Beware re-purchasing your Kindle books

[conan50]

I don't know why, but several times lately I have noticed Amazon no longer labels ebooks I've already purchased as ebooks I already own. Without realizing it, I have re-purchased ebooks I already owned because I did not realize Amazon is no longer always putting the notice at the top of the Kindle page when it's a book I already own.

Just a heads up to carefully check before re-purchasing an ebook you may already own.

[Terisa de morgan]

It usually happens when the author has changed the ASIN for the book.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by conan50

Just a heads up to carefully check before re-purchasing an ebook you may already own.

Good to know. Thanks. I've been trusting Amazon to let me know. (Although I don't buy as many books as many here do, so I'll usually catch it.)

[Ricky D'Angelo]

I had that happen when I tried to purchase and ebook I had already purchased but got the prompt from Amazon. On, the other hand I have also gotten prompts from Amazon to purchase an ebook I have previously bought again!

This happened after allegedly I had previously reached the limit of downloading the ebook different devices. I tried deleting the ebook from different devices however I was still unable to download the ebook to the device I wanted to read it on. I didn't want to deregister a device the ebook was on to add it to my new device so it looked like the only option was to purchase the ebook again. However, after calling Amazon customer support they sent the ebook to my new device free of charge.

[conan50]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

It usually happens when the author has changed the ASIN for the book.

That is interesting. Thanks!

[Barbara1955]

Watch out for Changing Cover....also Titles ugh

[conan50]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

Watch out for Changing Cover....also Titles ugh

Yes, that would be easy to miss. And I think Amazon got me with that one awhile back. I thought for sure I had Brian Jacques book "Mossflower". I think the original had the subtitle - book 2 of Redwall, or something like that. But the newer one had: "Mossflower A Tale from Redwall".
That's a good warning.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by conan50

I don't know why, but several times lately I have noticed Amazon no longer labels ebooks I've already purchased as ebooks I already own.

I have indeed seen a few like that and even grabbed one ... luckily it was a freebie.

Originally Posted by Ricky D'Angelo

This happened after allegedly I had previously reached the limit of downloading the ebook different devices. I tried deleting the ebook from different devices however I was still unable to download the ebook to the device I wanted to read it on. I didn't want to deregister a device the ebook was on to add it to my new device so it looked like the only option was to purchase the ebook again. However, after calling Amazon customer support they sent the ebook to my new device free of charge.

I had something similar happen to me, and talk about a marathon event to get fixed. At one point, after removing the ebook from every device (including the PC app), the guy I was dealing with at Amazon told me I needed to wipe one of my devices and start again. I refused of course (way too many to reload), and he eventually passed me up the chain and someone with more power, fixed things.

I really don't understand the need to limit the number of devices you can have an ebook on, certainly not for fiction. All the devices are in your name and linked to your credit card, so just a fool's paradigm to think you are somehow gonna overcome DRM using that method.

"Here friend, have this device of mine for free, and while you are at it, use one-click purchase for any ebooks you want." .... not bloody likely is it, truly ludicrous!

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Timboli

I really don't understand the need to limit the number of devices you can have an ebook on, certainly not for fiction. All the devices are in your name and linked to your credit card, so just a fool's paradigm to think you are somehow gonna overcome DRM using that method.

"Here friend, have this device of mine for free, and while you are at it, use one-click purchase for any ebooks you want." .... not bloody likely is it, truly ludicrous!

I can think of scenarios where this could occur, say with a book club. Someone sets up an account for the club and buys the book of the month using a gift card. Everyone in the club then installs the Kindle app on their own device, signs into that account and reads the book. That situation would be even more likely for students and textbooks.

[Barbara1955]

Timboli ... Amazon does NOT Link ebooks to Credit Cards. You don't even need a Credit Card to buy anything on amazon.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

Timboli ... Amazon does NOT Link ebooks to Credit Cards. You don't even need a Credit Card to buy anything on amazon.

Your Kindle is effectively linked to Credit Card if your account has a credit card. I change address slightly (even as it was works) if I'm loaning Kindle or worried about 1 Click etc as then Kindle purchases are blocked and website purchase needs the Card details confirmed.
The way Amazon uses Credit Card and allows purchases too easily via Kindle is shoddy. The so called "1 Click" is nonsense too.

A separate problem is being in Ireland. Some things can be bought of USA site (postage too high) or German site (has English and same Currency as Ireland, Euro). However ALL eBooks must be bought from Amazon.co.uk, in STERLING if your address is Irish. Also Search mostly does not indicate if whatever can be shipped at all, you can ONLY be sure doing checkout, at which point not only does the price change more than the difference in VAT, but shipping changes. Then sometimes when confirmation email with "the order can no longer be changed" the origin is Hong Kong or China and not the original listed UK address.

I found I could not complete checkout on ANY Amazon site with a refurbished PaperWhite 2015. The final price for a new model was "free shipping" but £20 more, no £10 discount as per listing.

Also they preregister the Kindle to your account!

The LEAST of the problems is Amazon letting you re-purchase the same eBook.

[Barbara1955]

Not Mine I Use GIFT Cards! I don't have any Credit Cards on my Account.

When you order a Kindle Mark it as a GIFT. You don't even need to use it with Any Account.... Sideload the eBooks.

[ren41]

Amazon will refund you if you realise before you read it. I think there's an option to return a book in the long press from book title drop down menu on your kindle.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by Timboli

I really don't understand the need to limit the number of devices you can have an ebook on, certainly not for fiction. All the devices are in your name and linked to your credit card, so just a fool's paradigm to think you are somehow gonna overcome DRM using that method.

"Here friend, have this device of mine for free, and while you are at it, use one-click purchase for any ebooks you want." .... not bloody likely is it, truly ludicrous!

I live in a retirement home and I'll often lend a Kindle to a neighbor with a book on it he/she wants to read. In this unit there are only 16 apartments and another 16 a couple blocks away so this isn't a big issue. But if I was in a larger place with hundreds of tenants that kind of limit would make a lot of sense.

By the way, lest anyone think I'm defrauding Amazon by doing this I have discussed it with their support people and they say this is a common practice and they really don't care, within reason. They say their TOS is there to prevent abuse.

Barry

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by conan50

I don't know why, but several times lately I have noticed Amazon no longer labels ebooks I've already purchased as ebooks I already own. Without realizing it, I have re-purchased ebooks I already owned because I did not realize Amazon is no longer always putting the notice at the top of the Kindle page when it's a book I already own.

Just a heads up to carefully check before re-purchasing an ebook you may already own.

Been happening since the early days of Kindle. Usually happens when a book goes from one publisher to another or from a commercial publisher to being self pubbed (sometimes it's the same publisher, but a new "edition", but not all that often in my experience unless there is extensive content changes). The ASIN changes, as Terisa mentioned, and the book then becomes a different item in Amazon's eyes.

Note this isn't an Amazon unique thing. It happens on Kobo too, & I think I've had it happen at B&N too although I don't buy much there.