Illustration by Dustin Elliott.

By Christopher Elliott
Guest Columnist

Where’s the nightstand Inna Zaychik ordered from Amazon? The company says it’s been delivered, but she doesn’t have it. Can she get a refund?

Christopher Elliott

I ordered a nightstand on Amazon recently, but it was never delivered. I never even got a confirmation email that it was delivered or an image of the package.

An Amazon representative confirmed in an online chat that the delivery status was changed to “delivered” by mistake. Yet an Amazon account specialist now claims that it was delivered and refuses to process a refund, despite the fact that the item is covered by A-to-z policy, which guarantees you when buying items from a third-party seller.

I paid $95 with an Amazon gift card, so I can’t dispute the charge. It’s been three months and several emails, calls and chats with no result. I would greatly appreciate your help with getting a refund for the item that was not delivered. — Inna Zaychik, Suwanee, Ga.

A: Amazon should have delivered your nightstand, as promised. And if it couldn’t, it should have processed a prompt refund — or, in your case, returned the $95 ias an Amazon gift card.

Actually, I’m glad you brought that up. That’s one of the problems with gift cards: You can’t dispute a charge as you would with a credit card. It’s just one of many reasons I recommend avoiding gift cards. Simply put, the company holds all the cards. It can confiscate the money in them or expire the credit. And believe me, I’ve seen it all!
You kept an excellent paper trail with Amazon. The emails and online chats confirm your story. An Amazon supervisor insists it delivered your package. You asked for proof but Amazon could not send you anything other than an email that it had marked as “delivered.” But you also had proof that Amazon made a mistake and had actually not delivered the nightstand. How confusing.
Does Amazon’s A-to-z guarantee cover you? Yes, it does. The customer service guarantee specifically says it applies if you haven’t received your package.
You did almost everything right. You documented all of your interactions with Amazon. You asked for proof of delivery. You might have also appealed to one of the Amazon customer service executives I publish on my consumer advocacy site. (Amazon is not happy that I have emails for its executives, but they sure come in handy if you have a problem with the company.)
A company should be able to provide you with proof of delivery. Sometimes, that includes a picture of the parcel on your front door. At the very least, it’s a tracking number through a third party like UPS or FedEx. You can’t just take Amazon’s word for it that it delivered your package.
I contacted Amazon on your behalf. A representative emailed me shortly after that to say that your case had been resolved. He didn’t say what had gone wrong, but I suspect your paper trail was convincing. Amazon returned the $95 to your account. I would spend it quickly before the company changes its mind.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/