Big Business are getting to hard to contact. They have their website and various problem-solving options, but they are not designed for unusual situations. And they don't want you to call them!
AMAZON: I order many things from Amazon. Monday, I received a delivery confirmation with a photo of the delivery. Naturally, they never knock on the door anymore. So I went out and got the single-item package immediately after seeing the email from them.
It was a very flat item just in a cardboard fold-up with 2 enclosure tabs. It was empty! OK, maybe some porch-pirate stole it and left the flat cardboard container. But I looked at the delivery photo carefully, and the enclosure tabs were already open at the time of delivery!
So I conclude the item was either never actually placed in the container, that it slipped out during shipping, or slipped out in the delivery truck. We don't have a porch-pirate problem in my neighborhood and besides, it was so flat as to be invisible from the street.
I spent an hour navigating the Amazon website looking for a way to explain "empty box". But that just sent me to "returns". I couldn't find a way to tell them I could return an item I didn't have. Customer service just sends you in a circle of how to return items. Customer Service and Help don't/won't give you a phone number to call.
So I looked up "Amazon Customer Service telephone number". I found one on several sites, but they weren't Amazon URLs, so I was suspicious. It was an 1-888 number and sometimes those are overseas pay-by-the-minute scams. But I did eventually find one from a legitimate Amazon address (and it was the same as the other sites).
I got a chatbot that asked stupid questions repetitively. I finally said "Human Agent Please". It resisted, but finally did it. I was told there was a waiting time. 😒. But a human was on the phone in a minute. 😂
It didn't go well. They expect everyone to have a text-capable phone. I do but I can't manage it (and please don't try to explain how). They verified my existence, but needed to send me a code to my email account. Several tries failed. I have been receiving emails regularly (and sent a test message to myself while on the call to check). We checked the email address letter by letter. The Amazon agent said it must be a problem on their end.
I have to call again later today during US business hours. I spent 2 hours trying to resolve a $15 delivery issue. But I don't let these problems go easily... It just goes against my grain.
WALMART: I discovered Walmart is playing a trick on us cat owners! Walmart and Amazon usually keep their prices very similar. I use A&H Slide litter these days. There is a big box and a small box. The big one (38 pounds) is a better deal, but it has gotten too difficult for me to drag into the basement these days. So I've been buying the small box.
The price per pound of the small boxes is not too much more than the large one... Both Amazon and Walmart sell the smaller box at the identical price. BUT, I discovered the Walmart box is 4 pounds lighter than the Amazon box (14 vs 18)! Nasty little trick, Walmart...
