Which sellers are offering refunds?

[odiakkoh]

Meh I thought David had a point and I don't see how he's being trollish. I do understand the OP's POV as well so I'm not taking sides on the actual issue but I do think its ridiculous to call people trolls just because they have a POV that they feel strongly about. Now if he was going out of his way to search for these threads I'd agree about the trollish thing.

[david_e]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

Umm, you are clearly offering an opinion. Your question was rhetorical and was an attack on the OP for expecting the same level of service from online sellers as he would expect from a B&M retailer...even if the mistake was his.

I don't know why you would expect any different reaction.

Originally Posted by david_e

Why should you get a refund? It was your mistake, not Kobo's.

No opinion provided there, just a simple question, not rhetorical by any measure, and accompanied by a fact, as admitted by the OP in his first post.

Sorry to disappoint, but you don't get to decide what my motivations and intentions are.

[fjtorres]

Here's documented proof that doing free returns of merchandise is good business:
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/...hases-357?lite

It may not be fair for online retailers to pay for returns that aren't their fault, but it makes them more money, a new study finds. A lot more money. Even though returns of consumer gadgets alone costs companies $17 billion in 2011, the rewards of adopting the Zappos model of free-return shopping can boost customer spending up to 357 percent.

For those that aren't aware of it, Zappos is an Amazon operation.

[raac]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

I do think its ridiculous to call people trolls just because they have a POV that they feel strongly about. Now if he was going out of his way to search for these threads I'd agree about the trollish thing.

I sense I'm going to regret this but since the moderators aren't cleaning up this side show (I've alerted them twice), I'll bite. I agree that it's ridiculous to label people simply for offering a different opinion, and that is not why I said what I did.

In my original post I gave a story as context and then asked which retailers offer discounts, as those are the ones I would like to frequent. I wasn't seeking solace, or advice on how to extract a refund from Kobo (which I got without particular difficulty, BTW), or whether it was appropriate of me to expect one. Rather than answering my reasonable question, he chose to make a provocative and irrelevant statement.

It's irrelevant because it's not related to what I asked: I was looking for advice on where to shop *in the future.* Rather than allowing the discussion to flow towards which retailers offer discounts, it diverts things to whether or not I am taking responsibility for my actions.

It's provocative partly because its blunt phrasing is an attack designed to provoke an emotional response. It does so because entices me to defend myself and my "mistake." In addition, it seems clear to everyone else that I was simply expecting the level of service found in most other on-line retailers and B&M stores. Assisting a customer in instances such as this is just good customer service: common sense for the retailer because it keeps customers coming back. This is so obvious it hardly needs to be said. So his comment was also provocative in that it ignores this.

Finally, searching through his previous posts immediately revealed a similar comment in response to another poster who was trying to get a refund from Kobo. So what sort of person repeatedly posts inflammatory, irrelevant, messages to online fora with the (apparent) intent of provoking an emotional response? So I called a spade, a spade. So now he's largely succeeded in diverting the thread into a discussion of my character, which apparently is of great interest to him. *sigh*

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Here's documented proof that doing free returns of merchandise is good business:
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/...hases-357?lite

For those that aren't aware of it, Zappos is an Amazon operation.

I'll agree with that. I've returned a couple of things to woot! and they have refunded the entire purchase price including the $5 shipping charge as well as providing a prepaid return label. They are also an Amazon company, but they were doing this before Amazon bought them. Most of the returns were because the item was defective, or in one case because they sent the wrong item (paid for a 1TB NAS and got a 500GB NAS). In one case, they were able to exchange the item and shipped me the new one at the same time as they sent the return label (not waiting for the return). Yes, this policy could cost them money, but because of their excellent customer service, they have a repeat customer in me. And no, I don't work for woot!

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by raac

In addition, it seems clear to everyone else that I was simply expecting the level of service found in most other on-line retailers and B&M stores. Assisting a customer in instances such as this is just good customer service: common sense for the retailer because it keeps customers coming back. This is so obvious it hardly needs to be said.

