Returning things to Amazon third party sellers- not providing return labels?

This is now the third time I've had this happen, the other two times were with Momox Shop. This time is with Zoverstocks.

When I send them a message about something damaged/incomplete (bizarrely someone replaced a factory pressed CD with a CD-R in a box set, not an Amazon on demand CD-R or CD-R pressed by the label, literally a CD-R that would come on one of those spindle packs) for a return they ask me to send the item back to Germany or the UK. When I ask them to provide me with a label they say they'll refund the postage and then give me an address in the US instead of Europe. So both times I did that and paid postage. Momox then didn't refund my return postage; whatever it was under $5 combined in two instances so I forgot about it.

This third time with Zoverstocks I followed the same procedure requesting a shipping label back to the UK and they now give me an address in the US (email is signed with Decluttr Store after the customer service rep's name?) saying they'll refund me the cost of the postage.

I don't buy that much from Amazon or really return much at all so I am wondering is this normal operating procedure? Is there anything else I should be asking/doing differently with them?

edit: IMO the other thing they really need is an internal messaging system like Ebay where you can keep in touch with them through Amazon's website, or at least a way so the company can see images as these show as blocked or image removed in the email. I'm really not one that returns things due to damage, but something like this where the first disc is so scratched to being beyond rippable (image linked) in a secure manner is unacceptable at least they'd be able to see that.

 

Unless things have changed recently, none of the Euro Amazons will provide a return shipping label either (you pay for return shipping and they refund you upon receipt of the item), so I'm not sure I'd expect a third-party seller based in Europe to do so either.

As far as problems with obtaining refunds for return shipping, I got into a dispute with a Marketplace seller on Amazon UK a couple of years ago, after I bought an out-of-print limited-edition Blu-ray from them and they shipped me the regular edition instead. I requested a return, and they provided shipping instructions but were silent as to refunding the return shipping cost. Sure enough, they wound up only refunding the purchase price plus the original shipping cost, but not the return shipping, which was not insignificant from the US to Europe. After they ignored a couple of followup emails, I filed a complaint with Amazon UK, who promptly refunded the return shipping cost and presumably billed the seller for it.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm buying these from third party international sellers listing on amazon.com

I'm not really sure what the solution is, I don't want to draw the ire of Amazon by complaining about it or even the limited number of A-Z returns you're allowed before they terminate your account. The most recent debacle is still waiting for a refund from Momox Shop (one CD from a classical box with a pressing error causing one track not read on any CD drive or CD player) after sending something to their Brooklyn mail forwarder four weeks ago and the customer service rep saying they'll only refund me the cost of the item after they receive it back in Germany. Along with the promise of the postage I paid to Brooklyn, which I've come accept just won't come through.

 

It seems to be kind of a gray area, but since they are selling on Amazon.com, if it were me I think I'd complain to Amazon.com. I don't know what the specific rules are for international sellers listing on Amazon.com, but I'll be surprised if they are not subject to the same terms and conditions as all other Marketplace sellers. By all rights they should refund you as soon as their domestic mail drop has the item in hand, as that is where they told you to ship it back to, but Amazon may not see it that way.

 

I will be complaining to Amazon if it doesn't get resolved by the time my window for this closes. Their most recent communication was that the item hasn't arrived back in Germany and it's still at one of their mail forwarders.