Strangest customer message yet
Out of the blue yesterday I received a message from a customer regarding an order from December 2022. The book I sent him via USPS Media Mail was delivered on time back then according to the tracking number, but he claimed to have never received it, so I just gave him a refund, knowing Amazon would take his side whether he was lying or the USPS had made an error. A year and a half later he messaged me claiming he finally did receive the book and wants to make it up to me. I told him to not worry about it, because who knows if it's some scam or if it breaks some arcane Amazon rule.
My question is, why in the world can customers message sellers about orders that far in the past, even when they have already received a refund, Amazon now no longer even shows their full address to the seller, and the feedback and A-to-z claim windows have long expired?
Strangest customer message yet
Out of the blue yesterday I received a message from a customer regarding an order from December 2022. The book I sent him via USPS Media Mail was delivered on time back then according to the tracking number, but he claimed to have never received it, so I just gave him a refund, knowing Amazon would take his side whether he was lying or the USPS had made an error. A year and a half later he messaged me claiming he finally did receive the book and wants to make it up to me. I told him to not worry about it, because who knows if it's some scam or if it breaks some arcane Amazon rule.
My question is, why in the world can customers message sellers about orders that far in the past, even when they have already received a refund, Amazon now no longer even shows their full address to the seller, and the feedback and A-to-z claim windows have long expired?
17 replies
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
The buyer is hoping you are one of those sellers who do not know what they are doing, and out of fear, will refund them on full. They are fishing scams.
Don't respond. Report the email as, Buyer is trying to deceive me.
Seller_nxBgvWLbjEIOW
Maybe, just maybe, you have found an honest person, who just wants to set things right.
Pollyanna
Seller_HWMMpfA7lubQn
@Seller_bLpzUne3tRjkG this buyer is honest! I know it's surprising! Just reply and say, "No, it's fine. Thank you for reaching out and for your honesty."
Seller_dy0iaamuixQa3
Actually, that could have been me. I ordered a book back in 2015 or 16. It never came. I asked and received a refund. Almost two years later, it arrived. (I couldn't believe it.) It had a bookseller's address on it ... so I sent him or her a check for the amount of the book and explained the situation. The check was received and cashed. BTW: the seller never sent a thank you note or even a "got it" note.
Seller_149FN9OrPNrp7
In the future, if you purchased the label through Amazon Buy Shipping and the tracking says delivered, then you are protected:
If you purchase Amazon's Buy Shipping and ship on time, you are protected against claims where a customer reports problems with delivery. Amazon will cover the cost of these claims and they will not affect your Order Defect Rate.
It feels very strange to politely tell a customer to file an AtoZ, but I have done so many times with good results.
However, if it was an inexpensive item, I would just refund like you did.
Seller_LaXfWb19u77C5
I truly believe mail carriers do occasionally mark things as "delivered" that aren't or they are delivered to the wrong location. The technology has gotten a lot better recently but it still isn't perfect. It's easy to be a skeptic, but some buyers are normal people and not scammers
Seller_aWrza8YvWVgM1
Awwwww a noncorrupt Amazon customer... Those are super rare... Almost like a unicorn
Seller_7cuOxUam0oN6W
This seems like a person who has respectable integrity and believes in the golden rule. Sounds like he meant to address it for some time but got busy like we all do but it was still on his conscience. There are still a lot of people out there with integrity, unfortunately they often get drowned out by the irrational.
Seller_8bKTbjGobJoAL
I may be more cynical than most (maybe because I've seen more than most) but my first thought was the buyer intentionally ripped you off back when then later found religion or some sort of 12 step program and is now attempting to make up for past wrongs
Seller_qbXUWwyag0ELm
IMO, do not issue refunds for INR claims if tracking shows delivered. Make them file and A2Z so it hits their record. and they can be held accountable for abuse if it is truly an issue. And then report them (through Account Health).
