Amazon's logistics (e.g., delivering the right order on time) and customer support have become spotty or worse recently. Here is a summary listing of things (most of which were noted in previous individual posts) to keep in mind that might help in dealing with Amazon:
1. Before ordering an expensive electronics item or any expensive item, check (by chat) whether it requires a UPS pickup for any return. If so, you will have to be home to hand the item to the UPS driver, and it is nearly impossible to get even a 4-hour window for the pickup.
2. Any product whose delivery is several days out, keep checking to see if there's a price reduction on the item. If so, cancel the original order and re-order.
3. When canceling (either per point 2 above or for any reason), always be absolutely sure the cancelation shows on the Amazon website before taking further action. Do not believe any rep who tells you an order will be or even has been canceled.
4. If there's an issue with UPS, while first level Amazon reps will say it cannot be done, ask for a supervisor and insist the supervisor rep set up a 2-way call with UPS. Always be sure to get a UPS case number for the matter and ask UPS for a direct number if you have to call back. And, if you do call UPS, the only way to get to a human at UPS is to keep hitting the # sign once the phone is answered. Ignore the prompts. Just keeping hitting #.
5. Amazon will not tell you this, and actually will deny it, and it's very difficult to get to, but there is a level above supervisor that is possible to get to. That level has far broader ability to do stuff that the supervisor level will tell you cannot be done, including giving substantial promotional credits, waiving the Prime Membership fee, providing discounts on ordered but undelivered products, and expediting refunds.
6. Never hesitate to ask for an accomodation when dealing with an Amazon mess up. Do not be overly pushy. The best approach seems to be to appeal to a sense of fairness and keeping the loyalty of the customer. It also helps to laud the rep with positive feedback for how helpful and professional the rep has been, and assure the rep you will rate them highly even if no accommodation is made.
7. Some promotional discounts will appear in your gift card balance, but others do not and will simply be applied against the charge for an eligible purchase, i.e., one where Amazon is the seller and shipper.
8. Chat is better than phone because then there's a written record of the issue. Do NOT believe any assurance or, for that matter any information, a phone rep gives you. They really don't understand Amazon's policies and procedures, and often make things up or are uninformed and mistaken.
9. Do not hesitate to tell a phone rep to stop apologizing for the problem. Explain clearly that what you want is a fix, not an apology.
10. Do not lose the order number for any gift you are returning. If you do, it's not impossible, but it's difficult, to track the status of the refund.
11. Unless you want to risk having your Amazon account and service and support "downgraded," no matter how frustrated you might be with Amazon on a matter, do NOT (all caps) dispute an Amazon charge through you credit card.
12. Don't bother asking for a manager call back. They promise you it will be done to get you off the line, but you will get no call.
[EOP]
