Amazon.com service

[Robert Chapman]

I recently ordered a Jessem MastRSlide from Amazon.com through one of their retailers. When the MastRSlide arrived it had two bad bearings. I contacted Jessem by phone and e-mail and got no response at all. I contacted the vendor who promised immediate action and then did not follow through as promised. So I e-mailed Amazon.com and filed an A to Z Guarantee claim. Amazon contacted the vendor and withheld payment pending a solution to my claim. I had asked the vendor to replace just the part with the bad bearings. Suddenly the vendor got very customer friendly [I suspect because Amazon told him that they were withholding payment until I was happy]. The vendor shipped the part, I got it today and installed it. The MastRSlide works perfectly and the vendor is getting paid. All thanks to the good work of Amazon.com and their A to Z Guarantee program.

[Cliff Holmes]

We spend about $15K a year though Amazon. I love the customer service. What I really like is the ability to return anything just because I'm not happy with the performance, quality, etc. And, if it's the least bit heavy, they'll send UPS to pick it up!

[Eric Roberge]

Glad that you had a good experience.
I do tend to look elsewhere when it's a "vendor" I like to see the "ships and sold by Amazon". Makes me feel better about the purchase. After hearing about your experience, I might give it a shot if Amazon doesn't stock the same product.

Have been using them for years and try to steer others in the same direction.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Josh Reet]

Like Erik, I don't use the "venders" much (though my wife does) and like Cliff we spend a huge pile with them every year.

Amazon isn't perfect, but they are as close as you are going to get in a web mail order place. I have been more than pleased almost all of the time. They will continue to get my money.

[Bill Arnold]

We use Amazon for many of our purchases because of their reputation and our history with them. The only damages I've seen on anything were minor cosmetic issues with a scroll saw a few years and, most recently, with the 1000SE I bought. In both cases, they gave me the options of returning the item at their expense for full credit, returning it while they sent a new item or a 20% credit on my purchase. In both cases, the issue was minor but something I felt needed to be reported.

I've used several of the vendors associated with Amazon and have never had an issue. It's easy enough to check an individual vendor and, if I have any doubt, I buy elsewhere. In most cases, the pricing and shipping is the same both through the vendor directly or through Amazon in which case I order via Amazon for the additional layer of protection.

[Thomas Pender]

I have had no problems with Amazon and we spend lots there, including a great deal on router bits as they go on sale, a hollow chisel mortiser, chisels, etc. It is worth the yearly fee to get the free second day shipping on any item, no matter how small (Amazon Prime) - 3.99 for next day. That, plus no sales tax and it is a wonderful thing.

[Dan Mitchell]

This past summer, I got a Jessem Miter Excel through Amazon from Tool King. After playing around with it a short time on my PM2000, I didn't care for it, especially the "indexing pin" system, which had a lot of slop. I returned the tool through Amazon & even got shipping refunded - both ways - so the experience cost me nothing but a bit of time. I'm guessing at least this last part would not have been the case had I bought directly from Tool King, AND the initial price for the tool on Amazon was LOWER than it was at the same time on the Tool King web site. Only thing I don't like about Amazon is living in Seattle, I have to pay sales tax!

Dan

[Bruce Page]

Amazon has always come through for me when I needed them.

[Mike Rees]

I would like to gush over with enthusiasm for Amazon as well. Mind you, I won't buy from any of their 3rd party retailers, but all my dealings with Amazon have been fantastic. Returns are a breeze, the turnaround time is MUCH faster than they tell you it will be, etc.

My Prime membership is also awesome - I will be re-upping that for another year no questions asked.

[Cliff Holmes]

+1 on the Prime membership. Not sure if it's just Prime or all purchases, but I notice that they now also include Sat delivery, no extra charge.

[Robert Parrish]

I have had problems in the past with my Prime membership. But the problem was with UPS rather than Amazon. If I order something next day air I usually get it in 2 or 3 days. I have complained to Amazon.

[Joe Von Kaenel]

Robert,

I agree Amazon is an excellent company. They even make things right that is not their fault. I always try to find items for which I am looking on Amazon first, because of the great Customer Service!!!!

Joe

[Brad Wood]

I bought new printer that came via UPS yesterday. Opened the shipping box and there was a tag on the product box "problem solved slip" comment (hand written) said "won't scan". I immediately suspected I got a reconditioned unit.
Emailed them mid day yesterday telling them of this sticker/tag and that the item was sold as "new". I also said I didn't mind if it was reconditioned, but that there needed to be something worked out with the $$$ since I paid "new" price.

I had an email in my Inbox this morning apologizing for the mishap and it included tracking info for a new unit which was shipped overnight... to be received tomorrow.

I certainly can't complain about that. This was direct from Amazon.

I've not had any issues with buying from third parties through Amazon, so I question the strong feelings about not doing so. It sounds like Amazon steps in to deal with the issue when something does go sideways. The only complaint I might make when doing a third party purchase is sometimes they don't ship as quickly as Amazon does.