FUBAR to the max and why I shop at Amazon

[susandennis]

The carpet cleaning was an unmitigated fail. I spent so much time debating whether or not to get that machine. I mean weeks and I never do that. And, in the end, that should have been the tell all.

It was way bigger than I expected and it leaked like a sieve. It lessoned one stain and didn't even touch the others. It tripped my circuit breaker 2 times.

Return. I don't care if it's dirty or wet, I want it out of here and I want my money back. And Amazon delivers - literally with a smile.

I broke it down as far as I could and stuffed it into two large garbage bags. (The box it came in was all bused up and could never have fit into my car anyway. It was too big even to leave downstairs for UPS.)

I got the bags into my car and drove over to the return spot (happily an easy couple of miles from here). I wrestled it all up the stairs and into the place where you normally just put your return boxes down the shoot. Only the shoot was not big enough anyway. So I buzzed for help.

The nicest guy came out and I apologized for the mess and he gave me a huge smile and said "oh goodness, do not worry. I've got it now. Have a nice day."

I shop at Amazon because of him and his huge smile.

I'm going to Scarlett O'Hara these carpet stains. I'll just dim the lights.

Comments

[bill_schubert]

I've got a decent size carpet cleaner that you've seen me use in the FC shop. We still have it. It is big and would also trip your circuits (as would any pro cleaner). So I think you've hit on the only solution.

[susandennis]

i may try and look into a professional or i may just stick with the dim lights plan. but i'm over diy for sure.

[timbearuk]

My mum wears sunglasses indoors. That's all I'll say ...

[susandennis]

She is welcome here any time!!!

[fbhjr]

Glad they were good with it, but sorry it didn't work for you.
I've got to do my carpets soon myself...

[spiffikins]

Boo at unwieldy and leaky carpet shampooers!

I am intrigued at your description of having a return chute for your packages to go back to amazon!

I have to say - the last couple of years and the introduction of "bring your return to UPS or Kohls and just hand it to us" - has been amazing! No more trying to repackage it into a box suitable for mailing back and printing labels - just hand the item over, scan the code from my phone and I'm done! SO much easier!

But your chute thing, seems to imply not even dealing with a human - how does that work?

[susandennis]

We have tons of options for Amazon returns.

If it's Amazon's fault, I can

1. take it unboxed and just hand it to the clerk at the Amazon Fresh store (which is also one of the closest grocery stores to me - very handy).
2. (no human) box it up and slap on a label and take it to the even closer and handier Amazon pickup/drop off location an easy 2 miles from here. they do, indeed, have a shoot. you drop it in and go. within minutes you get an email that they have it and then, usually in a couple of hours, you get one that says here's your refund.
2a. (no human) if it's a shipped by Amazon, you get a QR code and you can take it to the same place and put it in a locker - no boxing.
3. Kohl's and UPS store with no boxing or labeling but neither of them are handy for me.
4. Box it, label it, leave it downstairs for UPS.

If it's my fault (changed my mind), I still options 1 and 2 and maybe even 3. They make it so easy.

[taz_39]

Bugger. I was considering this same thing. We bought a vacation home with off-white carpets...or at least we think they're off-white...but anyway, there are lots of stains from previous renters. We've tried every chemical on the market to get the stains up, and every home remedy, and nothing works. I want to hire carpet cleaners but $$$$ and also even the quick-dry option requires several hours of both of us not walking on the carpet.

Meh. Tearing it up and installing faux wood sounds good right now.

[mdlbear]

We did that with most of our floors; sometime this year I'll have the rest done. Really helps if you have cats, or any of several kinds of chronic illness.

[legalmoose]

Do places still rent carpet cleaners? Would that be an option?

[susandennis]

Yeah, I think home Depot does much as I hate to do business with them. Probably I should check at Lowe's but no way can I get one of those things in the car. I mean the car is not big enough and I'm not strong enough. But I did think about hiring a task rabbit to do all that. I may still do that if my dimming lights plan fails.

[maju]

That's really excellent customer service from Amazon.

[mollywheezy]

I'm glad Amazon has such great customer service! :)

[cdayzee]

What excellent customer service!!

Today I had to fashion my own vessel for an Amazon return. They combined 2 orders in one box, which they've done before. However, I wanted to return both items. Before I've had the option to do that but for whatever reason, this time I didn't. I prefer printing off the label, boxing it up & taking it to a locker. Sometimes the only other option is to take it to a UPS store which I do not like doing. The least interaction with folks, the better. That's exactly what I have to do tomorrow though. How I wish they were open later so I could have my husband do it.