Amazon's E-Book Return Policy - Page 3

Giggleton · 08-20-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G J Lau

It just seems like Amazon should perhaps question its refund policy on a book that on the one hand is admittedly not a full-length novel but on the other only costs 99 cents. Wonder if any others have thoughts on this. Maybe I'm out of line. Like I said, I just wanted to vent a bit.

Yes, Amazon/Your Book Server needs to question their own motives and actions continuously, as do we all. Perhaps novellas should not be put up for sale, rather be made available to all for no charge? Perhaps we should all be paying a monthly Amazon tax, to be distributed algorithmically to the authors who have uploaded?

Perhaps we should allow ourselves to set the prices on other's books? The readers as a group might be putting more of a time investment into the book itself, shouldn't they be the ones determining price? Or determining whether or not a book should even be sold?

HarryT · 08-20-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

Yes, Amazon/Your Book Server needs to question their own motives and actions continuously, as do we all. Perhaps novellas should not be put up for sale, rather be made available to all for no charge? Perhaps we should all be paying a monthly Amazon tax, to be distributed algorithmically to the authors who have uploaded?

Perhaps we should allow ourselves to set the prices on other's books? The readers as a group might be putting more of a time investment into the book itself, shouldn't they be the ones determining price? Or determining whether or not a book should even be sold?

Perhaps we should live on Earth, rather than in the fantasy world that you occupy?

Tome Keeper · 08-20-2011, 01:51 PM

It might just be the book was purchased by mistake. I've once clicked on the 'one-click' button just to realise seconds later that I didn't want the book.

I do believe though that if someone has read the book, unless it contains major errors/is of very poor quality, they shouldn't be able to return it.

kcmay · 08-20-2011, 03:08 PM

If a particular reader makes a habit of buying books and returning them within the allowed time frame, I'm betting Amazon would put a limit on that. "Sorry, but you've returned the last 3 books you've purchased. No more returns will be permitted until X condition is met." Amazon isn't a library, after all.

physics · 08-20-2011, 03:35 PM

I realize you are all talking about fiction books, but the return policy is actually very useful when it comes to deciding to purchase math and science textbooks. Sometimes the preview only includes the preface and introduction, which have few or no equations in them. Then, after you purchase the book, you find that they have OCR'ed the equations and they're awful, making the book unusable (at least for the purpose of learning the material). That's certainly a valid reason to return it. (And, if you send an email to Kindle support, they'll usually pull the ebook also.)

VydorScope · 08-20-2011, 03:36 PM

I much rather them be to easy on returns, then not easy enough.

SeaBookGuy · 08-20-2011, 03:37 PM

They have a built in safeguard that the buyer MUST make a telephone call to an Amazon (Kindle) rep, who checks the customer's buying history carefully before authorizing the refund. I did it once as the formatting on the self-published book was horrific!

Tome Keeper · 08-20-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

They have a built in safeguard that the buyer MUST make a telephone call to an Amazon (Kindle) rep, who checks the customer's buying history carefully before authorizing the refund. I did it once as the formatting on the self-published book was horrific!

Not so, at least on the UK site. I just sent a quick e-mail "Hi, brought xxx by mistake. Please can I return it", book gone and refund given within a few hours. No phone call needed.

osnova · 08-21-2011, 12:06 AM

I just ignore the returns column. There will always be people who didn't like something or try to game the system. It's a drop in the bucket anyway.

SeaBookGuy · 08-21-2011, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tome Keeper

Not so, at least on the UK site. I just sent a quick e-mail "Hi, brought xxx by mistake. Please can I return it", book gone and refund given within a few hours. No phone call needed.

That could be U. K. specific, or they've changed things, but I believe an employee does check for a pattern of returns before a credit can be authorized.

morriss003 · 11-06-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazybones

Heck, I've had my free book at Amazon refunded. Made me wonder what was so awful in it to antagonize that reader so.

Ultimately you can't fixate on what a few folks do, just focus on the positive sales.

Yeah, I get a good laugh when that happens to me. "Your book was so bad, I want the minutes of my life back!"

Birds · 11-08-2011, 05:16 AM

It is much too easy to accidentally hit the 1-click button instead of the send sample button.

08-20-2011, 01:51 PM	#33
Tome Keeper Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 1001201 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle 3 Keyboard, Surface Tablet, Android Smartphone, Laptop, Netbook	It might just be the book was purchased by mistake. I've once clicked on the 'one-click' button just to realise seconds later that I didn't want the book. I do believe though that if someone has read the book, unless it contains major errors/is of very poor quality, they shouldn't be able to return it. Last edited by Tome Keeper; 08-20-2011 at 01:52 PM. Reason: more info

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08-20-2011, 03:08 PM	#34
kcmay Addict Posts: 363 Karma: 500001 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Kindle2	If a particular reader makes a habit of buying books and returning them within the allowed time frame, I'm betting Amazon would put a limit on that. "Sorry, but you've returned the last 3 books you've purchased. No more returns will be permitted until X condition is met." Amazon isn't a library, after all.

08-20-2011, 03:35 PM	#35
physics Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 729 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle DX	I realize you are all talking about fiction books, but the return policy is actually very useful when it comes to deciding to purchase math and science textbooks. Sometimes the preview only includes the preface and introduction, which have few or no equations in them. Then, after you purchase the book, you find that they have OCR'ed the equations and they're awful, making the book unusable (at least for the purpose of learning the material). That's certainly a valid reason to return it. (And, if you send an email to Kindle support, they'll usually pull the ebook also.)

08-20-2011, 03:36 PM	#36
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	I much rather them be to easy on returns, then not easy enough.

08-20-2011, 03:37 PM	#37
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	They have a built in safeguard that the buyer MUST make a telephone call to an Amazon (Kindle) rep, who checks the customer's buying history carefully before authorizing the refund. I did it once as the formatting on the self-published book was horrific!

08-21-2011, 12:06 AM	#39
osnova Kindler of the Flame Posts: 582 Karma: 646016 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: US of A Device: K DX,3,KT,KP,KF, KFHD; Nook C, PRS600, iPad, Xoom, N900, N810, Zaurus	I just ignore the returns column. There will always be people who didn't like something or try to game the system. It's a drop in the bucket anyway.

11-08-2011, 05:16 AM	#42
Birds JSenGupta Posts: 20 Karma: 20000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: U.K. Device: none	It is much too easy to accidentally hit the 1-click button instead of the send sample button.

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