How to get Amazon to stop accepting returned Kindle ebooks

Nate the great · 12-15-2009, 10:41 PM

A friend of mine just sent me an email he got from Amazon. He wanted to remain anonymous, so I can't tell you who. But I will vouch for him. He isn't sure how many ebooks he's returned, but he estimated the total to be around 30. I hope that's not true; in absolute terms that's a pretty low number. A fair number of people are going to be getting this email at some point.

Here is the text of the email:

Quote:

Hello from Amazon.com.

We're writing regarding your request of Refunds.

Unfortunately, the number of issues you have sustained with your Kindle Store orders has led us to believe that there might be a larger issue. Since it appears that many of your orders have been accidentally purchased, we ask that you contact Customer Service for troubleshooting in an effort to avoid these issues in the future.

Effective immediately, we are unable to compensate you for any additional issues with your Kindle Store orders.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Account Specialist
Amazon.com

Lilly · 12-15-2009, 10:47 PM

Wow, he or she must have returned almost everything they bought. I've had a Kindle since November 2008 and have returned only 1 book (it was Topaz and I hated it). Now I can tell mostly if it's a Topaz book and I must be good at it because I have not bought one since!

kenschunk · 12-15-2009, 10:58 PM

No matter what the number is, it's still more than the Sony store will give you, which is exactly zero. I can't even get them to give me credit for a book that was left in my shopping cart at the change to ePub, and wasn't available when I purchased it. Their answer is "well, someday you'll be able to download it, and we don't allow ANY refunds".

fugazied · 12-15-2009, 11:13 PM

I remember seeing examples of this posted elsewhere on the net, not just regarding ebook purchases, but purchases in general.

They have 'account specialists' watching every Amazon accounts for a high proportion of returns. The problem with ebooks is that at this stage the formatting quality is all over the place so I can see why he might return so many.

Personally I haven't had to return any, but I can see why people would.

Achilles · 12-15-2009, 11:15 PM

30 returns?!?! Holy crap! How can you "accidentally" purchase books 30 times? Sounds like something fishy is going on here and I can totally understand why Amazon would be suspicious, especially now that the Amazon DRM has been hacked... who's to say the guy didn't purchase those 30 books with the intent of removing the DRM, saving a copy and then returning them?

Kali Yuga · 12-15-2009, 11:21 PM

I'd think samples will be sufficient to indicate whether the book is tolerably formatted or not.

I generally concur though that if you returned 30 books to a store over a period of time, any store would start to get suspicious -- even if you buy a ton of books. And at least they haven't booted his account, which they have done in the past.

Lilly · 12-15-2009, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achilles

30 returns?!?! Holy crap! How can you "accidentally" purchase books 30 times? Sounds like something fishy is going on here and I can totally understand why Amazon would be suspicious, especially now that the Amazon DRM has been hacked... who's to say the guy didn't purchase those 30 books with the intent of removing the DRM, saving a copy and then returning them?

That's exactly what they think he did too, even if it's not.

Sonist · 12-15-2009, 11:23 PM

Well, it would depend on the ratio of purchases/returns.

If the friend bought 31 ebooks and returned 30, then it may well be fair for Amazon to ban him from returning (for some finite time.)

If the friend is a shopaholic and purchased 3000 ebooks, then returned 30 for reasons such as DRM (Topaz,) or bad quality, then Amazon is wrong.

Achilles · 12-15-2009, 11:32 PM

Well put Sonist.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

Well, it would depend on the ratio of purchases/returns.

If the friend bought 31 ebooks and returned 30, then it may well be fair for Amazon to ban him from returning (for some finite time.)

If the friend is a shopaholic and purchased 3000 ebooks, then returned 30 for reasons such as DRM (Topaz,) or bad quality, then Amazon is wrong.

DawnFalcon · 12-15-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

If the friend is a shopaholic and purchased 3000 ebooks, then returned 30 for reasons such as DRM (Topaz,) or bad quality, then Amazon is wrong.

This has come up before with Amazon and returns. It's an absolute number of returns, and if you do it with anything else they just close your entire account. He should be feeling really, really lucky that all they've done is refuse him returns.

Nate the great · 12-15-2009, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly

Wow, he or she must have returned almost everything they bought. I've had a Kindle since November 2008 and have returned only 1 book (it was Topaz and I hated it). Now I can tell mostly if it's a Topaz book and I must be good at it because I have not bought one since!

