Amazon Changed Its E-Book Return Policy?
Latest Amazon News
Amazon changed its controversial ebook return policy.
A Win For Authors With E-Book Editions
According to the recent announcement from The Authors Guild, Amazon will prevent the return of a Kindle ebook for a full refund if the buyer read more than 10 percent of the book.
Excerpt from The Author Guild’s latest announcement:
“The Authors Guild is proud to report that our discussions with Amazon’s senior executive team concerning the platform’s policy that allows readers to return ebooks online within seven days of purchase, regardless of the amount read, have resulted in a major breakthrough. Yesterday, Amazon informed us of its plans to change its ebook return policy to restrict automatic returns to purchases where no more than 10 percent of the book has been read.”
If a customer wants to return a book after they’ve read more than 10 percent of the book, they’ll need to fill out a customer service request.
The aim of this practice is to ensure that the return request is genuine and complies with Amazon’s policies against abuse. Basically, making sure it isn’t a troll.
As “review bombing” became more commonplace over the last few years, returning of mostly affordable e-books (often $0.99) became commonplace for internet trolls and hate groups.
Why?
Because the returns financially impact the author.
“When an Amazon customer returns an e-book, royalties originally paid to the author at the time of purchase are deducted from their earnings balance. Authors can end up with negative balances when customers return books after the author has already been paid by Kindle Direct Publishing” – NPR
And, well, there are the “good intention” folks with their “life hacks.”
These “life hacks” quickly spread like wildfire on social media teaching readers to abuse the Amazon return policy and read for free.
Reah Foxx, a book lover from Louisiana, started a petition to change the policy.
As of September 22nd, 2022, the policy has since been changed. However, the change does not go into effect until “by the end of the year.”
Personally, I think this is the right step forward for Amazon, but there’s still more work to be done toward other damaging policies.
What do you think about Amazon changing its policy on returning e-books?
Let me know in the comments below.
#BannedBooksWeek 2022
“This is a dangerous time for readers and the public servants who provide access to reading materials. Readers, particularly students, are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack for doing their jobs.”
– Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom
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About the Author
Jacob Thomas
Father, Author, Professional Procrastinator
Hmm. What should you know about me? I wonder. AHA!! I got it! I…(a few hours later)… am the author of the picture book Over The Creek (2019). I like blogging. I’m a professional procrastinator (oh, come on – all of us are). Oh, and I am a proud father of a really cool daughter. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here writing weird posts and posts about books and writing related stuff.
Writing advice? Um. Let’s see…my advice would be … poof!! … cliffhanger!!
