It is done, Amazon account deletion request sent

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by Graham44

You do not need to justify to me (or anyone else) why you purchase from Amazon, plenty of people do and it's none of my business (or concern) if you do.

I wasn't doing that at all, just giving some relevant examples, especially for those who might be pondering to do the same as you have. For me, it is all about making a well informed decision.

In any case, as I said in my first post here, I respect your right to do as you have done. I don't agree with it, and have tried to change your mind, because you appear to be a decent person.

[Drybonz]

If a person were upset about Amazon's ebook policies they don't have to completely stop buying products from Amazon or delete their account to protest... they could just stop buying ebooks. If everyone stopped buying ebooks (however unlikely that is, but hypothetically) it would send a very clear message to Amazon about those ebook policies.

[JBaby]

Originally Posted by Drybonz

If a person were upset about Amazon's ebook policies they don't have to completely stop buying products from Amazon or delete their account to protest... they could just stop buying ebooks. If everyone stopped buying ebooks (however unlikely that is, but hypothetically) it would send a very clear message to Amazon about those ebook policies.

This is what I’ve done. I’m not boycotting Amazon because I don’t get the point in doing so. I recognize it’s impossible to boycott Amazon entirely. Too many people don’t realize how much of the web runs on Amazon. I have stopped buying ebooks from Amazon because of the D&T removal. That does make sense to me. I’m not anti-Amazon. I’m against their anti-consumerist practices.

[Frogm4n]

Originally Posted by JBaby

Too many people don’t realize how much of the web runs on Amazon.

Yeah, most people have no idea that AWS is a significant chunk of Amazon's business, and that about a third of the internet runs on their services.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Timboli

I wasn't doing that at all, just giving some relevant examples, especially for those who might be pondering to do the same as you have. For me, it is all about making a well informed decision.

In any case, as I said in my first post here, I respect your right to do as you have done. I don't agree with it, and have tried to change your mind, because you appear to be a decent person.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by ashort

Amazon won't even notice you left. You'll be back.

I don't think I'd bet on that.

I, personally, still have an Amazon account but in the last five years I've bought less than $20 worth of books from them. I don't find it that hard to find substitute stores. There have been some books I simply didn't buy because they were only available on Amazon. I haven't bought a new Kindle (nor will I buy one) in over five years.

I don't like it when companies (corporations) arbitrarily change their agreement (contract) with their customers with a "take or leave it" dictate. This is not how contracts are supposed to work. You buy their product with certain expectations and they change those in midstream. Not a good way to build customer loyalty.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Drybonz

If a person were upset about Amazon's ebook policies they don't have to completely stop buying products from Amazon or delete their account to protest... they could just stop buying ebooks. If everyone stopped buying ebooks (however unlikely that is, but hypothetically) it would send a very clear message to Amazon about those ebook policies.

I would think a much stronger message would be sent if everyone deletes their account.

I would guess that Amazon asks "Why are you deleting your account?" when one deletes their account?

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by John F

I would think a much stronger message would be sent if everyone deletes their account.

I would guess that Amazon asks "Why are you deleting your account?" when one deletes their account?

If I remember correctly it does. I also contacted via chat to double check about D&T, that it was a permanent change, so also told them through that as well.

[Graham44]

I understand and appreciate everyone perceives the world in a different way and that's cool.

But lots seem to have fundamentally misunderstood why I decided to delete my Amazon account, it wasn't to try and bring down Amazon, it's simply I don't want to spend my money with a company who has undertaken an action I don't agree with. Let me use another example, I steer clear of Proctor and Gamble products (shampoos etc) because they test beauty products on animals, same principle, the company has a policy I don't agree with so I don't use them. I have no designs on creating an underground movement to topple mega corporations, just trying to follow my own principles

Having said that mega corporations have found themselves in very sticky situations before through one bad decision so I personally wouldn't say Amazon won't suffer to some degree through making this decision.

You could also look at it this way - the flip side of not using Amazon is you could be spending that money with smaller businesses (even smaller multinationals) that appreciate their customers more

That's just the way I view this decision by Amazon, and my response to it

[Drybonz]

Originally Posted by John F

I would think a much stronger message would be sent if everyone deletes their account.

I would guess that Amazon asks "Why are you deleting your account?" when one deletes their account?

It's true and I commend anyone taking that step... but it's probably easier to get more people on board by selecting a product, like ebooks, to start with.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I haven't bought a new Kindle (nor will I buy one) in over five years.

