AMZN Amazon.com Inc

By Nathan Olivarez-Giles 

Amazon.com reminded shoppers this week it doesn't have a policy of matching rivals' prices.

Tell that to Amazon's customers.

The online retailer is facing criticism on sites like Twitter and Reddit for stopping what shoppers say is its own long-standing practice of price matching. Amazon says no policy ever existed. The flap was fueled in part by a price-comparison tool that says Amazon was trying to undercut its service.

As far as many Amazon shoppers believe, the company has long made up differences between what a customer pays and what the same items cost at other major stores, or if Amazon itself cuts the price on something after a purchase. A sampling of their reaction:

"If they want to change their policy that's fine, it's their business," Reddit user Jrr6415sun lamented. "But to pretend like the last 3 years of me getting price adjustments was just my imagination really makes me angry."

Twitter user @lostintho_ught was also unhappy. "@Amazon it is despicable that you do not price match online deals." On both Reddit and Twitter, people stated that customer service reps both told them there was a policy change, and said no price-matching policy ever existed.

How did shoppers get here? Amazon shoulders a good deal of blame. The company does match TV prices, though it applies to only a few rival online retailers. The practice isn't spelled out in the company's "terms and conditions" or its "conditions of use" policies.

Meanwhile, if a customer asks for a refund on other goods, they might get it. Amazon's "customer service associates" are empowered to offer price matching refunds if they think it's the right thing to do for any given customer, said Julie Law, an Amazon spokeswoman.

It's famously written in Amazon's DNA, mind you, to make the customer happy.

"Customers may have received exceptions in the past and they may receive exceptions in the future," Ms. Law said. "It's really up to the discretion of the customer service associates. But nothing on our end has changed at all."

To confuse matters more, Amazon offers "price protection" on items it sells through preorders itself, such as books and videogames. If the price drops before the item ships, Amazon will refund the difference.

It's a conundrum for Amazon. What sets the company apart for many consumers is its fluctuating prices, which usually undercut traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. When consumers capture falling prices on Amazon, they celebrate the deal on social media. But as the current complaints show, many feel burned when they don't get the deals they expect.

Plenty of other retailers make price matching a matter of policy. Best Buy Co. price matches within 15 days of a purchase, online and in stores. Target Corp. does so within 14 days of a purchase, online and in stores. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. offers it on its website against major rivals' prices for purchases within 14 days; price matching at physical stores varies by location.

Write to Nathan Olivarez-Giles at Nathan.Olivarez-giles@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 25, 2016 12:51 ET (16:51 GMT)

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