Amazon is the most amazing company I've ever dealt with.
Once, I've had a package stolen from my doorstep, and they replaced it free of charge (fortunately it was just $5 guitar strings).
Last year, I bought a camera with a 18-35mm lens ($500) a week or so before leaving for vacation. It arrives 2 days later (thanks prime), but unfortunately Amazon Warehouse had shipped me the bundle with a 15mm lens. I contact their support right away— they propose that I return the camera and they send me the original 18-35mm bundle, but I tell the lady that I'm leaving in 3 days and would like to have the camera for my vacation. She talks with her supervisor, and 2 days later I get the 18-35mm lens in the mail (~$200 value) and they tell me I can keep the 15mm lens.
I spend a couple of hundred dollars at Amazon each month (research books are expensive), which is probably why I got such a great treatment— but I was pretty blown away.
I had a similar experience, except it was a MacBook Air stolen from my doorstep. They overnighted a replacement immediately with no questions asked (other than, "did you check with your neighbors?")
Your point about the service level relating to your customer history is a good one, though - I've spent upwards of $50,000 with Amazon in the last 3 or 4 years, so the real test would be how they'd react to a new customer in the same situation.
Packages are insured so, unless they suspect fraud, they will let insurance cover it.
Consumers usually pay FedEx for insurance when we need a package but I bet Amazon self insures, given their size. Either way, money is set aside to cover situations like this.
I know insurance covers it; I'm wondering how they determine what situations are likely to be fraudulent. Is customer history involved? My parents have never ordered from Amazon; if the same thing happens to them on their first purchase, what would the resolution be?
They probably give users the benefit of the doubt the first time, then flag them if they do it too much. At the scale of amazon, the cost of a product is less then the cost of the time to chase up every single report of theft.
Once, I've had a package stolen from my doorstep, and they replaced it free of charge (fortunately it was just $5 guitar strings).
Last year, I bought a camera with a 18-35mm lens ($500) a week or so before leaving for vacation. It arrives 2 days later (thanks prime), but unfortunately Amazon Warehouse had shipped me the bundle with a 15mm lens. I contact their support right away— they propose that I return the camera and they send me the original 18-35mm bundle, but I tell the lady that I'm leaving in 3 days and would like to have the camera for my vacation. She talks with her supervisor, and 2 days later I get the 18-35mm lens in the mail (~$200 value) and they tell me I can keep the 15mm lens.
I spend a couple of hundred dollars at Amazon each month (research books are expensive), which is probably why I got such a great treatment— but I was pretty blown away.