Amazon moral maze
 

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[Closed] Amazon moral maze

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 DrJ
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I bought an item (pack of Brita filters, as it ‘appens) on Amazon, from a 3rd party seller, to be delivered to work. I’ve done this dozens of times before with no problem. But this parcel didn’t arrive. I contacted the seller, and they said “give it a few days”. I gave it a few days, nothing. I contacted them again – no reply. I left it a bit longer and then claimed a refund from Amazon. Just on a whim I checked with the office mailroom and it turned out my parcel was there, but just addressed to Very Big Company, Big Town, i.e. my name was not on it.

So – do I ‘fess up to Amazon so they can charge me, or punish the supplier for being incompetent?

* By “I” in the foregoing, obviously I am referring to “a friend”


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:03 pm
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So – do I ‘fess up to Amazon so they can charge me

I would. I really appreciate how good Amazon are with refunds/returns and it's the proper thing to do the right thing back. They might actually tell you they aren't bothered, but I couldn't justify not mentioning it to them.

I once got a double order from MudHugger because the first one took longer to arrive and when I enquired they apologised saying it hadn't been shipped. I insisted it must have been (had tracking number and all) but the were adamant it hadn't and insisted on shipping it again.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:23 pm
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Thing is, deliveries to work, especially a big workplace isn't the best idea. Might be convenient for you, but not the receptionists/post team. Imagine if everyone did it.

Whats wrong with a locker location or a click and collect if you aren't going to be in.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:27 pm
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Imagine if everyone did it

I reckon it wouldn't make the slightest difference. Large workplaces have mailrooms that are adapted to delivering stuff to large workplaces so unless people are ordering massive things like kitchens, I struggle to believe it would make any real difference. Except perhaps to staff morale who would think it's a decent thing for their company to let them do.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:31 pm
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do I ‘fess up to Amazon so they can charge me

Yes. Otherwise you are defrauding us all.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:32 pm
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Might be convenient for you, but not the receptionists/post team. Imagine if everyone did it.

Our reception requests that a quid is put in the charity box every time you have something delivered to work. Bargain if you ask me!


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:35 pm
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You’ve purchased something, it’s been delivered, you have it. Now pay for it.
You might have paid for it but you’ve had that refunded by Amazon who will in all likelihood claim back against the smaller supplier.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:38 pm
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Thought that this was going to be a discussion on Amazon's apparent inability to declare profits and pay tax in the country where they earn their income.
Or pay a decent living wage to parts of their arms' length workforce.
I just won't use them for anything at all. A simple way out of the moral maze...


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:39 pm
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Thought that this was going to be a discussion on Amazon’s apparent inability to declare profits and pay tax in the country where they earn their income.
Or pay a decent living wage to parts of their arms’ length workforce.

Yep, me too. Funny how it turned out to be someone asking if they should steal something..... clearly different people have different ideas on what constitutes a maze.

Hmmmm, should I commit fraud or not?
No.
Next


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:43 pm
 Drac
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I'm sorry why is this a moral maze? Either return them or pay up.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:44 pm
 DrJ
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Yes. Otherwise you are defrauding us all.

Not really. I would be defrauding the supplier. Perhaps that's something I don't want to do, but at the same time I feel like they should suffer for their crap service. Now in the meantime I ordered some more filters - so I have a Brexit stockpile of water filters and a cashflow problem.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:53 pm
 DrJ
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I reckon it wouldn’t make the slightest difference. Large workplaces have mailrooms that are adapted to delivering stuff to large workplaces so unless people are ordering massive things like kitchens, I struggle to believe it would make any real difference. Except perhaps to staff morale who would think it’s a decent thing for their company to let them do.

This. If people couldn't receive items (up to a reasonable limit obvs) it would mean taking time off to receive deliveries, nip to the post office, whatever. My previous employer even let us SEND stuff via the company's FedEx account so I could send a box internationally, next day, track and trace, for a fiver (perfect foe-bay 🙂 )


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 12:58 pm
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This. If people couldn’t receive items (up to a reasonable limit obvs) it would mean taking time off to receive deliveries, nip to the post office, whatever

Seriously? Click and collect, amazon lockers, lunch hours......


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 2:10 pm
 Drac
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Or maybe check the mail room first next time.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 2:16 pm
 jb72
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You've received it - pay for it! Seems like a genuine mistake.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 2:27 pm
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yeah, fess up.

as suggested, Amazon aren't gonna take the hit on this - they'll just hammer Johnny Smallbusiness for the cost (probably plus an exorbitant admin fee).

