# Amazon Prime/Fire Frustration



## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

So I bought two Kindle Fires for our children for Christmas, along with covers, headphones, styli, and a gift card to fund their account - about $600 total. Unfortunately I registered them back in November so I could get them all set up, make sure everything worked right, and get to know the devices since I am the primary tech support in this house. I elected to create a new account for the kids for several reasons - at the time, nothing could be removed from the carousel (didn't want the boys to have to wade through my 500+ amazon ebooks), lack of parental controls (new account is funded by gift cards and a pre-paid visa to fulfill the CC requirement), etc. Well, by the time the boys actually received the kindles, of course, the Prime free trial on their account had expired, with no one using any of the Prime features/benefits.

I contacted Kindle CS and this was their reply:

_Hello,

I understand that you are concerned about the prime membership for the two kindle fires.

Please understand that eligible customers who purchase a Kindle Fire will be given a free month of Amazon Prime.

Your free month of Amazon Prime will start when you first activate and register your Kindle Fire. There is no charge and no credit card required to enjoy the free month.

I apologize for any inconvenience caused in this regard. Please understand our limitations that at this point I'm unable to re-start the prime trial.

However they can sign up for the prime membership at an annual of $79. Please understand that Amazon Prime is a membership program that offers unlimited express shipping. The annual fee is $79, and the shipping benefits can be shared with other members of your household. Here's a summary of Amazon Prime benefits:

- FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items fulfilled by Amazon.com.
- Upgrades to One-Day Shipping for $3.99 per item.
- Free Standard Shipping for eligible items shipped to P.O. boxes in the continental United States and APO/FPO addresses with U.S. ZIP codes.
- No minimum purchases required.
- Prime instant videos: Unlimited streaming access to thousands of movies and TV shows through Amazon Instant Video.
- Kindle Owners' Lending Library: access to thousands of books to borrow and read for free on Kindle devices, as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates.
- Convenient Amazon Prime 1-Click buttons on product pages.
- Shared shipping benefits with up to four family members living in the same household.

To become a member of Amazon Prime, visit our sign-up page:

http://www.amazon.com/prime
_

Amazon blew it on this one.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

While I understand your frustration it isn't really Amazon's fault you decided to register the Kindle Fires early.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Officially, of course, they're in the right.  But still, I'd try giving Kindle CS a call.  I'm sure they can tell by activity on the account that no one has used it yet (well, except that it might've been a bit when you were checking things out).  And you still might not get the answer you want, but I wouldn't stop with one email.  My motto - make them say no - I just do it in the nicest possible words - not demanding, just asking - I'm not above groveling a bit but I'll only go so far, my daughters both work retail and I hear enough horror stories not to want to be "that" customer.  

And if they do say no, at least your experience can serve as a cautionary tale for others.  Small consolation for you, I know.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> _
> Your free month of Amazon Prime will start when you first activate and register your Kindle Fire._


They say "activate *and* register" -- all you did was register them in November, I thought they weren't activated until you actually had the Fire in hand, turned it on, and signed into the Amazon account? I just got mine last Tuesday, and I remember having to log into my Amazon account and then getting a message that it was now activated.

Did you get that message on your kids' Fires?


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

Yeah, I'd try giving them a call. Amazon CS is typically very accommodating (at least over the phone).


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

yes, I created the new account and registered them to that account in November so that I could test them and make sure we liked them before giving them to the boys as christmas gifts.  And yes, I know that technically Amazon is fully within their rights to stick to the prime trial policy.  But one would think that when they come out with a new product a month before Christmas, they might bend the free trial policy.  Many companies bend their returns/refunds policies around the holidays, because some people actually plan ahead and purchase gifts a month or so before the holiday.  I've read scores of great Kindle customer service stories - replacing broken kindles even though it was apparent that it was operator error, replacing kindles outside of warranty, refunds, returns, etc...  I just plopped down $600 and they can't restart a free trial? That's a pro-rated value of about $7.  And if the 'carousel' thing was a little more user-friendly when it first came out, I probably wouldn't have created a new account for the boys.  Sure, I could put their Fires back on my account, but then we'd lose the content that has been purchased under their new account.

Like I said, they blew it here.

And yes, I've spoken with customer service twice.  No budging.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

I know in the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal, but it's still bad CS in my opinion - especially when marketing a brand new product at the height of the gift-buying season.


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## Maria Romana (Jun 7, 2010)

I've heard a few other people complaining about this, too. I am thoroughly impressed with Amazon's CS in general, but you're right--this is a major CS FAIL. At the very least, they should've included a little card in the shipping box explaining that the Prime Trial starts with registration, since you otherwise wouldn't realize that until _after _you've registered it.

--Maria


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

or even just give an option to delay the start of the free trial.


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

meromana said:


> At the very least, they should've included a little card in the shipping box explaining that the Prime Trial starts with registration, since you otherwise wouldn't realize that until _after _you've registered it.