Really? You must not buy very many. My total ebook purchases over the last couple years is about 200. And I've returned at least 10 to Amazon. That's not a very high ratio, is it?

I aksed, and it turns out that he would buy multiple technical books on a single topic and only keep the best one. I think he was pushing his luck, honestly.

Lilly · 12-15-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Really? You must not buy very many. My total ebook purchases over the last couple years is about 200. And I've returned at least 10 to Amazon. That's not a very high ratio, is it?

I aksed, and it turns out that he would buy multiple technical books on a single topic and only keep the best one. I think he was pushing his luck, honestly.

An average of 18 books a month since Nov 2008 (8 of the books are a monthly 1 click buy package but the other 10 are separate). I bought 252 books in 15 months and yes still 1 return.

GA Russell · 12-16-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I aksed, and it turns out that he would buy multiple technical books on a single topic and only keep the best one.

Sounds like he's a Borders customer! I wouldn't blame Amazon if they announced that they accept returns for defects, but they don't allow trials. But they should make that clear somewhere.

lisreed · 12-16-2009, 12:40 AM

I have never returned an ebook or a paperbook in my life. And I buy books both ebooks & paper all the time. I would only return an ebook if it was formatted wrong and I couldn't read it. Amazon is not a library. If there is nothing technically wrong with the book, I don't think they should accept returns. They allow samples to see if you want it before you buy it.

olympian · 12-16-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Achilles

30 returns?!?! Holy crap! How can you "accidentally" purchase books 30 times? Sounds like something fishy is going on here and I can totally understand why Amazon would be suspicious, especially now that the Amazon DRM has been hacked... who's to say the guy didn't purchase those 30 books with the intent of removing the DRM, saving a copy and then returning them?

Amazon DRM's been hacked?

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12-15-2009, 10:47 PM	#2
Lilly Guru Posts: 688 Karma: 2090 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-900 & PRS-950, Amazon Kindle2	Wow, he or she must have returned almost everything they bought. I've had a Kindle since November 2008 and have returned only 1 book (it was Topaz and I hated it). Now I can tell mostly if it's a Topaz book and I must be good at it because I have not bought one since!

12-15-2009, 10:58 PM	#3
kenschunk Member Posts: 22 Karma: 502 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Saratoga Springs, NY Device: History:PRS-505, 700, Kindle-2. Current: Nook 3G, Nook Color	No matter what the number is, it's still more than the Sony store will give you, which is exactly zero. I can't even get them to give me credit for a book that was left in my shopping cart at the change to ePub, and wasn't available when I purchased it. Their answer is "well, someday you'll be able to download it, and we don't allow ANY refunds".

12-15-2009, 11:13 PM	#4
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	I remember seeing examples of this posted elsewhere on the net, not just regarding ebook purchases, but purchases in general. They have 'account specialists' watching every Amazon accounts for a high proportion of returns. The problem with ebooks is that at this stage the formatting quality is all over the place so I can see why he might return so many. Personally I haven't had to return any, but I can see why people would.

12-15-2009, 11:15 PM	#5
Achilles Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 32 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kindle 2	30 returns?!?! Holy crap! How can you "accidentally" purchase books 30 times? Sounds like something fishy is going on here and I can totally understand why Amazon would be suspicious, especially now that the Amazon DRM has been hacked... who's to say the guy didn't purchase those 30 books with the intent of removing the DRM, saving a copy and then returning them?

12-15-2009, 11:21 PM	#6
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	I'd think samples will be sufficient to indicate whether the book is tolerably formatted or not. I generally concur though that if you returned 30 books to a store over a period of time, any store would start to get suspicious -- even if you buy a ton of books. And at least they haven't booted his account, which they have done in the past.

12-15-2009, 11:23 PM	#8
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	Well, it would depend on the ratio of purchases/returns. If the friend bought 31 ebooks and returned 30, then it may well be fair for Amazon to ban him from returning (for some finite time.) If the friend is a shopaholic and purchased 3000 ebooks, then returned 30 for reasons such as DRM (Topaz,) or bad quality, then Amazon is wrong.

12-16-2009, 12:40 AM	#14
lisreed Addict Posts: 281 Karma: 1301 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Upstate NY Device: Nook GlowLight 3	I have never returned an ebook or a paperbook in my life. And I buy books both ebooks & paper all the time. I would only return an ebook if it was formatted wrong and I couldn't read it. Amazon is not a library. If there is nothing technically wrong with the book, I don't think they should accept returns. They allow samples to see if you want it before you buy it.

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