Amazon.ca shipping discussion (Spun off from "Good deals on amazon.ca")

Well, guess what? I'm out of town for the holidays and I expected DHL to send the box to their local office here in my city since there is no one at home to sign for it. THEY DELIVERED IT ANYWAY! It's sitting on my porch (as I can see with my RING video) with no packaging or anything else to conceal what it is. Am I liable now if someone steals it? DHL has just broken their own policy!

It's bad enough when Amazon screws up, but when DHL pulls this crap, I really start to lose patience.

 

UPDATE: Since I never signed for the package, it was never officially delivered (although Amazon.ca says it was delivered). The box set was all banged up to hell, so I took it to the local DHL office and they agreed to send it back to Amazon.ca. I've started the return process online; and if I DHL had not agreed to return it, I would have been stuck with the return shipping cost (minus a paltry reimbursement of $7.53 CAD from Amazon.ca). Once Amazon.ca receives the box, I should get a refund (according to DHL).

This has really soured me on Amazon.ca because I really wanted an undamaged box set for the price I paid rather than a waste of my time and gas just to get a refund.

I'm not sure if I will ever buy from them again after this fiasco.

 

That doesn't sound right at all. I've returned many items for different reasons over the years.

When returning, you are given the ability to print the label and bring it to a couple of shipping carriers. You print the label, slap it on, bring it to whichever one of the two carriers, and don't have to pay anything.

Doesn't make sense that you got an item without signing for it if delivered by DHL who almost always requires a signature. Also, once a package is delivered by DHL, they always (without fail) need the party to whom it was delivered to pay taxes and duty fees on the item. Sometimes, the bill can take up to a month or so to get to you.

 

All I know is that it’s going on two weeks and Amazon.ca has yet to refund or even acknowledge that they received the box. I feel like I’m in limbo.

 

Seeing posts like yours routinely from many members with increasing regularity. One subscribed without being aware to Prime, couldn't seem to figure out how to take advantage of the faster shipping, and had a heck of a time canceling. My advice is always the same ; before doing anything, if you're unsure, it's always best to call Amazon. For some reason, most seem to avoid calling. Assuming or clicking on options and hoping it all works out is a risky thing.

My experience with DHL is they're often used to ship items internationally. Are you positive it came from a Canadian address (remember - the address you shipped back to wouldn't necessarily be the same as the one it shipped from)? Are you positive you bought it from Amazon themselves and not a 3rd-party seller? Many people are quick to respond "yes" to this last question but many believe they are buying from Amazon themselves when in fact they're not. Sometimes, the default seller is a 3rd-party seller even when Amazon offers the item. If the 3rd-party seller's price is cheaper than Amazon, they can occasionally be set as the default provider of that item ; not Amazon, even though they can specifically be selected if need be.

This type of misunderstanding unfortunately can and does lead to false conclusions, such as when you stated you may not buy from them again... when, with respect, I've read about half a dozen ways it could easily just not be Amazon's fault. Not pointing fingers ; just relaying extensive experience and perspective on the matter. I don't mind a company rightfully being blamed if they dropped the ball and it is a possibility this is the case though I personally doubt it, judging from all the details you kindly took the time to write.

Setting all this aside, it sucks you're going through this and hope for a speedy positive resolution in your favor.

 

Call Amazon? You mean internationally from Virginia? Before I even place an order? Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I saw a good price on an item being sold from Amazon.ca and I ordered it, like I had dozens of times to the United States before without a problem.

The item was sold by Amazon.ca, Inc. DHL confirmed this when they agreed to return to sender without charging me. I haven’t heard anything since.

I’m not sure what I did wrong in this case.

 

Why not? Canada isn’t another planet

 

But is another country. My phone plan doesn’t cover that.

 

But most Canadian 1800 numbers are also toll free from the US. Worth a try. If it isn't I think it wont connect so no charges

 

As I suspected, it was shipped internationally. I wasn't aware you had ordered it from a different country. I order from both COM and CA websites.

Amazon offers many ways to contact them ; calling, emailing, chatting. Should calling not be free for you, the other 2 are free ways to get answers to your questions prior to ordering. Sure beats winging it and having to deal with the aftermath, IMHO.

There's a tracking number on the return slip. You can keep an eye on its progress and contact Amazon after a few business days have elapsed following their receipt of it to inquire about your refund if it's been radio silence since then.

 

You can call free through the .ca web site.

 

Going by some of the sellers here you’d think it was!

 

So anytime I order from Amazon.ca, Inc. without contacting them first, I am "winging" it. I know of no one else domestically or internationally that does business like this.

I have a receipt from DHL after they returned to sender. Amazon hasn't given me anything as far as tracking. Only when the return status has changed on my order will I know that the package has been received and a refund is in progress.

 

So, don't order from them.

 

No problem, I just don’t understand all of the defense of Amazon in my case.

 

Just trying to help you avoid potential mistakes in the future. As someone who's had hundreds of orders throughout the years with them through 3 of their websites (forgot UK), whenever there was any doubt or an issue before, during, or after I always contacted them and they made it right.

Amazon wouldn't be giving you tracking. DHL would.

EDIT : The Aretha Franklin deal I posted below is a good example of a 3rd-party being the default provider of an item since the price is lower than Amazon's. Under the button to Add To Cart is the name of the party providing the item and we can see it isn't Amazon, who also offers it but 12$ higher.

 

That's why I have an account in a warehouse near the border. I have lots of stuff shipped there and let it accumulate for a while after which I swing by to pick everything up. I save on shipping and the prices are much better even after paying taxes and taking into account the exchange rate.

But I understand not everyone has that ability. All depends on how close to the border one lives.

 

I am getting close to doing that as I am about an hour from Port Huron and could do a monthly trip there or something like that.

 

I really need to do this

 

I’m not sure your wife would agree another pipeline to buy music is something you need to do!

 

There are no warehouses in Buffalo or Niagara Falls with sufficient storage.

 

Trump's new major trade deal looks a lot like NAFTA. Here are key differences between them.

Canada will increase the de minimis level for US goods to 40 Canadian dollars from 20 Canadian dollars; for cross-border shipments like e-commerce, the level will be boosted to 150 Canadian dollars.

 

So, in layman's terms...?

 

Exactly. I'm not into politics or financial news so no idea what this translates to.

 

Basically we will be a able to have a CD sent to us (aka Import it) and not be charged tax on up to $40 worth of goods. Currently the amount is $20.

In terms of the duty free level we will now be able to bring in up to $150 worth of goods without being charged a duty. Currently the amount is $20.

So let’s say you import something worth $200. The first $40 is “free”. Then from $40 to $150 you will just be charged tax. Then from $150 to $200 you will be charged tax and duty. The rate of duty varies for different items. I don’t recall ever being charged duty on CDs...just tax.