Suspect Experience with Amazon Customer Service

Amazon customer service used to be great earlier. They rarely send wrong items. In case of wrong and damaged items they would arrange for refund or replacement the next day.

Last week I received a wrong item 1/10th the price of what I ordered (Rs 250 regular battery set instead of Rs 2500 re-chargeable battery set that I ordered).

I immediately reported the issue, uploaded photo, and asked for refund / replacement. Now instead of the usual automated return / replacement, somehow I got transferred to a "specialist team". They said they will 6 days to "investigate" the issue. They gave me no acknowledgement or case number. They said I would have call back after six days to find out what happened and IF they would give me a refund. Imagine that, they can't even be bothered to update me themselves. I have to use my own initiative to call back.

I asked them why can't they start the return / refund and then do their investigation? Why was I, the customer, being punished for no fault of my own? No response, just some generic words.

After a couple of days of back and forth and no progress, I used my "angry voice" and asked to speak to a supervisor. This supervisor, a Mr Soham, however was much more understanding. I reminded him how much money I have spent on amazon in the past decade, and how rarely I ask for returns. He apologized, and arranged for a "special return".... after 4 days. I was forced to wait, and to buy another set of rechargeable batteries while waiting for the wrong one to be I picked up. And to be fair the "special return" did take place on the appointed day, and my money was refunded within 2-3 hours as usual. However even the kindly Mr Soham also was unable to explain what was causing this delay and WTH was going on with this "specialist team".

On the sixth day (today), just for larks, I called and asked to be connected the "specialist team" as they had asked me to call to find the outcome of their "investigation". The "specialist" was rude and hostile, and failed to provide any reasoning for the delay. What did they investigate? What was the outcome? He would not provide any answers. He lied and claimed their investigation is the reason I got the refund, that Supervisor Soham arranged 5 days ago, long before their "investigation" had concluded. He practically said If I want to stop buying from amazon, that is my prerogative. Wow!

Something has changed in Amazon India Customer Service LOL.