The old Switch switcheroo – Amazon sends tambourines and toothbrushes to Switch shoppers
Ever wanted a tambourine? Maybe you should try ordering a Nintendo Switch from Amazon. A crowd of confused shoppers thought they’d gotten their hands on some Black Friday Switch bargains but, when the parcels turned up, there were no Switch consoles in sight.
Buyers reportedly received tambourines, microphones, toothbrushes and condoms in place of the popular Nintendo console (via The Mirror).
Below is the conversation Amazon customer Jake Lawrence had after he received an unexpected musical delivery:
Microphone AND a tambourine, you say? Well, at least the initial steps in recording your tambourine album are complete, Jake.
Buyers found themselves sent a range of none-Switch products (None-tendo, anyone? No?).
The most baffling part of this story is that it goes beyond a simple error. It’s not as though Amazon’s system had accidentally processed Switch orders as PS4 orders, for example, with all buyers receiving the same incorrect product.
It’s entirely speculative to ask, but this does raise the question: Are the errors a result of over-worked Amazon staff struggling to keep up with – or even rebelling against – the Black Friday and Cyber Monday rush?
@amazon imagine paying £280 for a Nintendo Switch and being sent this!! #BlackFridayAmazon #fail #amazonhelp pic.twitter.com/78y7g7Pkzi
— Charlotte (@charlmcdo) December 1, 2019
Some of the products customers received seem almost willfully random and incongruous.
The Mirror reported a wide range or bizarre cases. Steve Handy from Worcester said that his Nintendo Switch bundle was replaced with a laptop fan cooler.
Likewise, Lucy Henderson received a box of washing powder and a pack of AA Duracell batteries. Nice. Not a Switch, though.
Jenny Breeden from Crawley ordered a Switch too. But, guess what? She didn’t get the console either. Instead Breeden made do with a bottle of washing up liquid and a box of dog food.
You have to feel for those inconvenienced by this Amazon slip-up. Many buyers managed to snatch up the Switch with a hefty discount during Amazon’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, only to have the consoles never turn up. Now, customers are receiving refunds but it seems all will need to pay full price if they want to get their hands on a Switch (for real, this time).
Tim Hobden from Amazon commented: “We’re all about making our customers happy, and that hasn’t happened with these orders. We’re really sorry about that and are investigating exactly what’s happened. We’re reaching out to every customer who’s had a problem and made us aware so we can put it right. Anyone who has had an issue with any order can contact our customer services team for help.”
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
