My husband was trying to replace a brush bar on a Dyson vac. He’s normally capable but was unable to remove the old brush. He phoned Dyson support and while on hold listened to canned info about their “ultra“ levels of customer service. A human did pick up and said “that model is old, no more support is provided, look it up on youtube”

It doesn't sound like they will be giving you a refund.

It really is best to document any claim you have with receipts and photos with dates clearly visible. There are so many people who try to rip off companies with false claims that honest people now have to jump through hoops to prove their case. Sad but true.

A picture? That's crazy. Most items I get online that could leak, either the whole bottle is wrapped or the top (spout/cap) is taped.

Not crazy. Sadly, it commonplace now to prove your claim.

Opposite experience with Dyson here. The brush bar on ours was getting worn, and we ordered a replacement online. When it arrived, it didn't latch in properly, so we called Dyson. As soon as the problem was explained, they said -- we'll send you a new head So they sent us an entire new head! We'd had the vacuum for about 2 years at that time ... so not super old.

I think that larger, wealthier companies can more easily absorb the loss when customers scam them.

( NOT saying that you did vc01 !)

I wouldn't immediately write them off because they asked for a photo. Maybe there are scams, or supply chain issues and they truly want to see what kind of damage is there. When my Breville toaster $$$ wasn't properly toasting on each side (if I wanted toast like that I'd still be using my old Cuisinart). I took photos of my toast in case they asked. They did ask me a lot of questions, but didn't require photos. They exchanged my faulty one for one that works great.

In the past, I've replied to such requests with 'I'm sorry I do not have the ability to provide any photos', without going into detail, and most of the time the item wound up being replaced or refunded without further argument.

Similar, very positive Dyson experience.

I had Bosch tell me I was only y won because my washing machine was 2 years old!

I posted before about my lampshade return, where they wanted me to destroy it and then send a picture? I wanted to donate it. They said no.

My DD's friend photoshopped it but they said it wasn't damaged enough. The vendor said to step on it a few times. I wrote back that it was a gift (it was) and that the recipient crushed it, sent a photo and threw it away. They said ok and refunded me. The lampshade is fine and went to Goodwill. I just could not do what they said. Meantime, I bought a new lampshade and lamp from them. I did the right thing.

I’ve had some good and bad experiences lately with customer service. But the absolute worse I can recall is this past week when UPS delivered a huge package that wasn’t mine. I tried their CS # and there was no option to get a human, nor was there any option on the menu that was right. I tried for about an hour. I finally called a local store. Their # rang to the same system I couldn’t get through to. I sent an email to the local store and the next day a woman left me a VM telling me how to get through to a human on their system. That didn’t work but I called her back on the local # she’d used to call me.. Got a different woman and when I explained the problem, she suggested I take the box to the distribution center which is about 15 miles away. No. It's too large.

I decided to keep whatever was in the box! But then I got an email from someone at the headquarters (i’d also emailed them) who wanted a pic of the label and said they’d send someone to get it. We’ll see.

I just received a response. Sorry they offended me but they needed a photo.

So I dug out the wrappings from my bin and reenacted the scenario!

I smeared some product the way it looked before I cleaned it.

This is absurd.

@Olychick, years ago, I received several extra tops in my box of clothes, ordered from a company with whom I had spent thousands over the years. Included in the box was this other woman’s order form, with a list of the extras I received. I called the company to let them know. THE CSR, who seemed ungrateful I even called, told me to take them to return at the local store. I told them to have someone pick them up, since I wasn’t going to inconvenience myself for their error. She threatened me with a lawsuit! I did return the clothes, and they got not one more dime from me.

FWIW, I do think many companies depend on customers not wanting to be bothered going through the rigamarole involved in returning or getting a refund on an item, and of course, lots of folks may not even realize they can do that. I find the small effort it takes is often worth it for me.

My late 30s stepdaughter recently told us she bought a bedframe on Amazon and it was defective and could not be assembled, so she threw it out. She had no idea she could complain to the vendor!

Many online sellers nowadays will tell you to just keep the item and refund your money - or they will send a replacement gratis - at least that's been my experience.

Just ordered a phone, S22 G5 256GB from Samsung site, Three weeks later they were still saying they were building it for me(it's for my husband). They'd dropped the price $50. I called customer service, no problem refunding me. The next day they said NO WAY. I spoke to several people from India...no refund unless we cancelled the order and started over. We CANCELLED the order, it was $800...ordered it from Amazon, they also had a $50 price drop....they over nighted it!

