Amazons Hidden Discount Tidbit

Apparently, amazon.com's promotions(by 3rd party sellers) are not automatically applied to a purchase.

Now obviously, I knew that.


So I went on the chat today and asked why a $20 discount for $200 of items was not applied at checkout.

The guy told me "oh you have to contact us or wait the period of time specified in that business's TOS".


Meaning, if you purchase $200 worth of items, and theres a $20 discount listed, you get that $20 back IN THE SAME WAY U PAID FOR IT.


MEANING if you pay via gift card balance, I had to contact amazon's livechat to be issued the discount via it, THEY DONT DO IT AUTOMATICALLY?


Apparently each promotion is controlled by 3rd party sellers, and they can specify whatever timeframe they want to refund you the discount of the promotion.


So I checked this out, apparently a seller can specify up to 6 months before issueing refunds to people via their cards/banks etc.


This particular seller had it set at 1 week.


This would of been a nice tidbit to know though, I always assumed THEY DID IT AUTOMATICALLY, but apparently not?


Did anyone else know this or what?

Apparently ONLY amazon.com discounts(sponsored by amazon themselves) are automatic.

Anyway I just went and claimed $80 worth of promotions I was owed from like 5-10+ purchases.


Legit was like W-T-F.

 

Didn't know that, but not surprised tbh. Sounds like a sneaky Amazon trick to get money out of you somehow lol.

But that's really odd. I don't see what benefit there is to holding your money longer?

 

I don't know tbh, The only thing I can think of is if someone didn't ever contact the merchant about the promotion or amazon mabey the merchant doesn't need to issue u a refund for the promotion?

That's all I could think of.

I guess a business could do it by quarter or something to which might make sense aswell.


It overall is a very strange experience and policy.

 

Trueee. I imagine it's the same as using a coupon or a discount code after you make a purchase. The large majority of people, I would be willing to bet, don't end up using those kinds of promotions due to the extra effort required. Shrewd on their part.

 

Actually did this too with them when I got an LG Urbane, was supposed to be 20% off, they kept saying no, after a half hour they honored it.

 

Yeah it's like some kind of company rebate.

Not amazons job to give you that