognised) and was going on hols the next day ...
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We've had package turn up here addressed to somebody else four doors away. Fortunately we knew the name because she's from the village and was part of same grown up children cohort as my two. Order was from a third party who'd selected wrong house number from the drop-down list of houses with same postcode.
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Returning extra book - Amazon Marketplace - martin aston
