Category: Technologies

Between the deals and shopping perks you get with Prime, you can easily wrap up your holiday shopping using your Amazon Prime account during Cyber Monday. However, if you’ve done a bit too much shopping, you may need to make a few returns. There are many reasons for this: the product you ordered is incorrect or broken, or it could just be that you’re not satisfied with what you received.

Amazon returns (or exchanges) can be quick, easy, and sometimes free in many cases, but not always. We’ll tell you everything you need to know if you want to make sure your returns are free this year. We cover everything from how to provide valid reasons for returns, returning products you purchased with Alexa, having USPS pick up your package from your home for free and other aspects of Amazon returns.

Also, you can learn more about the perks that come with an Amazon Prime membership, find out how to get the most out of Amazon subscribe and save and how to send gifts to people secretly via Amazon.

Give a reason, not an excuse

Try to be honest and precise about why you’re returning the product. If possible, Amazon and third-party sellers want to resell the merchandise (like through Amazon Warehouse Deals), so they’ll check your items against your justification once the package is received.

Some reasons for returns qualify for free shipping and some do not: For example, if you select “No longer needed,” you may be charged for the return.

Misclassifying a return can not only result in negative repercussions to your account (Amazon has been known to ban shoppers who misuse the return process) but it can also mean you’ll have to fork over shipping costs later anyway.

Here are all the various return reasons Amazon gives you to choose from:

1. No longer needed: You changed your mind and don’t want the item anymore.
2. Inaccurate website description: For example, the photo shows a royal blue, but the item is a light sky-blue color. Similar to, but different from, “Wrong item was sent” (see below).
3. Item defective or doesn’t work: It could be broken or simply doesn’t do what it’s designed to do (for example, a power bank with a broken USB-C port).
4. Bought by mistake: You accidentally hit Buy Now or forgot to delete an item from your cart before checking out.
5. Better price available: You’ve found the same thing at Walmart, for example, for less than you paid for it at Amazon.
6. Product damaged, but shipping box OK: The box isn’t dented, cut or scratched, but the item inside has cosmetic or mechanical damage.
7. Item arrived too late: The item was delivered past the guaranteed delivery and missed, for example, a birthday or holiday.
8. Missing or broken parts: Similar to “Item was defective or doesn’t work” but applies specifically to the attachments or other items that come with a purchase.
9. Product and shipping box both damaged: Somewhere between being boxed up and arriving at your door the package was mishandled, and the product arrived broken.
10. The wrong item was sent: If you received a completely different item from the one ordered.
11. Received extra item I didn’t buy (no refund needed): Something extra got packaged with your order, and you feel obliged to return it.
12. Didn’t approve purchase: Someone, perhaps a child or friend, ordered something on your account without asking and you got charged for it.

Items ordered via Alexa always come with free returns, regardless of the reason

If you’re considering a purchase but are really worried it won’t qualify for free return shipping if it doesn’t work out, order it through Alexa. Physical merchandise ordered through voice-shopping with Amazon’s digital assistant always comes with free returns, regardless of the reason. The only exception is Amazon Pharmacy purchases.

To return a product purchased using Alexa, process your return as normal in the Returns Center and Amazon will automatically refund any applied shipping charges. You should see your refund within seven days of Amazon getting the merchandise back.

Don’t just accept the default return shipping method

When Amazon asks you to select a return shipping method, Kohl’s Drop off may be the default preselected option, but it’s not necessarily the one you want.

To get to the UPS Pick-up option, here’s the only way to return items without leaving home:

1. Scroll down and possibly even click a link that reads something like “See more return options.”
2. When you finally see the option for UPS Pick-up, it should also show the cost as $0.00 (unless you’ve chosen one of the few reasons for a return that Amazon charges for, in which case Amazon will deduct about $6 from your refund).
3. Tap or click UPS Pick-up and select Confirm Your Return.

Tell Amazon where to send your refund

You’ll have to choose how you want to get your money back: The quickest way is to request a credit to your Amazon account, which the company will issue as soon as UPS scans your return into its system. You are then restricted to spending the money at Amazon, however.

