If the time has come to get a big new TV for your home theater, a recent influx of catastrophic delivery horror stories suggests that you should think twice before ordering from Amazon. While it’s true that accidents can happen and that you always run some degree of risk of receiving damaged goods after an online order, the frequency of complaints is staggering. Many unsatisfied customers are warning that it may be near-inevitable for large TVs purchased through Amazon to arrive in poor condition.
Stories across Reddit and other social media are pointing the finger at Amazon’s shipping partners. One such partner is Intelcom, one of Amazon’s major delivery service providers in Canada and a company that is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau as of January 2026. These delivery companies are gaining a reputation for frequently mishandling packages. Before you add any fragile electronics to your cart, check out these stories and consider whether the convenience of Amazon is worth the likely risk of navigating a frustrating returns process.
Amazon TV delivery horror stories
In October 2024, a Reddit user from Australia posted a strongly worded warning in r/4kTV, saying, “DO NOT BUY LARGE TVs from Amazon.” The user ordered an 85-inch Sony TV and requested professional mounting service from the delivery company, only to find afterward that the screen was defective. The user requested a replacement from Amazon, which was left crudely outside, leaning against the user’s vehicle. Security camera footage showed a single delivery person carrying the large package, which was clearly meant to be team-carried. The second TV also had a damaged screen after installation, and customer service was unhelpful despite prior reassurances to the user.
In a more recent example from December 2025, a Reddit user posted in r/amazonprime about their experience ordering a 75-inch TV that was delivered by the carrier National Delivery Systems (NSD). After a series of poor communications from the carrier, the user ended up with two TVs, with no option to return the extra.
Stories like these abound across various subreddits. In almost every thread, commenters echo the OPs’ warnings with statements such as, “I would discourage buying any TV from Amazon if possible,” and, “As an advice, don’t order big and expensive items through courier services.” Given Amazon’s reliance on couriers like NSD, any electronics order through Amazon is effectively a gamble.
What to do if your new TV is damaged during delivery
If your new TV arrives from Amazon damaged, you should immediately use Amazon’s “no questions asked” return policy. Your TV should qualify for a free return, though third-party sellers may have different policies. Returns usually go off without a hitch, but it’s still a good idea to keep the original packaging and take photos of the damage in case the seller disputes the return.
When you return an item to Amazon, it goes to a return center, and you receive a refund. You’re free to purchase the same item again right away if you wish. You can hypothetically keep returning and repurchasing the item as many times as it takes to get one that isn’t defective, but keep in mind that Amazon will likely flag your account for review if this happens more than a couple of times.
To avoid this problem altogether, it may be better to simply think twice before ordering a new TV from Amazon in the first place. You can’t beat the Amazon Basics line for cheap tech, but there are better places to find deals on high-end electronics. Your local liquidation store may actually be the better place to find a great TV at a bargain price. Otherwise, consider an online retailer like Best Buy that has a better reputation for large TV deliveries.
