Illustration by Dustin Elliott

By Christopher Elliott
Guest Columnist

The electric pressure washer Halley Thompson orders from Amazon doesn’t work. Why won’t Amazon let her return it for a refund?

Christopher Elliott

I ordered a Greenworks Pro Electric Pressure Washer through Amazon recently. The description said it was in new working condition with “minor damage” to the box. I paid $144 for it, which is just slightly less than the new item price.

When I opened it, the pressure washer wouldn’t even start.

I used to own this exact model, which lasted several years. I know how to work this machine; this one is broken.

I called Amazon customer service and a representative told me I had to call Greenworks and get them to certify that it was defective before Amazon would return it. I went through the troubleshooting and confirmed it was broken.

I also gave Greenworks the item’s serial number, and it turns out this one has already been replaced as defective! Greenworks refuses to refund me because it was sold to someone else, found to be defective, and refunded.

So, I have an item that I paid nearly $150 for that was dead when it arrived to me, a known defective item that was supposed to be in new condition. Amazon sold me a broken product as new.

Amazon won’t escalate my claim, and they hang up on me when I insist my claim be escalated. This can’t be happening. Can you help me get my money back? — Halley Thompson, Baltimore

Amazon should have quickly refunded the nonworking pressure washer. So why didn’t it? Well, it looks like the main problem was that you asked for a refund outside the return window, which is normally 30 days.
When you order a product — any product — you need to make sure it’s working properly within the return window. Otherwise, you could be stuck with a pressure washer that doesn’t work.

I’m not happy with the way Amazon deferred to the manufacturer. Amazon has an A-to-Z guarantee that covers you if the item you received is damaged, defective, or not as described, and you have requested a return more than 48 hours ago and the seller hasn’t authorized your return request. So yes, technically Amazon should have asked Greenworks to honor a return, but if it didn’t, it should have helped you.

Greenworks is not to blame for this. The company already refunded the customer who previously purchased the unit. The real problem is the previous customer, who reboxed the broken pressure washer and then sold it to you. Amazon should have tested the returned merchandise before reselling it, since you ordered this directly through Amazon and not a reseller.

You might have had more luck buying a pressure washer through a bricks-and-mortar store or directly through Greenworks. There’s zero chance you would end up with a unit that the owners knew was not working. Some people!

You could have appealed this to a higher level at Amazon. I publish the names, numbers and emails of the top Amazon customer service managers on my consumer advocacy site.

I contacted Amazon on your behalf. It refunded the $144 you spent on the Greenworks Pro Electric Pressure Washer.

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