Watchdog talks about Amazon closing accounts - Page 10

Barbara1955 · 11-05-2015, 09:34 PM

Could you share the shows link?

zebradude · 11-05-2015, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

Could you share the shows link?

Katie,

In my case I downloaded it to my iPad through my BBC I player. No link.

Barbara1955 · 11-06-2015, 01:18 AM

Amazon Company Response

Amazon said:

“Our goal is to deliver the best experience for the millions of customers who shop with us. In a tiny fraction of cases, we are forced to close accounts where we identify extreme account abuse. This decision is only taken after we have reviewed the account carefully and tried to work with the customer over an extended time period to resolve any issues.”

I found the above on the Watchdog web site. But couldn't find the actual show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...mpany-response

Josieb1 · 11-06-2015, 04:12 AM

I watched the show and Watchdogs report was abysmal plus Amazon's response showed a complete lack of any interest in the issue. IMO they are far too powerful and can do anythng they want in any country, laws notwithstanding. Buyer beware needs to be the moto. Go into Amazon's ecosystem with your eyes wide open, protect what you can and don't assume it can never happen to you.

All I could think of as they quoted Amazon's response was Skynet!

JSWolf · 11-06-2015, 04:22 AM

The one case where they canceled the brother's account because they live at the same address is just wrong. Just because one person is returning too much does not mean the other person is doing anything wrong. That's treating someone as guilty of something just for where he lives.

Amazon also is not taking into account defective items and items not as described. Those sorts of items should not count at all. Also, Amazon doesn't take into account how long these accounts have been open and how much has been bought. Why bother to have a return policy if you risk your account getting closed if you use the return policy?

Josieb1 · 11-06-2015, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

Amazon Company Response
Amazon said:

“Our goal is to deliver the best experience for the millions of customers who shop with us. In a tiny fraction of cases, we are forced to close accounts where we identify extreme account abuse. This decision is only taken after we have reviewed the account carefully and tried to work with the customer over an extended time period to resolve any issues.”

I found the above on the Watchdog web site. But couldn't find the actual show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...mpany-response

This decision is only taken after we have reviewed the account carefully and tried to work with the customer over an extended time period to resolve any issues.”

And this response is a load of B******t

HarryT · 11-06-2015, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

I found the above on the Watchdog web site. But couldn't find the actual show
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...mpany-response

Katie,

As stated above, the programme is on the BBC iPlayer site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

although I believe that TV programmes may well be geographically restricted to people in the UK.

HarryT · 11-06-2015, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why bother to have a return policy if you risk your account getting closed if you use the return policy?

Because there clearly are people who genuinely abuse the generous returns policy, such as the person we had here at MR a few years ago complaining that he'd had his account closed, when it turned out he'd been using Amazon as a "tryout" service, buying and returning numerous different brands of very expensive DSLR cameras to find the model he liked. Given that Amazon are unable to resell such returned products as new, they really can't afford, from a commercial perspective, to have such people as customers.

What I do agree with is that having your account closed should not result in loss of access to digital content, and it appears from the reports we've had quoted from the Kindle forums that when Amazon close accounts these days, access to such content is not lost.

pdurrant · 11-06-2015, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

What I do agree with is that having your account closed should not result in loss of access to digital content, and it appears from the reports we've had quoted from the Kindle forums that when Amazon close accounts these days, access to such content is not lost.

Although the official word from Amazon CS to me is that account closure does result in content loss. Puzzling.

JSWolf · 11-06-2015, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Because there clearly are people who genuinely abuse the generous returns policy, such as the person we had here at MR a few years ago complaining that he'd had his account closed, when it turned out he'd been using Amazon as a "tryout" service, buying and returning numerous different brands of very expensive DSLR cameras to find the model he liked. Given that Amazon are unable to resell such returned products as new, they really can't afford, from a commercial perspective, to have such people as customers.

What I do agree with is that having your account closed should not result in loss of access to digital content, and it appears from the reports we've had quoted from the Kindle forums that when Amazon close accounts these days, access to such content is not lost.

