How to get a US amazon account?

oecherprinte · 09-03-2010, 08:12 AM

Hi,

I ordered a kindle3 to a friends house whos living in the US. I will pick it up when I visit him in October.

From what I read here, it appears to be better to have a US amazon account than a German amazon account (cheaper books and a bigger selection). How can I get a US account? I only have German credit cards.

Can I buy a gift voucher in the US and then register myself as a US user with this voucher or will amazon also accept my german credit card for a US customer?

Are there more convenient methods of doing this? Do I need a computer to set up a US amazon account and register a voucher or can I do all of that via whispernet on the kindle3?

If I go for the gift voucher option: Is there a way of getting US gift voucher codes from germany?

Thanks,

Jens

daffy4u · 09-03-2010, 12:02 PM

Here are some instructions from NerdGirl. They are from a year old blog post but it looks like it would still work. I live in the U.S., so I haven't had personal experience with this technique.

You may want to do some Googling to confirm or check for other methods.

abookreader · 09-03-2010, 12:29 PM

Yep, that should do it.
Some people only download their Kindle books to their computer from behind a Proxy Server which makes it appear like their computer's IP is in the US. Some people don't and get by just fine.

Buy your gift cards out of your German Amazon Account, email them to your German email address ... and then go into your US Amazon account and apply that Gift Card number to your US Amazon account. That is how you will pay for your US Kindle books.

mgmueller · 09-03-2010, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oecherprinte

Hi,

I ordered a kindle3 to a friends house whos living in the US. I will pick it up when I visit him in October.

From what I read here, it appears to be better to have a US amazon account than a German amazon account (cheaper books and a bigger selection). How can I get a US account? I only have German credit cards.

Can I buy a gift voucher in the US and then register myself as a US user with this voucher or will amazon also accept my german credit card for a US customer?

Are there more convenient methods of doing this? Do I need a computer to set up a US amazon account and register a voucher or can I do all of that via whispernet on the kindle3?

If I go for the gift voucher option: Is there a way of getting US gift voucher codes from germany?

Thanks,

Jens

Since the introduction of the international Kindles about 1 year ago, you don't have to buy gift cards anymore.
Any valid credit card will do.
This credit card doesn't have to have the same address registered as your billing address in your account.
I've used my German credit card for > 400 eBooks from Amazon, 99% of those via my US account. A few via my UK account.

BTW: Amazon totally is aware of that. They've sent my 4 Kindles to the German address. I switch countries within my account back and forth all the time.
I've never used a proxy (I need it for B&N though).

oecherprinte · 09-03-2010, 03:23 PM

Thanks for your answer!

@mgmueller:

Sounds great!

Do you have several separate accounts or do you change addresses with a single account? How can I do that?

BTW: Do I need a computer to register the kindle or can I do everything via whispernet?

Cheers,

Jens

Psykhe · 09-08-2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

Buy your gift cards out of your German Amazon Account, email them to your German email address ... and then go into your US Amazon account and apply that Gift Card number to your US Amazon account. That is how you will pay for your US Kindle books.

I cannot confirm this.

I tired just that a few minutes ago (tested it with a 10€ one and actually found this forum when searching for some feedback).

Amazon.com tells me this:

Quote:

We had a problem redeeming your gift card
There's something wrong with the gift card claim code you entered. Please check for transposed digits, omitted digits, and similar errors. Don't worry, this is not case sensitive.

Tried it both with my normal account as well as with a fake US one I made.

abookreader · 09-08-2010, 02:34 PM

sorry, I don't think I was quite clear there in what I was trying to say. Your gift card has to have a value in US dollars and be for an Amazon.com (US) account.

I'm pretty sure you can't buy an Amazon.de gift card and apply it to the Amazon.com account.

oecherprinte · 09-08-2010, 02:45 PM

Can't you get an amazon US gift card and just have the card code sent to your email. You should be able to pay for that gift card code with an international non-US credit card.

Then you could use that code with your (fake) US account.

That should work (I hope).

Psykhe · 09-08-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

sorry, I don't think I was quite clear there in what I was trying to say. Your gift card has to have a value in US dollars and be for an Amazon.com (US) account.

Ah, okay, that makes more sense.

As a sidenote, if you have no credit card you can also buy US gift cards from ebay with paypal.

You have to be careful of cource to choose sellers with a positive feedback and which are willing to email you the code.

TheKindleWorm · 09-08-2010, 03:55 PM

Hmm I'm very tempted to do this just to get all the freebie US books - we don't get many in the UK!

cykelmyggen · 09-09-2010, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmueller

This credit card doesn't have to have the same address registered as your billing address in your account.
I've used my German credit card for > 400 eBooks from Amazon, 99% of those via my US account. A few via my UK account.
.

