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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Miles Brignall

Amazon won’t believe I was sent shoes instead of a laptop

An Amazon delivery : but make sure you check what’s in the parcel before the driver leaves.
An Amazon delivery: but make sure you check what’s in the parcel before the driver leaves. Photograph: True Images/Alamy

In December, I ordered an Apple MacBook Air for £877 from Amazon. When the delivery driver turned up, he handed over the parcel and went back to his van. I quickly realised that it was too light and, sure enough, I’d been sent a pair of men’s running shoes instead. When I opened the door, the van had left.

Amazon’s customer services was, initially, very reassuring and insisted it would be fine. I was told to send the shoes back, wait for a refund, and then re-order the laptop.

However, this soon changed. A subsequent email from Amazon said I needed to send the laptop back to get a refund. Again, I explained that I hadn’t received the laptop.

Within a few hours I received a message saying that the matter was closed. I called customer services and chatted online, but each time was told they could not help.

I find it incredulous that Amazon can decide, within a few hours, that I’m somehow making it up.

CH, by email

The best advice I can give when you have ordered an expensive item online, is not to let the driver leave until you have opened the package and made sure the correct item is there.

If you have to follow the driver outside and stand in front of the van, so be it. We have featured too many letters like this to take deliveries on trust.

I asked Amazon to take a second look at this, and it quickly moved to refund you in full. You are very relieved, but are still frustrated that you were not believed in the first place.

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