Sad day dealing with AMAZON -- SWINDLED by AMAZON

Here is a copy of a post I posted on another forum. Didnt know where to post it. Its sort of a product review

Well I feel I need to let everyone know what recently happened to me when I ordered some automotive parts from Amazon.

Every now and then there is a post asking if Amazon is a safe bet to order watches and get the real deal. Read the following and you decide.

I order some front bearings for a truck that badly needed replacement. Being in the industry I know SKF bearings are top shelf so I order the bearings. It clearly states SKF bearings on the product page.

SKF Wheel Bearing Assy.

http://www.amazon.com/SKF-W0133-177...r0&keywords=tacoma+skf+wheel+bearing+assembly

The bearings arrive down in MX as expected. This particular order was fulfilled by AMAZON. The boxes clearly state SKF bearings and have the SKF logo printed on the box. I open them up and they were not SKF. They were NSK. They happened to be the correct bearings for my truck but not what I ordered. I make a comment on AMAZOn and it gets deleted with no response. Since the truck was already in the shop on the lift with old bearing pressed out I dont have an option but to use the bearings. NSK is a good quality bearing but again, they were not SKF and they were boxed and sold as SKF. On the second order that I had already placed the sent the incorrect parts but were not mislabeled they just did not fit my truck so they were sent back.

Ill bring it up again with AMAZON to see how they respond but thats it for me. Ill pay more to get what I order. At this point I have zero confidence in AMAZON

 

Here is their response. Ive tried to post a review that was just a simple "I got the wrong bearings boxed in SKF boxes" and they wont let me post it

 

Question, Did the box have SKF on the outside?(not the box Amazon shipped it in but the box inside it..)

My reasoning behind said question. Items fullfilled by amazon are received from a company, if the company mislabels something, Amazon may not know. I have heard of this kind of issue before.

 

It seems SKF and NSK are close together since SKF bought 75% of NSK.

I would guess this is an SKF putting a NSK bearing in their own box and sending it to amazon making them think it is SKF. I highly doubt that Amazon opens every single box of inventory they receive to make sure it is what it is. I think that is a weak point in Amazon's fullfillment idea. If I am correct on that. I see opening everything coming in would be extremely time consuming and a waste of time for amazon.

 

Amazon goes based on customers for the fulfillment items. They basically just accept them as the item untill customers report otherwise. Ive noticed quite a few items over the years with statements along the lines of "customers report item not as advertised. Amazon is investigating"

 

You didn't get swindled. The company you bought the bearings from probably bought the company that the label is on the bearing. Instead of spending money on changing out machines or eliminating old stock, the just boxed the bearing in their branded box. You should really watch the movie Tommy Boy, it will explain everything.

 

I'm an Amazon Prime member and have been for many many years and we order A LOT of stuff from them. In fact.....not one week goes by that there's not a package at our doorstep.

Surely, Amazon can make mistakes.....however.... the vendors can also make mistakes with packing. Amazon has an awesome return policy - and yes, I have used it. When something isn't right, I return it. And I make sure I get exactly what I ordered. Customer service has always been great!!

 

The individual boxes were labeled SKF manufactured in Netherlands and I forget the other box had labeled manufactured in some other country. The bearings were made in Japan which was clearly laser etched on the bearing.. I addressed the issue with SKF and they said that they dont sell on the internet which means that Amazon is getting them through a 3rd party. Kindof shady if you ask me.

 

I am a prime member and I too purchase quite a bit from them. I asked for clarification. Zero response so far. Not what I expected from them.

NSK makes a damn good bearing so I am not out on that end. It was made in Japan so its probably just as good as an SKF. What I dont like is ordering something and paying a premium for it and getting something else and then getting no response from them. Ill be purchasing from a walk-in store from now on or a dedicated online automotive dealer.I posted this on another site and there was one comment that this person has had several problems ordering parts for his automobiles. Amazon is good for consumer goods but for automotive or industrial products Ill take my business elsewhere.

 

How is it shady to for a company to buy products for resale from someone other than the manufacturer of said product?

 

This.

 

I don't want to rag on you, but it sounds like the problem is that you ordered a mislabeled item and were forced to use what you'd received because you had the truck apart and are butthurt that Amazon didn't verify the manufacturer of your bearings before listing the item and shipping it out, which happens in retail, particularly on the scale of Amazon.

They took down your review because it didn't meet their acceptable standards (which is normal, also).

What, besides the misinformation, is the issue? And why does it warrant silly statements about how Amazon is shady because they purchased your bearings (possibly) from a third party source?

Kinda hard for me to support your issue, when the end result was "Didn't get what I ordered, used it anyway, now I'm angry."

 

I have prime, I order so much stuff off of Amazon it may be considered ridiculous to some. However, I've yet to have any issues with them.

The problem you had is you ordered parts and took the old ones off before inspecting the new parts you ordered. Regardless of the timing its always a good habit to inspect a new part before you remove the old one. More so if your old part cannot be re-installed.

If you wouldn't of installed them, Amazon would of returned them for you and paid for shipping since they were incorrect. I've returned plenty of things due to wrong color, wrong item, whatever the reason, and they always just say ok and take it back.

I also agree with them removing your review as its very vague. If you are going to say publicly that a shop is ripping you off, you better put lots of facts to back up your statement.

Sorry you feel you got ripped off, but you could of handled this differently and be in a better situation.

 

Sucks... but drop "Unethical!" from your review and it should get posted. I do a ton of shopping on Amazon and when I get a product that does not meet my expectations, they always take it back. Never had a problem.

 

If I buy a seiko from Amazon and get an orient in a seiko box then that is shady. Seiko owns orient and amazon IMO has a responsibility to require that their sellers follow guidelines that make it clear to the consumers of what they are getting. If you walk into a store with a flyer in hand that said nike shoes 50% off and then got there and it was Sears branded shoes and not actually nike then you would say i wasted my time. If you are ok with sears branded shoes then all is good but if you specifically wanted nike then you are SOL.

Keep in mind I post for your consumption. I have made my decision of how I will proceed. You need to do the same, you dont have to agree with me.

 

Not when the truck is in the backwoods of Oaxaca Mexico. Kindof doesnt work that way. At that point I could have sent them back and ordered some from the dealer and paid a whole bunch more. Live and learn.

 

That's not at all what I asked.

If Seiko won't sell to Amazon, and Amazon goes to Bob's Watches to buy Seiko products to resell on their website, you think that is a shady practice?

FWIW, a manufacturer not selling on the internet isn't that uncommon. All that means is they don't have an in-house sales department where they process and handle orders, box, and ship them out to customers, instead their stuff goes to distributors or direct to retail customers to be sold, which isn't exactly uncommon.

 

I agree, On that point they are solid. They will make it good. Basically they are just a warehouse/shipper/order taker. With all the counterfeit products out there it makes you wonder who is supplying them with the bearings. SKF or some Chinese outfit. Ill go elsewhere for auto related stuff and when I want books and music ill go Amazon

 

Just watch Tommy Boy already will ya. We should all watch it

 

As to be expected AMAZON made good on the issue. However, they did not respond to my concern that they consider the fact that customers expect that when they order something that they get what they order and not a replacement with out being notified. I understand that this is not easily resolved but IMO they should comment that they will look into the matter and if I were them, which I am not, I would nix that supplier. End of problem.

Keep in mind that the only reason why I posted this was as an FYI. Not as some posters suggested, the need for sympathy or to argue my point of view.

In my business if we used the excuse that the supplier is responsible for what is shipped and that we have no responsibility above and beyond getting it to them then we would loose customers. Period end of story