You can also have the funds put back on your debit or credit card. But even though Amazon will issue the refund as soon as UPS takes possession of your return package, it still could take another three to five business days to show up in your account.

Whether you choose a credit or a refund, you’ll still need to decide how you want to send the item back.

All that’s left is packing everything up and sending it out

Follow whatever instructions Amazon gives, which probably are just to print out a packing slip and place it in the package with your return.

Tape up the box good and tight — even over the return label so it won’t get damaged — and put the package near your front door so you won’t forget to set it out on the next business day.

You might even want to set a reminder on your phone or with Alexa or Google Assistant so you don’t forget.

If you schedule a pickup but forget to leave your return outside, UPS will hopefully leave a note and attempt pickup two more times. Worst case scenario, the UPS driver will leave a prepaid mailing label that you’ll have to apply to the package yourself, and then you’ll have to cart the thing to the nearest UPS Store or UPS Dropoff location.

Good luck, and many happy returns.

For more, here’s how you can save using Amazon hidden coupons and hidden warehouse sections online.

After two defeats on the bounce, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways as they host top-five rivals Aston Villa in the English Premier League on Sunday.

Back-to-back defeats to Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers have taken the shine off a scintillating start to the season for Spurs, with some pundits suggesting rivals may have sussed how to counteract Postecoglou’s all-out attack.

A win for Villa here would see them leapfrog their hosts in the league, with Villa on a run of six straight wins across all competitions.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch all of the action live wherever you are in the world.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa: When and where?

Spurs host Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London on Sunday, Nov. 26. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. GMT local time. That’s 9 a.m. ET or 6 a.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 1 a.m. AEDT early on Monday morning in Australia.

How to watch the Tottenham vs. Aston Villa game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa game in the US

Sunday’s Spurs-Aston Villa match is streaming on USA Network, which you can access as part of your cable package or at the NBC Sports website with a valid login, and can be streamed via Sling TV and other more expensive streaming TV services.

Livestream the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa game in the UK

Premier League rights in the UK are split between Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport). Spurs vs. Aston Villa is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.

Livestream the Spurs vs. Aston Villa game in Canada

If you want to stream this match live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights for this Premier League season.

Livestream the Tottenham vs. Aston Villa game in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this EPL fixture on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League game live in Australia this season.

Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

If you snagged a Black Friday Apple Watch deal, the next thing you need to do on Cyber Monday is stock up on Apple Watch bands. The interchangeable bands are one of the best features of the Apple Watch, allowing you to change up the look and feel whenever you wish. And right now you can snag official Apple bands with as much as 50% off regular prices at both Verizon and Amazon.

If you bought the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on sale, you can grab a couple of the 49mm bands to go with it, including 50% off the Alpine Loop and Trail Loop in various colors, dropping them down to $50 at Verizon (or $60 at Amazon). These bands also work with 44mm and 45mm Apple Watch models, so you can use them with the larger Series 9 model and older models, too.

Prefer the Sport Band? Verizon has select colors on sale from just $25, down from $49, and Amazon has dropped prices down as low as $28 on the special Black Unity and Pride Edition bands. The Sport Loop is also available from $30.

And be sure to check out the other Cyber Monday Apple deals for more price cuts on Apple Watch, iPad, AirPods and more.

With Black Friday technically behind us and Cyber Monday yet to come, the nomenclature for this weekend’s deals can be a bit arbitrary. But the savings aren’t, and that’s the important thing.

To that end, check out this Black Friday holdover deal on the Vizio 5.1.2 M-Series soundbar for $349 at Amazon. That’s a $151 savings, and the lowest price we’ve seen in the past couple of years. We gave this soundbar a strong score back in 2021 and feel it’s a great entry unit to get into the world of Dolby Atmos surround sound.

