Taking Amazon To A Small Claims Court?

[wiltsman]

I bought a Dash Cam about a year ago from the Amazon website. It worked fine initially, then stopped working altogether after 4 months.

I contacted the Chinese manufacturer, E-Prance via Amazon, who effectively said 'Tough, you only had a 30 day guarantee'. I complained to Amazon and a senior manager tried to guide me on what I should do. He instructed me to return it to E-Prance and request back the money I paid, around £60. He even gave me a gift voucher to cover the cost of the £12 return postage.

Although the Chinese company acknowledged they had received it, they refused a refund, or even a replacement. Things then reached an empasse as Amazon would no longer answer my calls.

It got to the stage where I contacted E-Prance about the cost of returning my Dash Cam, as I thought at least I could get a local company to have a look at it. There reply was that they had closed my case and would not enter into further correspondence.

I've bought low cost items from Amazon before, so when buying this Dash Cam off the Amazon web site I innocently thought I was dealing with Amazon.

I just feel mad that I've been robbed of £60. Do I have to write this off to experience?

Is even thinking of going to a Small Claims Court over the top?

[Zacs-Master]

Under the sale of goods act your contract was with Amazon. The 'nice' man who gave you the voucher was actually being very cute. Talk to amazon's customer services.

[hc4361]

Did you buy it from Amazon or an independent trader on Amazon Marketplace?

[SirOracle]

Sadly Chinese manufacturers are notorious for this sort of attitude to faulty goods,and I am surmising that Amazon are aware of this. Hence the conduct of the "nice man"at amazon.

I agree with Zacs that your contract is with the seller ie Amazon,but it is unlikely that they will get indemnity from the Chinese manufacturer,as I am sure their history of "Chinese manufacturers attitudes" is known only too well.

I think that Amazon should be far more circumspect regarding their suppliers,particularly Chinese ones.

I wish you good luck in your endeavours to get redress.

[wiltsman]

Thank you for your replies.

hc4361 - I've never dealt much with Amazon previously, only buying a few low value items. I thought when I went on to the Amazon site, naively I suppose, I thought I was dealing with Amazon itself.

Amazon got involved on my behalf, for a time, before they lost interest. I think they paid for my postage to return the Dash Cam to China, by way of a gift voucher, because they failed to ensure that E-Prance conducted their business correctly, as under Point 5 of Amazon's Marketplace Participation Agreement, 'You have to provide a local return address to your customers or offer free shipment for returns'. E-Prance completely ignored this vital instruction, although I understand they are now complying with it - too late to help me.