CNN: How many Kindle Fires are being returned to Amazon?

afv011 · 12-03-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Using 90% of the 13.3% one-star reviews as rough measure, this suggests that nearly half a million of the estimated 3.9 million Kindles to be shipped this quarter will be returned.

Source

It's a guesstimate by CNN, but if they're on the ball park, that's very high. I wonder if people are buying the Fire on the assumption that it is a full blown tablet (i.e., a cheap iPad), and not an enhanced eReader.

kennyc · 12-03-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afv011

Source

It's a guesstimate by CNN, but if they're on the ball park, that's very high. I wonder if people are buying the Fire on the assumption that it is a full blown tablet (i.e., a cheap iPad), and not an enhanced eReader.

I think it's stupid to base anything on the number or review stars.

CWatkinsNash · 12-03-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afv011

Source

It's a guesstimate by CNN, but if they're on the ball park, that's very high. I wonder if people are buying the Fire on the assumption that it is a full blown tablet (i.e., a cheap iPad), and not an enhanced eReader.

It doesn't help that sites like one of the zdnet blogs keeps running articles along the lines of "Kindle Fire vs iPad" and "Kindle Fire Better Deal than iPad" and so on. I think there is too much comparison of two very different items without enough clear information about why they are so different. *I* know why they are so different, but not everyone who wants a tablet knows tons about tablets so they turn to articles like those that rarely give more than half the story. People need better info. They need to come to MobileRead, darn it!

wizwor · 12-03-2011, 05:05 PM

Pure speculation.

For starters, people who are dissatisfied with a product are much more likely to post a review than those who are happy. There are only 495 one star reviews. That is more likely to be the number that return their Fires than a sample thereof. Browsing these, a lot seem to be posted by people who have not held a Fire. They simply restate complaints posted in blogs or announce the superiority of an alternative. Again, probably not actual owners. Another group is technophobes -- people who could not make a fan work if it had a remote control. This is normal. Finally, there are people who had legitimate gripes regarding capabilities -- these are most likely to return their Fires.

And not all one star reviews promised to return the device.

No doubt the number of returns will be high -- people bought these things sight unseen based on an infomercial and I'm sure some bought one to 'give it a try' knowing returns would be easy.

Here's to hoping for bountiful refurbs at steep discounts!

DiapDealer · 12-03-2011, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

I think it's stupid to base anything on the number or review stars.

Even the purchase of a book nowadays!

tombielawski · 12-03-2011, 05:14 PM

Well, it's good to know. On the positive side, Amazon does have good customer service. So, what is happening after the return? Is this an exchange for another Fire or a refund? I hate articles that don't give you the full information.

DiapDealer · 12-03-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tombielawski

I hate articles that don't give you the full information.

They never had it TO give.

mewmartigan · 12-03-2011, 07:32 PM

I bet a lot of those 1 star reviews don't own the Fire....they are complaining about missing features or stuff you can't do.

So using that to judge returns is just silly.
We could easily estimate the number of units sold through by just looking at the number of hits on Amazon's webpage since the Fire is displayed prominently on the homepage.

afv011 · 12-03-2011, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I bet a lot of those 1 star reviews don't own the Fire....they are complaining about missing features or stuff you can't do.

So using that to judge returns is just silly.
We could easily estimate the number of units sold through by just looking at the number of hits on Amazon's webpage since the Fire is displayed prominently on the homepage.

Valid points; I would say that amazon is somewhat at fault by having a side by side comparison with the ipad. If you read blogs and reviews you know the differences, but not all folks will spend the time to do so and assume the fire is a valid ipad replacement - which for some uses it certainly is.

RainingLemur · 12-03-2011, 08:59 PM

I imagine that quite a few get returned. But, I'd also surmise that there are more returned for some defect and replaced than returned because they felt duped for not getting a discounted iPad.

But, that's just my guess.

kennyc · 12-03-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

I imagine that quite a few get returned. But, I'd also surmise that there are more returned for some defect and replaced than returned because they felt duped for not getting a discounted iPad.

But, that's just my guess.

Yeah, like this guy: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=212

The Terminator · 12-04-2011, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

It doesn't help that sites like one of the zdnet blogs keeps running articles along the lines of "Kindle Fire vs iPad" and "Kindle Fire Better Deal than iPad" and so on. I think there is too much comparison of two very different items without enough clear information about why they are so different. *I* know why they are so different, but not everyone who wants a tablet knows tons about tablets so they turn to articles like those that rarely give more than half the story. People need better info. They need to come to MobileRead, darn it!

