Amazon Offering Kindle Replacements for $180?

[DickyCheung22]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

According to one post, they called Amazon, and this was their reply.,.,l

QuietWinds says:
I called Amazon.
The $180 is a "service fee" and not the price of a Kindle. What you get back is the refurbished Kindle.

I, for one, am glad to hear it since I now have hundreds of treasured books. However, even if that were not the case $180 is perfectly reasonable alternative then taking a $399 loss and losing a product that has afforded me such convenience and reading pleasure. That part is priceless.



So they do have a repair option, just not advertising it......yet.

Nice finding... however, I wonder if they cannot download the ebook purchased before for free.. just something like iPhone's app store.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by DickyCheung22

Nice finding... however, I wonder if they cannot download the ebook purchased before for free.. just something like iPhone's app store.

They can. Once they register the replacement Kindle to their account, they can sign on to Amazon and re-download all the books purchased.

[desertgrandma]

Here is another post from the same discussion thread. Seems to say the opposite from the first....note he specifies the 'very same issue', so I"m thinking its about customer carelesness. Personally, I don't think Amazon owes me anything if I drop or allow it to get in harms way...defects are another matter.

Last edited by the author 9 hours ago
L. Hum says:
Unlike everyone else I think that Amazon should be a little more generous. While I don't necessarily believe that Amazon should replace a Kindle that is not a manufacture's defect I do believe that all of us have purchased an expensive electronic device that most reasonable people expect over time can and will break down. When that happens I think there is some responsibilty of the manufacture to provide a repair service that can expect to charge a fair price for their service. If the product is such that it can never be repaired (cost of repairs almost always approximates or exceeds the cost of a new product) then I think the manufacture still has some responsibilty. Why not offer a nominal fee-less than $100?

Having said that, if I were you I would still take up Amazon on their offer. Previously, I have talked to the customer service about this very issue. As I understand it, the Kindle they would send back to you is not a refurbished Kindle but a brand new Kindle. You definitely can sell that Kindle on Ebay for $300 or more and you will only be out approximately $60. Also next time, buy you might want to buy an extended warranty with "Accidental Handling Insurance" offered by SquareTrade.com. (only sold within 30 days of the purchase of a brand new Kindle). Unfortunately Amazon does not have an option of purchasing an extended warranty through their company.

[Boston]

I purchased the extended 3 year warranty through Square Trade with the added Accidental coverage (ADH).

1) The Kindle has only been out for a year so long term reliability is still unknown
2) There have been reports of Kindles failing and while Amazon has replaced them without hassle, their warranty is only 1 year.
3) Because my Kindle goes everywhere, dropping it or spilling something near it is not beyond the realm of possibility.

At $359 purchase price, its less than $60 (including ADH) if you use one of their 20% coupon codes. I paid less ($39) because mine is only covered for my $259 purchase price. In order to purchase the ADH option, you must purchase coverage within 30 days of your Kindle purchase.

[choklateice]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

From the Amazon Forums:

Well hey I see it as being better than paying the full price.

[maan9]

Repair options outside of amazon are popping up now, and not every problem is as expensive to repair as water damage etc, I had a broken button and ended up getting it repaired for well under a hundred http://www.portatronics.com. For bigger issues it makes more sense to get the whole device replaced.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by maan9

Repair options outside of amazon are popping up now, and not every problem is as expensive to repair as water damage etc, I had a broken button and ended up getting it repaired for well under a hundred http://www.portatronics.com. For bigger issues it makes more sense to get the whole device replaced.

I'm very glad to see this happening. I took a quick peek and noticed the also sell parts and tools for repair. Let's hope this trend grows.

Karma to you, thanks for the link!

[a7878]

I hope the screen on the nook is sturdier than on the kindle, I broke mine after 3 weeks and had to send it to a third party kindle repair shop to get it fixed http://www.portatronics.com/index.ph...k-Readers.html. Not sure if they offer nook repair. I think they should make those ebook readers more sturdy, since they’re intended lugged around and prone to be in bags with other stuff or exposed to water.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by a7878

I hope the screen on the nook is sturdier than on the kindle,

considering it will have the exact same screen as in the kindle, I pretty much doubt it will be.

BOb

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by a7878

I hope the screen on the nook is sturdier than on the kindle, I broke mine after 3 weeks and had to send it to a third party kindle repair shop to get it fixed http://www.portatronics.com/index.ph...k-Readers.html. Not sure if they offer nook repair. I think they should make those ebook readers more sturdy, since they’re intended lugged around and prone to be in bags with other stuff or exposed to water.

That's a lot of portatronics links (which we already had in this thread).

Are you using a cover on your Kindle? All ebook readers (until Plastic Logic comes along) are made with glass substrates and should to treated with care. Please don't expose one to water.

[kindlekitten]

I did some pretty gnarly skiing the first 3 months of my Kindle ownership and it stood up just fine! of course it was in the m-edge cover, and then in my camelbak between the bladder and my back

[sianon]

Given Portatronics charge $159 for the screen for the Kindle 2 + installation fees, I don't think $180 for a replacement Kindle is that poor of a deal

[pboss]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

considering it will have the exact same screen as in the kindle, I pretty much doubt it will be.

BOb

In theory, it can be sturdier depending on the material around it and how the device bounces when dropped.

[fugazied]

As for the original thread on Amazon, a paperweight is worth zero, he could have had a moderately priced replacement. Silly not to jump at it unless he was expecting a Kindle 3 early next year or was interested in another device.

I didn't know about those extended warranties, good tip, especially for first release devices with longevity unknown. Slightly offtopic, but the worst devices I have ever seen for long term use are xboxes and Playstation 3s. I think somewhere aroud 50% break within 1-3 years. Shoddy shoddy materials, extended warranty on one of those would be handy.

[forkyfork]

Is this still the standard price to replace a Kindle? $180 seems a little steep now, considering you can just buy a refurbished one for $219 and sell the broken one on eBay for parts.