united-kingdom consumer-protection
UK Consumer Rights - Return accessories
<p>I purchased two items from Amazon in the same order: A gadget powered by a 12v car power socket, and a mains-to-12v power adaptor that was purchased specifically to power that gadget from the mains.  The gadget has a design defect so I'm going to return both these items.</p>

<p>Amazon will let me return the gadget free of charge.  However, Amazon are going to charge me return postage for returning the power adaptor.  This is because the power adaptor is "no longer required", not actually faulty itself.</p>

<p>Are Amazon allowed to charge for returning the power adaptor, given that the thing it was to power is faulty?</p>

<p>You have a <a href="https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/united-kingdom/index_en.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">right</a> to reject the item and receive a refund if a fault occurs within 30 days of delivery. The vendor has an obligation to repair or replace an item that develops a fault after this time.</p>

<p>A vendor has no obligation <em>at all</em> to accept the return of a product that is not faulty. Amazon chooses to do so under contract and subject to the conditions of that contract.</p>

<p>The gadget was faulty and you are entitled to (and are getting) a full refund. The charger is not faulty and so you must comply with the contract which requires you to pay shipping for the return (or keep it).</p>

<p>If the products were sold by Amazon as a complete unit or you had made known to Amazon that the charger was "for" the gadget, then you would be entitled to a refund for both. However, even though they were ordered together, Amazon does not know that one is "for" the other - this may be different if you had interacted with a human over the order.</p>

<p>The law which covers returning items, faulty or otherwise, is the <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Consumer Contract Regulations</a> and the <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents/enacted" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Consumer Rights Act 2015</a>, and neither of these specifically requires the seller to pay the return postage for items bought together but not returned under the same right (eg right to reject faulty goods) unless those items were purchased as part of a specific contract binding them together. </p>

<p>Under the law, these are separate items, and Amazon can charge return postage for the "unwanted" one, because thats what it is - unwanted.  The fact that the reason it is now unwanted is because another item in the consignment was faulty has no specific standing under the laws above unfortunately. </p>

<p>You have a legal right to return defective goods. This rise arises from the Consumer Rights Act which requires good to be of satisfactory quality.</p>

<p>What this means is that you have to physically return the good to Amazon, and demand a refund from them (which they are legally obliged to give you).</p>

<p>Of course, in practice,  this either means you physically post it to them whilst at the same time contacting their customer service for a refund, or alternatively go to an Amazon office yourself, with the object, and demand a refund under the CRA.</p>

<p>As an alternative, Amazon offers you a different method to return the good, which is to return it free of charge, but then to charge you for the postage of the return (so its not actually free of charge.</p>

<p>Now, the Consumer Rights Act does not say that you have to do what Amazon is asking you to, but the other methods which you may invoke the act (the ones I listed initially), is more costly and time consuming. So logically, it is in your best interests to just give in and let Amazon charge you.</p>

<p>If you do intend to take the statutory route, please note that you have a time limit of 30 days (s22 of CRA 2015) to reject the good. </p>