Hubby got his phone....but what terrible customer service Samsung has!

Gizmo, it's absurd because I told them I cleaned it off and they still want a photo. So, I recreated it.

A few years ago I received a box from Bath and Body. What a mess. They sent a replacement order after I told them the number of bottles that leaked.

What “funny” was my doorbell rang and the UPS worker was running back to his truck.

The entire package was wet from the soap!

@ eld - maybe they simply wanted proof you actually had the item in question? I don't think it's unreasonable to provide proof of purchase in the form of receipts, photos, etc.

Even when you're buying from a manufacturer website, the item might be shipped from some other location. Head office, warehouse and factory aren't always together.

I had an equally good CS experience recently with Athleta. I returned 2 pair of linen pants. When they received the package, they only credited me for one pair. I contacted them and they said someone would call me. No one did, so I called again. Was bumped up to someone with more authority who credited me for the 2nd pair. I was a bit nervous about it because I had no proof I'd returned both and that it was their error. I guessed some people might try to say they returned all items in a package but then keep something and try to get refunded. But they just took my word for it and credited me.

Carol, I explained in the first letter that I cleaned it up and put it away.

Proof of purchase: I included the order number. It came from their website.

I ordered from the Kevin Murphy website. They also would have the tracking number.

I assume it comes from one of their own shipment locations, not from corporate customer service.

Well there are scammers, of course - that's another possible reason, as suggested.

I agree with Eld. Asking for a photo implies the customer might lie. You just can't do that.

Now if Eld did it three times in a row, then --- maybe --- you can ask for a photo.

I agree with Mtn and understand why the OP felt a bit miffed. If a company has to deal with a few bad eggs, that doesn't make it palatable for them to view subsequent customers claiming issues with skepticism. I get that this may be becoming "the way of the world", but that doesn't make it a good business model when it comes to customer service. I figure if I took the time to email a company to try to rectify a problem that was not my fault, that's the proof that is required. Someone screwed up somewhere in the supply chain and I didn't get the product I ordered. I've emailed and done my part. Anything more than that is jumping through their hoops, and does not make for an ideal customer service experience.

I have to wonder if the seller needs the photo so they (seller) can prove the damage to the shipper?

The best customer service would be a refund and replacement with shipping paid in full.

For sure - a good, customer friendly, easy return policy definitely makes me want to keep patronizing a business, while a difficult, unfriendly one will cause them to lose me as a customer.

Looks like they will be sending a replacement!

I had a similar experience as Deeinohio but mine was with Eddie Bauer. I'd ordered 4 of their down throws as Christmas gifts. When the box arrived I was shocked at how big it was.... imagine my surprise when it turned out to be 3 men's long down parkas and 2 pair of men's snowpants (none of it inexpensive). The other person's order form was in the box, they were in Ontario, I am on the East Coast. I assume they must have stuck the wrong mailing label on the box once they were all packaged. I called their customer service and could not believe how difficult it was to make them understand what had happened. They kept asking for my order number, which was irrelevant because it wasn't MY order I'd received. I tried giving them the order number from the packing slip in the box but they wouldn't discuss that order with me because I wasn't the person who'd ordered it.

They ultimately credited me for the original 4 blankets (that probably went to Ontario) and redid the order. They were supposed to email me a return label to send back the snowsuits which of course never came. I had to call again. Then I received the blankets again and had to make arrangements to return THEM. I have never in my life had such a hard time returning merchandise that did not belong to me and that I did not want. I was half tempted to just donate all the extra stuff but figured they'd catch up to me sooner or later.

A small number of billionaires own just about everything in the United States now - chances are good specific customer service policies in any given situation have been decided by an individual or team with no direct involvement with that aspect of their business while sitting in a corporate office or meeting room somewhere.

I have had terrible issues with Nordstrom returns lately. One is that it takes several weeks for them to acknowledge receipt of a return. Two, it the takes a few more weeks to post the credit to my Nordstrom account. I have learned I must keep track of every shipping receipt and piece of correspondence, including their email acknowledgement of receipt of the package.

This was important a couple of months ago when my account was never credited. I called and was informed they didnt show receipt of the return. I informed the CS rep I had a confirmation email informing me they had received it. I took a screen shot and sent it to them and had my refund within a few days.

Dyson on the other hand has been great. My V11 quit charging. We did everything we could research and finally called for help. They replaced the entire head.