Generally these review people just can't get it into there heads that an Ereader is not meant to be a tablet and is not meant to compete.

JeremyR · 12-04-2011, 02:40 AM

But Amazon themselves is making the comparison...do a search on Amazon for iPad and the first result is

Quote:

Compare iPad 2 vs. Kindle Fire Kindle Fire - Only $199 – All the popular content, ultra-fast web browsing. View a side-by-side comparison of key features.

Do it yourself and see.

Zoshka · 12-04-2011, 04:02 AM

I didn't expect an ipad with the Fire, just the things I take for granted with the ipad--easy access to volume and brightness control, arrows that work when I click them, a polished email program, a feeling of lightness for its size, and a finished, quality product where everything 'just works'. I was initially enthused about the Fire, but then it became for me like the Instapaper guy Marco, who said it wasn't enjoyable and easy to use, so he wouldn't end up using it. I also found it to be a fingerprint magnet and to have worse glare than any device I've used, so I returned mine. Plus, I've already used my month of Prime membership to buy a lot of stuff I don't need, so I'd end up paying much more than an ipad price ultimately for the Fire anyway.

I picked up a Nook Tablet, though, which I'm loving so far--it feels like a second-generation product, instead of rushed out the door, as the Fire and initial Nook Color felt to me. Between gift card promos and credit card cashback, the price was close to $200 anyway, but I'd pay an extra $50 just for the sharpness of the Netflix streaming anyway.

kennyc · 12-04-2011, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Terminator

Generally these review people just can't get it into there heads that an Ereader is not meant to be a tablet and is not meant to compete.

Yep, like rejecting an Apple cause it doesn't smell like an Orange.

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12-03-2011, 05:05 PM	#4
wizwor Wizard Posts: 1,068 Karma: 23867385 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kindle, fire	Pure speculation. For starters, people who are dissatisfied with a product are much more likely to post a review than those who are happy. There are only 495 one star reviews. That is more likely to be the number that return their Fires than a sample thereof. Browsing these, a lot seem to be posted by people who have not held a Fire. They simply restate complaints posted in blogs or announce the superiority of an alternative. Again, probably not actual owners. Another group is technophobes -- people who could not make a fan work if it had a remote control. This is normal. Finally, there are people who had legitimate gripes regarding capabilities -- these are most likely to return their Fires. And not all one star reviews promised to return the device. No doubt the number of returns will be high -- people bought these things sight unseen based on an infomercial and I'm sure some bought one to 'give it a try' knowing returns would be easy. Here's to hoping for bountiful refurbs at steep discounts!

12-03-2011, 05:14 PM	#6
tombielawski Member Posts: 10 Karma: 20000 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kindle	Well, it's good to know. On the positive side, Amazon does have good customer service. So, what is happening after the return? Is this an exchange for another Fire or a refund? I hate articles that don't give you the full information.

12-03-2011, 07:32 PM	#8
mewmartigan Guru Posts: 852 Karma: 8242060 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis (2019)	I bet a lot of those 1 star reviews don't own the Fire....they are complaining about missing features or stuff you can't do. So using that to judge returns is just silly. We could easily estimate the number of units sold through by just looking at the number of hits on Amazon's webpage since the Fire is displayed prominently on the homepage.

12-03-2011, 08:59 PM	#10
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I imagine that quite a few get returned. But, I'd also surmise that there are more returned for some defect and replaced than returned because they felt duped for not getting a discounted iPad. But, that's just my guess.

12-04-2011, 04:02 AM	#14
Zoshka Connoisseur Posts: 97 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WA Device: Kindle 3 & 4, Nook Tablet	I didn't expect an ipad with the Fire, just the things I take for granted with the ipad--easy access to volume and brightness control, arrows that work when I click them, a polished email program, a feeling of lightness for its size, and a finished, quality product where everything 'just works'. I was initially enthused about the Fire, but then it became for me like the Instapaper guy Marco, who said it wasn't enjoyable and easy to use, so he wouldn't end up using it. I also found it to be a fingerprint magnet and to have worse glare than any device I've used, so I returned mine. Plus, I've already used my month of Prime membership to buy a lot of stuff I don't need, so I'd end up paying much more than an ipad price ultimately for the Fire anyway. I picked up a Nook Tablet, though, which I'm loving so far--it feels like a second-generation product, instead of rushed out the door, as the Fire and initial Nook Color felt to me. Between gift card promos and credit card cashback, the price was close to $200 anyway, but I'd pay an extra $50 just for the sharpness of the Netflix streaming anyway.