And they'll probably have one of their employees shot by an enforcement droid, just to be on the safe side.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 2:47 pm
 DezB
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Even I'd admit to this one, and I'm a right thieving scumbag from Leigh Park, me.

fossy
Thing is, deliveries to work, especially a big workplace isn’t the best idea

What a strange opinion to impart... Every place I've worked at has been different for this. So to think you can generalise on it, well, is rather silly I'd say.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 2:54 pm
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I'm surprised its a moral question. You got it, you pay for it, or you stole it.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:07 pm
 Nico
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I reckon it wouldn’t make the slightest difference. Large workplaces have mailrooms that are adapted to delivering stuff to large workplaces so unless people are ordering massive things like kitchens, I struggle to believe it would make any real difference. Except perhaps to staff morale who would think it’s a decent thing for their company to let them do.

Well it might do. Some companies are refusing to deal with personal orders because now everybody is at work all day it's getting out of hand, but I would see it as a useful, cheap and non-taxable perk.

A former workmate once had an exhaust for an MGB delivered to our office (he couldn't have it delivered at home in case the wife found out what he was doing with their money), and I had a windsurf board delivered, though they called up from the gate and got me to collect it. Happy days.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:07 pm
 DrJ
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So - you're cycling home and you're overtaken by a van from Fred's Filters. The driver yells "get off and milk it, ploppy pants" as he speeds past. Bit further on you see a box of filters had fallen off the van. Do you take it home, or spend your lunchtime in the Post Office buying a stamp to send it back?


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:16 pm
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And I thought this was going to be a thread about buying from a tax-avoiding multinational monster rather than you local shop to save a few bob.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:25 pm
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I bet Amazon won't care/know how to bill you in this instance, they'll probably say "hang on to it for free".

Otherwise you are defrauding us all.

Not everyone shops at Amazon, thank ****


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:31 pm
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So – you’re cycling home and you’re overtaken by a van from Fred’s Filters. The driver yells “get off and milk it, ploppy pants” as he speeds past. Bit further on you see a box of filters had fallen off the van. Do you take it home, or spend your lunchtime in the Post Office buying a stamp to send it back?

What about this one? You're cycling home and you're overtaken by a van from Fred's Filters. It passes at a reasonable speed and gives you plenty of room, and as it does so, Fredina (for 'tis she) leans out of the window and trills 'I love cyclists, me' and showers you with fragrant rose petals that glow in the late afternoon sun. With a flick of her long, lustrous hair she zooms away, but a bit further up you find an entire vanload of filters, probably made out of gold, the loss of which would definitely condemn Fredina and her family to bankruptcy and gruelling poverty FOREVER.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:45 pm
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the loss of which would definitely condemn Fredina and her family to bankruptcy and gruelling poverty FOREVER.

Only Forever? They'd be getting off lightly.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 3:58 pm
 DezB
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but a bit further up you find an entire vanload of filters

Ah-ha! My chance to meet the woman of my dreams


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 4:07 pm
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I’m sorry why is this a moral maze?

Some peoples' mazes are much smaller than others.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 4:10 pm
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Thing is, deliveries to work, especially a big workplace isn’t the best idea. Might be convenient for you, but not the receptionists/post team. Imagine if everyone did it.

It is actively encouraged in my office.
Staff get a nice perk and the company like that as it’s good for staff to feel “part of the company” rather than just somewhere they have to go all the time.
It’s a lot more eco friendly (which my company like a lot)
And the receptionists don’t mind as they have the space and get visits from couriers all day every day anyway so it makes no difference.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 4:14 pm
 DrJ
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You got it, you pay for it, or you stole it.

Or another way to look at it, the mail room guy found it, told me that as it was just received with no proper address he had no way of delivering it so it was effectively unsolicited goods. Asked me if I'd like to take it home to save the waste of him chucking it out.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 4:32 pm
 nuke
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I feel like they should suffer for their crap service.

Why the hell do you feel they need to 'suffer'? They left your name off a parcel, they didn't insult your mother/wife/etc and it certainly doesn't justify a full discount of the price.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 5:47 pm
 DrJ
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They left my name off a parcel and didn't reply to my mails requesting information. Not great sins, to be sure, but bad service.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 5:51 pm
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Pay up or send it back for a refund.

I'm not sure what the "moral maze" is, to be honest. Seems to have a simple, honest solution.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 6:57 pm
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Keep it. **** Amazon, they have no morals.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 7:02 pm
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scAmazon and their marketplacers have always seemed pretty good at sending stuff to the address and name I specify, sometimes an address label gets cut wrong but it's generally the same wording I gave them. Are you certain it's not operator error?


