Amazon: we're not here to help

[scarlettina]

So . . . I went over to Amazon to order up my brother's Chanukah gifts. I checked his Wishlist and selected a few things for him. I go to complete the order and I get the following error message on one of the items: "We're sorry. This item can't be shipped to a Wish List or gift registry address." There's no other explanation. The only option the user has is to delete the item from the shopping cart. I doublecheck the item to be sure it's in stock: yep, there it is, all free and clear of any apparent blockages. And yet, there it continues to sit on my brother's Wishlist, an item that can't be shipped.

So first I scour Amazon's Help files to see if there's an explanation. Nope. No explanation.

So then I try to find a customer service number. Well, this is like searching for the Holy Grail.

Then I remember that I actually have the Super-Sekrit (tm) Amazon Customer Service Number in my PDA: (1-800-201-7575). Write it down and share it with your friends. Really.

So then I call customer service: ta-da! A free call to India. He takes all my information and asks me to wait. I wait for ten minutes. And what am I told? "Were sorry. This item can't be shipped to a Wish List or gift registry address." The guy's got no other answer for me. And when I tell him that this is a poor user experience, his only response is, "I'm sorry, ma'am. Some items can't be shipped to a Wish List or gift registry address."

Note: When I went to the item's page without going through my brother's Wishlist, I was able to order it and mark it for shipment to him directly without a single problem. To suggest that I'm baffled by this behavior is to put it mildly.

Comments

[gaelfarce.livejournal.com]

Is it something someone else can pick up for you? Was it like the Poor Man's James Bond book or other 'how to' guide?

That's just odd as hell.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

The item in question was a Mr. Potato Head Darth Tater, which he's been wanting for quite some time now. It's not like it's hugely exotic. Another commenter suggested that it might have to do with supplying other merchants with my brother's address, which would be a privacy issue and which I could totally understand. But if that was the issue, then the customer service rep should have had that information instead of uselessly parroting back to me the same response I received online.

In any case, I did finally manage to get the item so all is well. But as I said, it was a poor customer experience.

[gaelfarce.livejournal.com]

What the hell? You'd think that info would be available. I was thinking you were trying to get some improvised munitions manual or the faces of death tapes.

Of course the last time I ran into trouble getting an item was when I was picking up a smorgasbord of Liberation Theology and anti-globalization texts for a class.....literally minutes before the Battle in Seattle.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

...the faces of death tapes.

::chuckle:: I can't tell you in how many ways the image of my brother watching the Faces of Death tapes is just wrong and simultaneously hilarious. Oh. Dear.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it would ruin the surprise, but you might want to tell your brother about this. Especially if he thinks having those items on his wish list means someone will be able to ship them to him from Amazon.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I'll mention it to him with regard to the other items I couldn't order (this was actually much more protracted experience than what I recorded here). I won't mention it with regard to this one because, as I said, I did manage to order it.

[kyrelle.livejournal.com]

Maybe it could be given as an early Channukah present. Otherwise, its still sitting on his Wishlist, and he could potentially get duplicate gifts...

[mimerki.livejournal.com]

Wow. That makes no sense at all. Especially since obviously he could place it on his Wishlist. I would think a helpful, "This item can't be ordered from a wishlist" message when you tried to add such a thing to the wl would cut down on frustration...

I also agree with another commenter that you should tell your brother, though I rather envision a nice "the things I go through for you" card to go with it. ;)

[spazzychic.livejournal.com]

Wow.

This sentence no verb.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Heh. Pretty much.

[pauldf.livejournal.com]

That's sad that you couldn't get a decent explanation.

You might try emailing exactly this writeup to feedback@amazon.com, including the URL to your brother's wish list and which item you were trying to buy. (I don't remember whether that's the address for feedback where you do want a response or feedback where you don't care whether you get an individual response or not, but would like Amzaon to know so they can try to fix the problem.)

My guess is it has to do with privacy issues around your brother's wishlist's ship-to address and items sold by non-Amazon merchants.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

See, that's an explanation that makes sense and had that been the explanation I received, I'd be happy to hear it, because it means that Amazon is aware of privacy issues and respects them. Sadly, that wasn't my experience.

It would also seem to me, having worked in the online retail environment, that that's the sort of information customer service should have to help stem user frustration.

[herself_nyc]

The same thing happened to me the other day when I was trying to buy a gift for--it might even have been you. I wasn't so intrepid, I just chose something else. It does seem whacky.

[jendaby.livejournal.com]

It's third party suppliers. A person must specifically enable his or her wishlist to allow gifts purchased via Amazon from third party suppliers. The re are different levels of third party on Amazon, and some you can't tell are third party because the listing looks just like a regular listing. Third party items are not eligible for Amazon Prime, either. I just looked up the Darth Tater, and it is offered through the third party vendor "Amazing Plush".

Your brother can enable his wishlist so that Amazon shares his information with the third party vendors, but he has to log in to his list profile to do that.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

A person must specifically enable his or her wishlist to allow gifts purchased via Amazon from third party suppliers.

I just spent 30 minutes on Amazon looking for this control in my account and I couldn't find it. If you've got any tips for finding it, I'd appreciate it.

[jendaby.livejournal.com]

Sure! Go to your wishlist. In the lefthand column, select "Edit ist information". (a link above the "share this list" buttons). You will go to a page where your name and address can be changed. There are a couple paragraphs of text below the address selection. This is the spot that talks about third party providers receiving your address. You can check a box to enable the sharing and then click to save changes.

[garyomaha.livejournal.com]

It's a pleasure to see someone spell it "Chanukah" which is, of course, the **proper** way to spell it.

Remind me to tell the story of someone wishing me a "Happy Conoco." Indeed.

[exiledfromtribe.livejournal.com]

I'm still a huge Amazon.com fan...well, a very big one anyway. Their customer service can be a bit goofy-I've received some funny answers from India but they usually make up for it. I'm disturbed that you had to take care of it yourself. :| (Darth Tater? You geek. :) )

[sara-ramirez-1.livejournal.com]

thanks for the number i might need it at some point. what i dont get is this i went into borders to get a dvd and it was 60 bucks totally overpriced for that store i could have got it for 35 at target but i had a 55 dollar giftcard there so anyhow off course they are out so what does the guy do go to borders direct and order it for me for the 60 bucks but borders is owned by or amazon is owned by them whatever it is and the dvd is 38 on their cite so why the difference in price.. makes no sense to me