I don't disagree about the person who bought expensive items and returned them having his account closed. But I do have a big issue with the brother having his account closed just for having the same address as his brother who's account was closed. That's guilt by association without having done anything wrong.

Also, the person who had his account closed for returning too many things when most of the returns were for defective, not as described, or not received. How is that wrong? It's not wrong at all.

If Amazon has some sort of return limit, they need to state it very clearly in there return policy.

HarryT · 11-06-2015, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I don't disagree about the person who bought expensive items and returned them having his account closed. But I do have a big issue with the brother having his account closed just for having the same address as his brother who's account was closed. That's guilt by association without having done anything wrong.

I agree with you that that sounds like an unjust scenario.

Quote:

If Amazon has some sort of return limit, they need to state it very clearly in there return policy.

No, I don't agree with that. If Amazon said "you can return up to 10% of the items you buy", the inevitable result would be people who would game the system, and return 9.9% of their products for no good reason.

HarryT · 11-06-2015, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Although the official word from Amazon CS to me is that account closure does result in content loss. Puzzling.

Account "closure" these days seems to be more along the lines of a block on new purchases. Accounts don't seem to actually be closed as such, and hence previously-purchased digital content can still be retrieved.

Josieb1 · 11-06-2015, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Account "closure" these days seems to be more along the lines of a block on new purchases. Accounts don't seem to actually be closed as such, and hence previously-purchased digital content can still be retrieved.

Until we experience this ourselves (and no I don't plan to be the test subject) its very much conjecture.

Pdurrant and myself both have written confirmation that a closure DOES result in the loss of digital content, Kindle AND Audible but until we personally know someone in that situation its up to each person to believe what they want to believe, and act accordingly to protect what they buy.

HarryT · 11-06-2015, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Until we experience this ourselves (and no I don't plan to be the test subject) its very much conjecture.

They are in fact first-hand reports from people that it's happened to, but I do agree that they are at odds with the officially-stated policy.

Wearever · 11-06-2015, 08:22 AM

I wonder what the response would be if this were to be aired on a show like( 60 minutes ) here in the US. I think many would be surprised by something like, the brother's account would be closed just because his brother returned to many things and they both lived at the same address. Something like that would explode in social media, I would think.

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11-05-2015, 09:34 PM	#136
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Could you share the shows link?

11-06-2015, 01:18 AM	#138
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Amazon Company Response Amazon said: “Our goal is to deliver the best experience for the millions of customers who shop with us. In a tiny fraction of cases, we are forced to close accounts where we identify extreme account abuse. This decision is only taken after we have reviewed the account carefully and tried to work with the customer over an extended time period to resolve any issues.” I found the above on the Watchdog web site. But couldn't find the actual show http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...mpany-response

11-06-2015, 04:12 AM	#139
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,082 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra Colour, Libra 2	I watched the show and Watchdogs report was abysmal plus Amazon's response showed a complete lack of any interest in the issue. IMO they are far too powerful and can do anythng they want in any country, laws notwithstanding. Buyer beware needs to be the moto. Go into Amazon's ecosystem with your eyes wide open, protect what you can and don't assume it can never happen to you. All I could think of as they quoted Amazon's response was Skynet!

11-06-2015, 04:22 AM	#140
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,277 Karma: 145488788 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The one case where they canceled the brother's account because they live at the same address is just wrong. Just because one person is returning too much does not mean the other person is doing anything wrong. That's treating someone as guilty of something just for where he lives. Amazon also is not taking into account defective items and items not as described. Those sorts of items should not count at all. Also, Amazon doesn't take into account how long these accounts have been open and how much has been bought. Why bother to have a return policy if you risk your account getting closed if you use the return policy?

11-06-2015, 08:22 AM	#150
Wearever Wizard Posts: 1,063 Karma: 10944084 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New England Device: Oasis 2,Voyage, Kindlle hdx 8.9, Ipad mini 4. Air 2	I wonder what the response would be if this were to be aired on a show like( 60 minutes ) here in the US. I think many would be surprised by something like, the brother's account would be closed just because his brother returned to many things and they both lived at the same address. Something like that would explode in social media, I would think.