Amazon India has notified buyers that they won’t be able to return mobile phones bought from the online retailer. The new policy is only applicable to mobile phones that are fulfilled by Amazon. Buyers will be eligible for getting the device replaced only if the product is defective or was damaged during transit, and not by citing the No longer needed option. The replacement is available for a duration of 10-days from delivery of the product.
From Amazon:
“All Mobile phones that are fulfilled by Amazon, purchased on or after 7th February 2016, will have a replacement only policy. Mobile phone items that are fulfilled by Amazon will no longer be eligible for refunds. In case you have received a defective or a damaged mobile phone, you will be eligible for a free replacement.
Most industry insiders acknowledge that buyers were abusing the return policy, which was becoming a problem both for Amazon India and its seller community. Many users would buy the latest device, use it for a few days, and return it even when the device had no problem. Amazon India had to bear the additional cost for shipping the devices while sellers were left to fend for the returned stock.
Unlike the US, none of the online retailers in India have ever implemented a restocking fee, where the buyer is charged a certain percentage of the price of the returned item depending on the condition and reason for return. Online retail stores usually offer in-store credit rather than cash for returns to deter those who intend to game the system.