Unlike most soundbars in this price range, which may only offer 2 or 3 channels of audio, this Vizio takes it up to 5. Thats thanks to included rear speakers which can be connected to the subwoofer. But the thing that really sets the Vizio apart is the upfiring speakers to create a wider soundstage. While not as good as physical speakers mounted into your ceiling, the Vizio’s 5.1.2 setup can help create the illusion of a helicopter flying overhead better than a standard 5.1 soundbar.

For anyone picking up a TV this holiday, like one of the dozens of Best Black Friday TV Deals we’ve compiled, adding a competent soundbar is a must. The speakers inside most TVs simply don’t cut it. Having dedicated speakers can make a massive difference to your movie watching experience.

Christmas isn’t quite here yet, but that doesn’t have to stop you from getting into the merry mood. In addition to splurging on festive coffee drinks and shopping for worthy gifts, you can wave hello to the holidays by streaming movies and TV shows.

If you’re already in Christmas mode, streaming services are a place to turn. I sifted through the seasonal fare on services like Netflix, Disney Plus and Peacock and saw tons of titles that could please crowds this season. Movies are a major source of holiday cheer, but you may find a TV show or special you want to unwrap.

Where to Stream Holiday Content

Black Friday may have come and gone, but the deals are far from over. There are still tons of incredible bargains that you can shop this weekend, including some serious savings on top-rated Apple laptops. B&H Photo still has the 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro available for just $1,599, which is a whopping $400 off the list price. But this deal is only available through 8:59 p.m. PT (11:59 p.m. ET) tonight, and could even sell out before then, so we’d recommend getting your order in soon if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

As you’d expect from Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro lineup, this 2023 M2 model is packed full of advanced and seriously powerful hardware. It’s equipped with a previous-gen M2 Pro processor, as well as 16GB of RAM for lightning-fast performance. Plus, it features a stunning 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate paired with a 16-core GPU, which makes it a great option for photographers, filmmakers, illustrators and other creatives.

Other features include Touch ID, which allows you to easily log in using your fingerprint, a built-in 1080p HD webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E support for speedy web performance (with a compatible router). This laptop is also extremely versatile, with multiple USB-C ports, an HDMI port, headphone jack and a built-in SD card reader. And with an impressive 18-hour battery life, it’s designed for all-day work without interruption.

If you don’t want to spring for a pricey 2023 MacBook, you can also check out our roundup of all the best Black Friday laptop deals still available for even more bargains.

If you took the opportunity to upgrade your iPad this Black Friday, now’s your chance to bag an essential Apple accessory for less. The Apple Pencil with USB-C is down to just $71 at Amazon. This is the first discount on this recently-announced stylus, dropping it down to a new record-low price.

The Pencil with USB-C is already designed to be a low-cost alternative to Apple’s other Pencil models, especially for users of the entry-level 10th-generation iPad. Since that iPad is $100 off for Black Friday, it’s likely that a lot of folks will have pounced on it this weekend making this a perfectly-timed accessory discount.

It features the same low latency and tilt sensitivity as the second-generation Apple Pencil, but eschews some of the fanciest features to come in at a lower price. For example, it lacks things like pressure sensitivity and wireless pairing and charging. It also doesn’t have the double-tap feature for switching between tools. That being said, it can still attach magnetically to the side of your iPad for easy transportation and you can use it with the Hover feature built into iPadOS.

The Apple Pencil lineup is a bit confusing right now, but the simplest way to figure out which iPad will work with the USB-C Pencil is to check what port the iPad itself has. If the iPad has a USB-C connector, it will work with the USB-C Apple Pencil. As well as the 10th-gen model, that also includes the fourth- and fifth-gen iPad Air, the 11-inch iPad Pro, the sixth-gen iPad Mini and the third-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro and later, making it an ideal pairing with the many Black Friday iPad deals we’ve seen over the last few days.

If you do want the fully-featured Apple Pencil 2, you can nab one for $89 at Amazon — that’s $40 off. Be aware, though, that the Apple Pencil 2 does not support the 10th-gen iPad and will only work with recent iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad Mini models.