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 7:08 pm
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A message saying the original has been found but with no name you clowns. You are welcome to collect at your expense. They won't. Morals left intact.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 7:14 pm
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Might be convenient for you, but not the receptionists/post team.

As I'm receptionist, post-boy and all round factotum it's no trouble.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 7:17 pm
 Drac
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Or another way to look at it, the mail room guy found it, told me that as it was just received with no proper address he had no way of delivering it so it was effectively unsolicited goods. Asked me if I’d like to take it home to save the waste of him chucking it out.

That’s not what happened though.


 
Posted : 18/12/2018 7:33 pm
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If the item was directly from Amazon I'd say just keep it but as it was from a seller there's no doubt they will have to foot the bill for the refund which is hardly fair - despite their poor service.

Seeing as you've already bought more filters - return the package, which should cost you nothing.

Anyway, Amazon will eventually take over the world. When all their online and high street competition has been killed off by their low prices, free delivery and all encompassing choice they will then be able to offer us higher prices, costly delivery and less choice. There'll be nothing anyone will be able to do about it by then.


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 9:19 am
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Why did you bother asking the question if your intent was to keep/steal (delete as appropriate) them anyway?


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 10:11 am
 nerd
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Anyway, Amazon will eventually take over the world. When all their online and high street competition has been killed off by their low prices, free delivery and all encompassing choice they will then be able to offer us higher prices, costly delivery and less choice. There’ll be nothing anyone will be able to do about it by then.

Nah, someone else will come along and undercut Amazon then, just how Amazon undercut everyone else.
Remember when we were all worried about the big 4 supermarkets having a monopoly, and then Aldi and Lidl came along?


 
Posted : 19/12/2018 12:05 pm
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Remember when we were all worried about the big 4 supermarkets having a monopoly, and then Aldi and Lidl came along?

Yeah I do but this is different. Amazon dominates the world of online retailing. It's their convenience that's the clincher.

In places where Amazon sells groceries there are people who do ALL their shopping with them. They are now offering clothes shopping where you order something, have 7 days to try it on and send it back if you don't like it, free of charge and then only pay for it at the end, not at the beginning.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 6:56 am
 sbob
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Why did you bother asking the question if your intent was to keep/steal (delete as appropriate) them anyway?

The OP feels like a muppet for not bothering to check with reception to see if a parcel had been delivered before ordering more pointless filters. This thread is just part of a plan to increase the OP's levels of pseudo-rage until they dwarf his feelings of embarrassment, thus allaying any guilt for stealing the filters.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 8:04 am
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Highlandman - agreed.

They’re dry humping the lot of you.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 8:05 am
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My employers don't like it - with a few thousand staff on site, it would be a nightmare.

Amazon locker/pick up and collect is fine for me. We also take parcels in for neighbours, so swings and roundabouts.

I've worked places where they don't mind, but where I am it would be too easy for someone to swipe your 'goods' before it even got to you.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 8:49 am
 DrJ
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The OP feels like a muppet for not bothering to check with reception to see if a parcel had been delivered before ordering more pointless filters.

Naah - not really. The OP is wondering what kind of idiot posts something without checking that the recipient's name is actually on the parcel.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 8:56 am
 sbob
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Yeah! Bloody idiots! You steal that parcel, that'll learn 'em!

I stand by my previous comment.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 9:04 am
 DrJ
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You steal that parcel, that’ll learn ’em!

I haven't stolen anything, but do carry on ranting, if it amuses you.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 9:11 am
 sbob
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If pretending I'm ranting also helps deflect from your obvious ruse, you fill yer boots. 🙂


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:09 am
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@DrJ d’ya like dags?


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:14 am
 Nico
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Amazon obviously anticipate a certain amount of stuff to go astray for whatever reason, and consequently they take it on trust when you report something not arriving. They equally know that some of those reports will be deliberately fraudulent and allow for that in their calculations. They could just refuse to listen when you report something not arriving, but they have obviously put a value on the good will and offset it against the cost.

Personally I don't like the idea of a monolithic company dominating the market and I don't like their approach to paying taxes but I find it very difficult to fault Amazon's customer service. In the past I've complained about the quality of a product and requested a return/refund but been told to just keep it and have had the refund anyway. Some things aren't worth Amazon bothering with, although this could encourage people to complain on the off chance of getting to keep the item and the refund. Most people are pretty straight.

On this filters business I'd just keep the item - it's not worth the hassle, and you've already suffered enough by being conned into buying something nobody needs.


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:35 am
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i usually include my name in the company name, like this, without spaces

AMAZONlester PRIMEsmith


 
Posted : 20/12/2018 10:38 am

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