Character Tire and Amazon A-to-Z Support: A Masterclass in How To SCAM a Customer
If you are looking for an aggravating, time-wasting, wallet-draining experience, Character Tire and Amazon A-to-Z Customer Support have apparently teamed up to provide the full package.
On March 21, 2026, I ordered a set of four ATV all-terrain tires through Amazon. I entered the year, make and model of my son’s four-wheeler, and Amazon recommended these tires. Naturally, I assumed that meant they would actually fit. Silly me.
When the tires arrived, I took them to a tire shop to have them installed. That is when I was told they were completely the wrong size. I contacted Character Tire, and that is where the circus began.
Character Tire sent me a return label but wanted all four tires shipped back in one package, even though they were sent to me individually. The cost to ship them back that way? $451. The tires themselves cost $399. So apparently the solution was for me to pay more to return the wrong tires than I paid to buy them.
And as if that was not ridiculous enough, Character Tire also said there would be a 50% restocking fee, plus possibly other fees. So the math here was simple: return the tires, lose a huge chunk of money, pay outrageous shipping, and basically get punished for trusting Amazon’s ATV fitment recommendation.
I filed an Amazon A-to-Z claim on March 31, 2026. What followed was one “more detail required” message after another, despite the fact that I sent screenshots, explained the issue, showed the return label, showed the shipping cost, and showed exactly what Character Tire was trying to do.
March 31: more detail required.
April 1: more detail required.
April 7: more detail required.
April 20: more detail required.
April 25: more detail required.
May 4: more detail required.
May 6: more detail required.
At this point, I am not sure if Amazon wanted more detail or a full documentary series.
Then Amazon finally responded by saying this return “isn’t a result of an Amazon.com or third-party seller’s error,” and that I may be responsible for return shipping and other fees. Amazing. I entered the vehicle information, Amazon recommended the tires, the tires did not fit, and somehow this became my fault.
Character Tire’s answer appears to be: ship them back in the most expensive way possible, accept a massive restocking fee, and be thankful for whatever crumbs are left.
Amazon A-to-Z Support’s answer appears to be: ask for the same information over and over until the customer either gives up or loses the will to live.
I also looked at other reviews and saw I am far from the only one dealing with this kind of nonsense. Other customers reported 50% refunds, huge deductions, wrong-size tires, return problems, restocking fees, handling fees, and getting only a fraction of their money back.
So here is my review:
I will never purchase from Character Tire again.
I would strongly warn anyone else to be extremely careful before buying from this seller.
And Amazon A-to-Z support, in this case, was about as helpful as a screen door on a submarine.
The tires were wrong. The return process was outrageous. The fees were ridiculous. The support process was a never-ending loop of “more detail required” while the customer gets stuck holding the bill.
If this is what Amazon calls customer protection, I would hate to see what customer abandonment looks like.
