How to download amazon e-books to computer whe living outside the US

[kindleowner_dk]

I have followed the instructions of how to purchase books for Kindle from amazon when living outside the US.

My steps have been:
1) Purchase of amazon gift card via e-bay
2) Opening new account on amazon using yahoo.com e-mail account and a us resident address
3) Redeemed my gift card
4) Making sure that I do not have a credit card connected to the account
5) Managed my Kindle and registered the 16-digit serial number


In the "Your Orders" section I am provided with the possibility of downloading the Kindle User Guide to my computer. However, when attempting to do so
I get the message: "
We're sorry, this title is not currently available for download.
We are investigating the difficulty with this title and ask that you try again in 24 hours..."

When trying to purchase a single issue of a newspaper and/ or when trying to download one of the free kindle e-books I get the message:
"We could not process your order because of geographical restrictions on the product which you were attempting to purchase...."

So - any suggestions?

Thank you :-)

[Mike L]

Making sure that I do not have a credit card connected to the account

That's where you went wrong. You do have to have a credit card connected to the account, and the card must have a US address. But, provided you have a positive balance on your gift certificates, the card will never be charged.

The idea is that you enter a fictitious US address for the card. That should cause no harm, provided you never try to charge any purchases to it.

Note that the above doesn't apply to magazine subscriptions. If you attempt to subscribe to a magazine, Amazon will try to charge the card, not the gift certificates, and the purchase will be rejected.

[JSWolf]

Is it really worth the hoops you have to jump through to own a Kindle if you live outside the US?

[Krystian Galaj]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Making sure that I do not have a credit card connected to the account

That's where you went wrong. You do have to have a credit card connected to the account, and the card must have a US address. But, provided you have a positive balance on your gift certificates, the card will never be charged.

The idea is that you enter a fictitious US address for the card. That should cause no harm, provided you never try to charge any purchases to it.

Don't they usually charge the card for $1 and then cancel the transaction to make sure it's active anyway?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Is it really worth the hoops you have to jump through to own a Kindle if you live outside the US?

Considering people have decided to do it, and do do it... the answer to this question is obviously yes.

BOb

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by Krystian Galaj

Don't they usually charge the card for $1 and then cancel the transaction to make sure it's active anyway?

Krystian, that didn't happen to me, but maybe it's happened to others.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Mike L

That's where you went wrong. You do have to have a credit card connected to the account, and the card must have a US address.

Really? That is contrary to others who have reported they used the same steps as the OP without any problems.

BOb

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Is it really worth the hoops you have to jump through to own a Kindle if you live outside the US?

But the "hoops" are a one-off. It takes maybe ten minutes to set things up, after which using the Kindle is completely straghtforward.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Really? That is contrary to others who have reported they used the same steps as the OP without any problems.

Bob, I can only speak from my own experience. I started out getting the same message as in the original question, but once I did the credt card thing, I had no problem.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Mike L

But the "hoops" are a one-off. It takes maybe ten minutes to set things up, after which using the Kindle is completely straghtforward.

That's a good point. Once you have it set up it is no different than going to fictionwise, BooksOnBoard.com or whatever:

1. Open your web browser
2. go to the store
3. find the book you like
4. buy it
5. download it
6. USB to device
7. Read

I would also say setting up an amazon.com account, buying a gift cert from your other amazon account and applying it to your US account is no different from setting up a new account at Fictionwise, buying some Micro Pay and then using the MP to buy ebooks.

BOb

[kindleowner_dk]

First: Thank you for answering so quickly. I will try to figure out how to get hold of an american credit card being outside the us.

To answer the Q about is it really worth the trouble. Well, when I purchased my first analogue 14.4 modem in 1994 I often asked my self excatly the same question. Is it really worth the trouble? Because it was next to impossible to make it work and get online and when I fianally suceeded and went online there was very little to do. At least regarding Danish websites. And everything was so slooooow. World Wide Wait - some of you guys may remeber. Still, was it worth it? Definitely!

I was aware of the trouble shooting before I got my Kindle- However, some things are just like water - it will flow no matter how much other attempt to put up barriers. I am convinced that eventually ebooks will flow to my Kindle - I just have to find the way ;-)

Besides: I have downloaded lots of the free books (classical litterature) and have found som new e-books. Which means I one day read Jane Eyre and the next day vampire novels. Which is fun.

However, since it is an expensive gadget, I have "discovered" an alternative way of using my Kindle which is usefull - and ecological. I read many documents, you know, stuff I have downloaded from the internet, white papers, research material etc. All pdfs. Instead of printing I read them from my Kindle. Of course you miss the goodies such as being able to make notes and enlarging the letters. But the bookmarking works. I went to a business meeting where we had maybe 80 pages to go through - I used my Kindle.
It worked perfectly! I take the train to work - it is so easy to put the Kindle in your (lady) handbag and take it out for reading while travelling, compared to a bunch of papers!
And besides - some amuse themselves solving sodukos - I amuse myself finding a way to make knowledge flow...

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Is it really worth the hoops you have to jump through to own a Kindle if you live outside the US?

You post this nearly every time someone outside the U.S. has an issue with their Kindle.

Again, I say you're being a hypocrite based on how you "helped" Sony owners U.S. with their issues before the Sony Reader opened in their countries (buying gift cards for them to use with the U.S. Sony store).

Really, if you're not going to be helpful (because your comments aren't), why not just pass these posts by.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

You post this nearly every time someone outside the U.S. has an issue with their Kindle.

Again, I say you're being a hypocrite based on how you "helped" Sony owners U.S. with their issues before the Sony Reader opened in their countries (buying gift cards for them to use with the U.S. Sony store).

Really, if you're not going to be helpful (because your comments aren't), why not just pass these posts by.

Amen to you, daffy - people come to this forum for constructive & helpful answers/information - not to be told they made a stupid or wrong choice. Folks choose the ereader they want/can afford/whatever - it's THEIR choice. We are here to help them, not criticize them.

JS Wolf: Save your vitriol for the manufacturers and their shortcomings, not the users.

[HansTWN]

But a lot of those previous loopholes have been closed by Amazon. There are still ways to download kindle books, but it is getting more and more difficult. However, that is true in general with regional restrictions. Therefore my advice is to get your books early, you never know.

[mazzeltjes]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

You post this nearly every time someone outside the U.S. has an issue with their Kindle.

Again, I say you're being a hypocrite based on how you "helped" Sony owners U.S. with their issues before the Sony Reader opened in their countries (buying gift cards for them to use with the U.S. Sony store).

Really, if you're not going to be helpful (because your comments aren't), why not just pass these posts by.

Karma for you Duckie