Yes, I caught your meaning and thought the question was entirely reasonable. What you were essentially asking for was an exchange because you got the wrong item which is perfectly reasonable from either a B&M or online store. It's not like the read the book, then wanted a refund. I'm glad to know they took care of your issue. I've only dealt with Kobo's customer service once, and wasn't super impressed, but it was something that was my fault for not noticing that a book wasn't available as an Adobe DRM EPUB download before I purchased it from them.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I have accidentally bought a Kindle book many times.

I'm curious as to how you've done that. I've returned the occasional book because of gross errors in formatting but never, in all the years I've been using Kindles, have I bought a book accidentally!

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm curious as to how you've done that. I've returned the occasional book because of gross errors in formatting but never, in all the years I've been using Kindles, have I bought a book accidentally!

It's not hard to accidentally click Buy instead of Add to Wishlist.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Synamon

It's not hard to accidentally click Buy instead of Add to Wishlist.

At least twice I have hit the buy button when I wanted to download a sample. In one case I later purchased the book on purpose.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

At least twice I have hit the buy button when I wanted to download a sample. In one case I later purchased the book on purpose.

Same here.

[raac]

Originally Posted by hwlester

I've only dealt with Kobo's customer service once, and wasn't super impressed, but it was something that was my fault for not noticing that a book wasn't available as an Adobe DRM EPUB download before I purchased it from them.

Yes, over e-mail it wasn't very impressive. Just a dismissive "we can't help you, sorry." Over the phone the issue got escalated and was dealt with right away. I told them both that I'd bought it assuming it was a the second edition and that it had formatting issues.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by raac

Yes, over e-mail it wasn't very impressive. Just a dismissive "we can't help you, sorry." Over the phone the issue got escalated and was dealt with right away. I told them both that I'd bought it assuming it was a the second edition and that it had formatting issues.

So it required the attention and *paid* time of a couple employees at least one of which had enough supervisory authority to make a judgment call.
On the other hand, Amazon websites simply automate the return process and save a couple bucks while earning a bit extra goodwill.
Hmmm...

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Synamon

It's not hard to accidentally click Buy instead of Add to Wishlist.

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

At least twice I have hit the buy button when I wanted to download a sample. In one case I later purchased the book on purpose.

Yep I have done both. I use to be able to keep it form happening by removing the payment method from the MYK then each time it ask you confirm your card on a separate page but now they've changed it to where you can no longer do that.

[david_e]

Originally Posted by raac

...it seems clear to everyone else that I was simply expecting the level of service found in most other on-line retailers and B&M stores. Assisting a customer in instances such as this is just good customer service: common sense for the retailer because it keeps customers coming back. This is so obvious it hardly needs to be said. So his comment was also provocative in that it ignores this.

And THIS is why I asked my original question.

I don't consider ebooks, or ANY digital media for that matter (music, magazine, television/movies), to be the same as their physical counterpart.

I don't agree with the premise that it's the same as B&M stores because the store clerk is able to make some kind of determination if the item has been used, and that's not possible (as far as I know) with a downloaded file.

But what does make sense is that it's a good policy because it keeps people coming back. I didn't ignore this, as it simply never occurred to me. As someone who doesn't click on wrong buttons, who would never choose the wrong item, to whom the entire idea of EVER doing such a thing is so illogical as to be rendered impossible, it's just not something I would ever have to consider.

Originally Posted by raac

...Finally, searching through his previous posts immediately revealed a similar comment in response to another poster who was trying to get a refund from Kobo. So what sort of person repeatedly posts inflammatory, irrelevant, messages to online fora with the (apparent) intent of provoking an emotional response? So I called a spade, a spade. So now he's largely succeeded in diverting the thread into a discussion of my character, which apparently is of great interest to him. *sigh*

Yes, I am usually consistent in my views and opinions. I find that to be a good thing.

Anything and everything else, what you read into someone else's words, how and why you perceive things the way you do, and how you subsequently react, that's all on you.

I am not responsible for how you feel or your actions.

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm curious as to how you've done that. I've returned the occasional book because of gross errors in formatting but never, in all the years I've been using Kindles, have I bought a book accidentally!

I was following one of the free threads on MobileRead and didn't notice the post was a couple months old and the book was no longer free until I had already clicked Buy. I hit the browser's stop button, but too late. I never downloaded it, and immediately requested a refund after discovering how from their FAQ.