Does this mean that you changed the address on your credit card to an US address?

Josieb1 · 09-09-2010, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Hmm I'm very tempted to do this just to get all the freebie US books - we don't get many in the UK!

I am tempted too, but i want the complete set of Tudors novels by Jean Plaidy, $74.09 in the US store and not available at all in the UK store.

I just don't want to run into problems doing it, my CC is UK registered, I can get a freinds American address but she doesn't have a US CC.

oecherprinte · 09-09-2010, 07:43 AM

How difficult/expensive is it to get a US credit card? I actually have a social security number but not a valid US address except for some friends.

Zerodime · 09-09-2010, 08:23 AM

I'm pretty sure you don't need a US-Credit card.
I got my Kindle pretty fine when I used a wirecard (http://www.wirecard.de )
I'm pretty sure you can register an US-accoutn with your normal/german data

Sweetpea · 09-09-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Since the introduction of the international Kindles about 1 year ago, you don't have to buy gift cards anymore.
Any valid credit card will do.
This credit card doesn't have to have the same address registered as your billing address in your account.
I've used my German credit card for > 400 eBooks from Amazon, 99% of those via my US account. A few via my UK account.

BTW: Amazon totally is aware of that. They've sent my 4 Kindles to the German address. I switch countries within my account back and forth all the time.
I've never used a proxy (I need it for B&N though).

Hmm, I don't understand this... First you say you have two accounts, a UK and a US one. Then you say you switch countries within your account...

I presume you use the same CC for both accounts?

09-03-2010, 08:12 AM	#1
oecherprinte Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle3 3G, Kindle Paperwhite 2	How to get a US amazon account? Hi, I ordered a kindle3 to a friends house whos living in the US. I will pick it up when I visit him in October. From what I read here, it appears to be better to have a US amazon account than a German amazon account (cheaper books and a bigger selection). How can I get a US account? I only have German credit cards. Can I buy a gift voucher in the US and then register myself as a US user with this voucher or will amazon also accept my german credit card for a US customer? Are there more convenient methods of doing this? Do I need a computer to set up a US amazon account and register a voucher or can I do all of that via whispernet on the kindle3? If I go for the gift voucher option: Is there a way of getting US gift voucher codes from germany? Thanks, Jens

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09-03-2010, 12:02 PM	#2
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	Here are some instructions from NerdGirl. They are from a year old blog post but it looks like it would still work. I live in the U.S., so I haven't had personal experience with this technique. You may want to do some Googling to confirm or check for other methods.

09-03-2010, 12:29 PM	#3
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	Yep, that should do it. Some people only download their Kindle books to their computer from behind a Proxy Server which makes it appear like their computer's IP is in the US. Some people don't and get by just fine. Buy your gift cards out of your German Amazon Account, email them to your German email address ... and then go into your US Amazon account and apply that Gift Card number to your US Amazon account. That is how you will pay for your US Kindle books.

09-03-2010, 03:23 PM	#5
oecherprinte Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle3 3G, Kindle Paperwhite 2	Thanks for your answer! @mgmueller: Sounds great! Do you have several separate accounts or do you change addresses with a single account? How can I do that? BTW: Do I need a computer to register the kindle or can I do everything via whispernet? Cheers, Jens

09-08-2010, 02:34 PM	#7
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	sorry, I don't think I was quite clear there in what I was trying to say. Your gift card has to have a value in US dollars and be for an Amazon.com (US) account. I'm pretty sure you can't buy an Amazon.de gift card and apply it to the Amazon.com account.

09-08-2010, 02:45 PM	#8
oecherprinte Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle3 3G, Kindle Paperwhite 2	Can't you get an amazon US gift card and just have the card code sent to your email. You should be able to pay for that gift card code with an international non-US credit card. Then you could use that code with your (fake) US account. That should work (I hope).

09-08-2010, 03:55 PM	#10
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	Hmm I'm very tempted to do this just to get all the freebie US books - we don't get many in the UK!

09-09-2010, 07:43 AM	#13
oecherprinte Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle3 3G, Kindle Paperwhite 2	How difficult/expensive is it to get a US credit card? I actually have a social security number but not a valid US address except for some friends.

09-09-2010, 08:23 AM	#14
Zerodime Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 44 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle3	I'm pretty sure you don't need a US-Credit card. I got my Kindle pretty fine when I used a wirecard (http://www.wirecard.de ) I'm pretty sure you can register an US-accoutn with your normal/german data