amazon #fail

I've been an Amazon customer for a long time.  I really like their services and believe they have a great business model.  They've made me accustomed to great customer service, with fast shipping, no questions on their refunds, overall a good service.  I can't remember when; but a long time ago they allowed independent merchants to sell goods through their systems.  I believed this was a good idea, overall; because they expanded to new types of products more users came to the site.  This benefits the merchants because they receive business from Amazon, from the users that are accustomed to deal with the large e-tailer.  It's a win/win for everyone, oh wait I forgot about the user's experience.  I guess I should of known there is no such thing as a win/win.  Here is my experience, I buy a laptop through Amazon, from a market place merchant.  The purchase process is good, no problems, I receive my confirmation emails, I get billed to my card, the product is shipped by the merchant and I receive it.  Here is were the fun starts,  I try the new laptop, I turned it on, it goes through the BIOS process and all I end up with is a  black screen.  At this point I'm aggravated, I send the merchant a note letting him know that I just tried the machine and it's not working and I would like a refund.  The merchant very quickly responds to me letting me know as per their return policy (which can be read before the purchase was made), they do not have refunds on open packages and I must deal with manufacture directly, with their warranty.  They provide me with a link to the manufactures website for support.  After spending two hours on the phone trouble shooting the brand new computer the mfg. will send me a box so I can send the computer back.  So $1700.00 later I have a machine sitting on my floor waiting for a box to come in so I can ship it out.  Maybe in a week I will have my machine back.

All in all who's fault is it, I guess I should take most of the responsibility and say it's my fault I did buy a product with out reading the return policy.  While I don't think the merchant is necessarily at fault I will never buy another product from them.  Why buy a product from someone who has no real costumer service.  The last participant in this ordeal was off-course Amazon.  While Amazon clearly points out you are making the transaction with another merchant, it doesn't provide any indication that their return policies differ.  Till now I had never though to look at the other merchants return's policies.  I always though because I was buying from Amazon I would be protected by them (guess not).  While I don't think this experience will stop me from buying from Amazon it has tainted the image I had of them.

Moral of the story think twice before buying from a merchant that's not Amazon.

Later...