Content Update notice for a Kindle book (The Holy Bible ESV)

[Alissa]

Today I received the following email apprently from amazon.com customer service:

Hello,

We're writing about your past Kindle purchase of The Holy Bible English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles. The version you received had typos that have been corrected.

An updated version of The Holy Bible English Standard Version (ESV) (ASIN:B001EOCFU4) is now available. It's important to note that when we send you the updated version, you will no longer be able to view any highlights, bookmarks, and notes made in your current version and your furthest reading location will be lost.

If you wish to receive the updated version, please reply to this email with the word "Yes" in the first line of your response. Within 2 hours of receiving the e-mail any device that has the title currently downloaded will be updated automatically if the wireless is on.

You can find more information about Kindle related topics here:

http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your business with Amazon.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Department
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/

I surely bought the said ESV several months ago, and the mail was sent to my registered address. Also, the content sounds reasonable.

However, I have a feeling this is some kind of a fraud, because

1. This email is a pure text mail, although all past emails I have received from Amazon.com were HTML mails,
2. It is strange to ask an email reply with "YES" as a content to get a service; I believe it is far more easier for both amazon and a customer (i.e., me) to login to the Manage Your Kindle or any other page on amazon.com and to request through a form, and
3. ESV is now sold for $0.00; there is no point to update the book; the owner of the book can simply purchase (for free) a new version.

What do you think?

Have you received a similar update notice from Amazon.com?

If you have bought the ESV, have you recived the same email?

-- Alissa

[TimW]

Originally Posted by Alissa

Today I received the following email apprently from amazon.com customer service:



I surely bought the said ESV several months ago, and the mail was sent to my registered address. Also, the content sounds reasonable.

However, I have a feeling this is some kind of a fraud, because

1. This email is a pure text mail, although all past emails I have received from Amazon.com were HTML mails,
2. It is strange to ask an email reply with "YES" as a content to get a service; I believe it is far more easier for both amazon and a customer (i.e., me) to login to the Manage Your Kindle or any other page on amazon.com and to request through a form, and
3. ESV is now sold for $0.00; there is no point to update the book; the owner of the book can simply purchase (for free) a new version.

What do you think?

Have you received a similar update notice from Amazon.com?

If you have bought the ESV, have you recived the same email?

-- Alissa

I received the same email.

[poohbear_nc]

These are legit emails. It has been standard practice for Amazon to contact customers who purchased Kindle books to offer new versions after publishers have corrected substantial errors in either formatting or typos. The emails are sent to inform you about the potential loss of notes/highlights/annotations when the new version is downloaded.

[HarryT]

This is a standard e-mail. It's legit.

[Alissa]

So, this is a normal email from amazon.com. I am still puzzled why the process is like this, but it probaly means amazon is not always optimal.

Thankyou all. I try sending a "YES" email.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by Alissa

I am still puzzled why the process is like this

They use the opt-in for the updates because, as they state, you'll lose the notes and highlights tagged to locations in the existing book (such locations being different in the corrected version).

I assume that this simple email approach tested as simplest for their customer case.

You can indeed just login to Manage Your Kindle and download the updated version.