COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A Columbus minister called ABC6 On Your Side Problem Solvers to say she feared a glitch with Amazon was going to keep her from helping women in need.
Sallie Gibson with Women 2 Women Ministries needed help after she placed two orders on Amazon this month which continued to duplicate. Now, she said her American Express card has been charged more than $14,000.
"I called you because I know the success you've had and I just felt the David and Goliath story here," Gibson told Problem Solvers. "I was going to be slaughtered by Amazon." Gibson said she started Women 2 Women Ministries to help disadvantaged women who may be homeless, released from prison, or victimized by human trafficking. To help stretch their budgets, she's holding a series of cooking demonstrations over the next few weeks. She placed two orders with Amazon to purchase items like aprons, potholders, and utensils to create a starter cooking kit for each participant. However, she said her two orders which were both less than $2,500 continued to duplicate.
"Two pots, pasta pots, ended up being 22 pasta pots at $49 a piece," said Gibson. "The boxes were stacked to the ceiling."
All the extra items nearly maxed out her credit card with a balance of close to $15,000.
"We're passionate about the work that we do for these women," Gibson said. "We're not a rich organization."
To ensure a full return, Gibson and charity volunteers spent three full days sorting and repacking the items to send back to Amazon. Despite attempts of calling Amazon herself to cancel all orders, Gibson said duplicate orders continued to be shipped.
"I have no idea when the bleeding is going to stop," she said.
Days away from Gibson's first cooking demonstration this Saturday, Problem Solvers contacted Amazon and reached company spokesperson Richard Rocha last week. Rocha sent Problem Solvers this statement Thursday:
“We’d like to thank WSYX for bringing this customer’s experience to our attention. We have apologized to the customer and are working directly with her to make this right.”
Also this week, a company executive reached out to Gibson to say he would investigate her claim of a system glitch.
"I’ll be continuing to monitor the investigation personally once I have all the details to submit and will keep you updated when I have more details or by scheduled dates," the Amazon executive wrote in an email. "I appreciate your patience while I look into a resolution for you on this."
"I want my entire order wiped clean," Gibson told Problem Solvers. "We love to serve what God has us doing in ministry to people and give them that second chance."
Until Amazon accepts each return and refunds Gibson, she has had to go to other vendors to make her starter cooking kits.
She said each one of her participants will receive one even if she can't provide one right away.
Link: https://abc6onyourside.com/on-your-side/problem-solvers/columbus-minister-claims-amazon-glitch-cost-her-14500-and-is-jeopardizing-her-charity-women-ministries-consumer
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