12-08-2012, 06:47 PM | #1 |
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Buying from Amazon US, although in another country
There have been lots of threads, how to buy from the US although not being a US resident.
I'm switching back and forth between my US and German addresses in the very same account. But so far, I've considered this kind of a "loophole". But, when checking my country settings in my Kindle account in Amazon Germany, I've found this (sorry, German) (snapshot attached): Basically it says: "Do you want to buy from Amazon US? We're glad to tell you, you can do so...Simply port your Kindle account to Amzon.com by clicking the button below". I can't remember, having seen this before... And in the past I've needed a US address. From the description, I don't think that's needed anymore. Reading this, the stories about Amazon killing accounts because of people buying elsewhere don't make any sense at all. I don't find the same statement in the US account. So obviously you can buy in the US from "everywhere", but not the other way around (probably not that popular anyway)... Last edited by mgmueller; 12-08-2012 at 07:18 PM. |
12-08-2012, 07:36 PM | #2 |
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I don't think this is true at all. There are several books available in the UK that I'd love to be able to get, but it's always been my understanding that buying ebooks from a different geographical area than is your residence is against Amazon's TOS.
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12-08-2012, 07:53 PM | #3 | |
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Quote:
Like I've written: I haven't seen those 2 descriptions (from the snapshots I have attached to the first post) before. Seems to be new. Maybe there still are geographic restrictions? But at least you don't seem to need an address in the US anymore... And like I've written "So obviously you can buy in the US from "everywhere", but not the other way around" = Yours would be the other way around. Being in the US and wanting to buy from UK. I don't find this option in my account either. If I switch to the US, I don't find any option to buy from Germany. But within the German account, I can buy from the US. Last edited by mgmueller; 12-08-2012 at 07:56 PM. |
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12-08-2012, 08:31 PM | #4 |
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Maybe because you changed your address back and forth that it lets you do that? But then why wouldn't it let you once in amazon.com? As I understand you have to do the switch back and forth by logging into amazon.de?
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12-08-2012, 08:45 PM | #5 | |
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I just ran into a geographic restriction. On Kindle Fire HD: When switching to the German account, I can't buy at all = "country settings not supported". When switching to the US account, I get one step closer = "billing address and payment don't match". I guess, I could circumvent this with gift card... So, obviously it doesn't change restrictions. Question is, whether I could link to the US without having had a US address before... Maybe this all has changed for me, because of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" I've ordered from the US 1 week ago? I had ordered some Kindles from the US before, but this had been before the international versions = ca. 2009. And there are differences between my 7" Fire HD from Amazon Germany and my 8.9" from Amazon US: I can access lovefilm Germany on the "German" Fire HD, but not on the "US" Fire HD; although both are within the same account with the very same settings. Last edited by mgmueller; 12-08-2012 at 08:51 PM. |
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12-08-2012, 08:51 PM | #6 | |
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edit: might be possible to change the billing address for your german credit card to the same us address. Might be possible that Amazon does not check for cc company beeing based in us any more. Last edited by DuckieTigger; 12-08-2012 at 08:54 PM. |
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12-08-2012, 08:54 PM | #7 | |
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Is it new? Is it because of my 2 addresses? Is it because of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" I've got from the US a few days ago? But: I don't get this description for the UK, only for the US. So it probably isn't about my 3 addresses in my account... |
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12-08-2012, 08:56 PM | #8 |
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Not sure. When I moved to the US from Germany, I got rid of all my ties from Germany - only thing I got left is my Passport and german citicenship.
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12-08-2012, 09:03 PM | #9 | |
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When on a business trip and staying in the US for 2 weeks: Would your hotel or your employer's loft account for "residence"? |
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12-08-2012, 09:03 PM | #10 |
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I guess it is not possible, see my screenshot of Manage Kindle page when I log in to Amazon.de (says that my account is registered to amazon.com, and I need to visit them)
I don't see switching or anything. Last edited by DuckieTigger; 01-21-2013 at 07:55 PM. |
12-08-2012, 09:09 PM | #11 | |
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Under "further information" it shows the choice from my first post. Obviously, there's some kind of "lead account". Might be the one where your "1-click settings" link to. Might be the one you opened first. Might be the one with the same country as your credit card/billing address. Very interesting anyway. Amazon seems to be way ahead of most competitors re. getting (or being already) global. |
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12-08-2012, 09:17 PM | #12 |
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Moving is possible
Oh, my bad. It is possible to move and have Kindle associated with another country. I looked at a book in Amazon.de, and got these 2 interesting things. First is part of the page on right hand side - and the 2nd is the page that shows when following the link.
Last edited by DuckieTigger; 01-21-2013 at 07:55 PM. |
12-08-2012, 09:35 PM | #13 | |
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12-08-2012, 09:57 PM | #14 |
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12-09-2012, 12:27 AM | #15 |
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Could this be related to the newly opened Canadian Kindle store (yesterday)? Only since then is Amazon prompting users to switch their kindle accounts from the US to Canada, if they so wish?
I am also not switching countries in the settings for the time being - amazon are making way too many changes at the moment. |
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