What to do if online delivery arrives damaged
items. With a quick Google search, you can pull up such policies for big-name retailers like Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair and Best Buy.
Look for information about how the damaged product should be handled. The return policy at Lowe’s advises contacting customer care within three days of receiving a damaged item.
Best Buy’s policy says customers can return products that were defective or damaged in shipping either to a store location or through the mail during the return and exchange time period. The retailer says to call for return-by-mail instructions and it’ll cover “all reasonable and customary ground shipping fees.”
Report the broken item right away so the retailer doesn’t think you’re responsible for the damage, advises Kevin Brasler, executive editor at the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook.
If you don’t notice the damage for weeks, instead of shipping the item back to the retailer for a replacement, you may need to ship it to the manufacturer for repair.
“If it’s a defective item, the store should just step up and make it right, get you a replacement item as fast as possible,” Brasler says. “If it’s a warranty issue — if the thing has broken since you’ve taken delivery — now you have to deal with the manufacturer and possibly their warranty underwriter.”
Once you get on the phone with a retailer — or hop into a chat with an online representative — clearly articulate how you’d like the problem resolved, says Nicole Leinbach, founder of Retail Minded and an author of “Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business.”
“Understand what you want from that conversation so that you can best lead that conversation to a resolution,” she says.
Remaining calm can greatly benefit your interaction with a customer service rep. Acknowledge that your frustration is not directed at the agent, but rather at the situation, Leinbach says.
Once you conclude the call, see the process through to completion. Ship the product back, if you’re asked to, and stay on top of the retailer to ensure your replacement arrives in a timely manner.
If the seller isn’t willing to work with you on a legitimate issue, tell them you will report them to the Better Business Bureau, recommends Charles R. Taylor, a marketing professor at Villanova School of Business.
If that doesn’t change their minds, and you paid for the item with a credit card, you can dispute the charge. Check with your credit card company for full details, but Brasler says 9 times out of 10, the credit card issuer will side on your behalf.