Been longer for me, and I have pondered buying a new one because my two are quite old now. But Amazon's behavior has seriously put me off. And I definitely prefer reading with my Kobo device now. Though I did wonder if there was a Kindle equivalent to the Libra H20.

Originally Posted by rcentros

I don't like it when companies (corporations) arbitrarily change their agreement (contract) with their customers with a "take or leave it" dictate. This is not how contracts are supposed to work. You buy their product with certain expectations and they change those in midstream. Not a good way to build customer loyalty.

Indeed, and so I don't even bother to check a price at Amazon very much anymore. If an ebook I am interested in is a fair price at Kobo, I just buy it. And I never did bother doing the price match thing ... usually I wasn't prepared to wait for Kobo to get back to me ... some of the discounts I've seen at Amazon are lucky to last 24 hours. I've gotten over 7,000 ebooks at Amazon, so grabbing one more now and then, because it was much cheaper than at Kobo, didn't really bother me.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by Graham44

If I remember correctly it does. I also contacted via chat to double check about D&T, that it was a permanent change, so also told them through that as well.

So have you heard back yet?

Anyone you speak with via Chat is going to be right at the bottom of the food chain, and so I don't imagine anything you say is likely to be passed further up the chain, unless it is an issue that can't be resolved by the support person you are talking to.

Amazon surely know what could be the impact of their significant change, so could be keeping tabs, but I don't imagine it means much to them other than a data collecting exercise ... just perhaps to confirm their conclusions or expectations.

And it is one thing to stop buying from Amazon, and quite another to delete your account.

In all the time I have seriously stopped buying much at Amazon, where I bought a lot previously, they have never once queried me like some sites do, asking why they haven't seen me lately. So I get the impression they don't really care ... no doubt they are too big to care.

Despite the fact other ebook stores exist, Amazon have got what kind of amounts to a monopoly. Look at how many authors are happy enough to provide to Kindle Unlimited, which means they can't provide elsewhere. So obviously exposure through Amazon Kindle means a lot to them.

Years before I almost fully switched to Kobo, I used to regularly check prices and availability at Kobo compared to Amazon. Each time I came away believing Amazon Kindle to be the far superior ebook store. Back in 2012, I got a great discount voucher for an ebook at Kobo that I was interested in, so bought it there. That and resulting emails, and the occasional bad behavior by Amazon, was what drove me to keep checking.

Eventually, it became clear to me, that while yes, Amazon did have far many more ebooks, most of what I was interested in, by authors I follow, was at Kobo, and for around the same price most of the time. So when Amazon annoyed me one time too many I (for the most part) swapped. I'd also checked out Kobo devices locally, and bought one at the same time. Early on I checked out and realized that their VIP subscription might be beneficial, so joined that and it certainly has been, often giving me a cheaper price for an ebook than at Amazon. I've also gotten a lot of ebooks at Kobo through accrued points.

P.S. I see those accrued points as a bonus. So I've even been able to get ebooks with it from Kobo, where I wasn't happy with the listed price (too costly), but could now essentially get it for free with points. Of course, it has to be an ebook, that supports purchasing via points, and many don't, but a lot do. So for me when that happened I was laughing all the way to the bank. I only ever did it within reason though, because I did not want to waste points. Some ebooks were still too expensive via points.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by Timboli

So have you heard back yet?
Amazon surely know what could be the impact of their significant change, so could be keeping tabs, but I don't imagine it means much to them other than a data collecting exercise ... just perhaps to confirm their conclusions or expectations.

No,I'm so disappointed But seriously I didn't expect to, it was just to A) confirm it was a permanent decision to remove D&T and not some other reason and B) to make the complaint formal just for myself, I believe you shouldn't really complain about a company too much if you haven't at least made them aware of your complaint. If they wish to ignore my complaint (and other peoples, I'm sure around the world I cant be the only one to have complained about this??) so be it, it's their business they can do as they wish.

As for me I've just been enjoying the better/ more exciting/ unusual selection of books I now have access to shopping at multiple e-book retailers *

*yes they were always there but not having an Amazon account now means I've broken the habit of just turning to Amazon and has made me look for alternatives and stick to using them.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Graham44

Let me use another example, I steer clear of Proctor and Gamble products (shampoos etc) because they test beauty products on animals,

Procter and Gamble no longer tests products on animals, just to be clear.

I'm not saying that consumer action wasn't a factor in its decision.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by issybird

Procter and Gamble no longer tests products on animals, just to be clear.

I'm not saying that consumer action wasn't a factor in its decision.

I didn't know that, it's good to hear though!