I agree.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

fuschiahedgehog--

I do think that Amazon could have handled this better. You might want consider elevating the issue by contacting a higher authority. Per http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2KEKKJ9CAC2KC, Jeff Bezos's email is [email protected] 

I have actually read about cases where sending a complaint to this email address resulted in action taken. While I don't think Jeff will answer your email, someone is reading them...

If you do email [email protected], be calm, polite, reasonable and clear--those are the recommendations by people who complain to corporations for a living. 

Betsy


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## FloridaFire (Nov 21, 2011)

kindlegrl81 said:


> While I understand your frustration it isn't really Amazon's fault you decided to register the Kindle Fires early.


I agree. I too understand the frustration, but Amazon did nothing wrong.

*Giving Kindle Fire as a gift*

_If eligible, your gift recipient will receive a free month of Amazon Prime benefits once they activate their Kindle Fire. _

Unfortunately, in this case, the benefits started when you registered the tablets.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

"wrong" - no, not legally/technically.  Dumb CS move?  In my opinion yes.  Not very customer-friendly.


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## FloridaFire (Nov 21, 2011)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> "wrong" - no, not legally/technically. Dumb CS move?  In my opinion yes. Not very customer-friendly.


I feel Amazon is one company that goes the extra mile when trying to please their customers. It's a shame you registered them so early (in terms of the free 1 month Prime), but I don't feel they weren't "customer friendly". It's an unfortunate series of events (your decision to register them early cost you one month of Prime) but it really isn't Amazon's fault.

We've all been in your shoes in one capacity or another. I would just use it as a learning experience and move forward.


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## FloridaFire (Nov 21, 2011)

I wanted to add one other thought... I've been a Prime member since forever. When I saw the "Free Month of Prime" advertised with the Kindle Fire, I thought.. yippee! A free month will be added to my account.

Ah, but that was not to be. People who already have a Prime Memberships get squat. Nada, nothing extra. But I'm living with it


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## Malweth (Oct 18, 2009)

Look at it from their point of view. What is the purpose of a single free month? It seems to me like it's less of a freebie and more of a "try before you buy." While I understand your frustration, it doesn't sound like you ever intend to subscribe on each account.

Amazon CS is good. They'll probably comp you a month if you call.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I'll note here that fuschiahedgehog has already asked Amazon about any recourse and has been told no.  Fuschia, let us know if anything changes...

Betsy


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

Malweth said:


> Look at it from their point of view. What is the purpose of a single free month? It seems to me like it's less of a freebie and more of a "try before you buy." While I understand your frustration, it doesn't sound like you ever intend to subscribe on each account.
> 
> Amazon CS is good. They'll probably comp you a month if you call.
> 
> Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk


The boys wanted the chance to check it out for a month, to decide if it was something they wanted to pay $40 each for. As it turns out, they've decided to go with Netflix instead.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

you can do both. I do.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I would point out that you could have activated one of the two Fires and learned that way.  Then you would have still had one that the boys could have experimented with.  I think you would be wrong to not go with the Prime account for $79.  After all you are going to get two devices for the price of one.  If you have wifi where they will be mostly using the Fires this will be extraordinary value.  And you as a family member can use the free shipping.  If they will not be near wifi most of the time (like me) then Prime - for streaming free music or videos - will not be very useful.
But I have opted to pay for it anyway.
Just sayin.....


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

geoffthomas said:


> I would point out that you could have activated one of the two Fires and learned that way. Then you would have still had one that the boys could have experimented with. I think you would be wrong to not go with the Prime account for $79. After all you are going to get two devices for the price of one. If you have wifi where they will be mostly using the Fires this will be extraordinary value. And you as a family member can use the free shipping. If they will not be near wifi most of the time (like me) then Prime - for streaming free music or videos - will not be very useful.
> But I have opted to pay for it anyway.
> Just sayin.....


I only activated one, on my own Prime account at first. But the carousel app as originally released offered no flexibility and I did not want to force my boys to wade through the 500+ kindle books I already have in my account just to find their own books, and in addition I wanted better control over their ability to spend. At that point I decided to open up an account for them. I purchased perhaps $20 worth of apps and books, spent time getting it set up, etc. Didn't register the second unit until a few days before Christmas.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We have a number of members who ultimately chose Netflix rather than Amazon Prime...different strokes.  I have both right now....

Betsy


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

squeaky wheels...

I just received an email reply to the email I sent yesterday to the '[email protected]' address.  They have given us a year of Prime for free on the boys' Amazon account.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Woohoo!  I told you someone read that account....

Amazon comes through!

Thanks for letting us know....

Betsy


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

the reply came back from "Executive Customer Relations"


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

fuschiahedgehog said:


> I just received an email reply to the email I sent yesterday to the '[email protected]' address. They have given us a year of Prime for free on the boys' Amazon account.


Fantastic!!!


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## KimberlyinMN (Dec 30, 2009)

YAY! That is amazing!! 



fuschiahedgehog said:


> squeaky wheels...
> 
> I just received an email reply to the email I sent yesterday to the '[email protected]' address. They have given us a year of Prime for free on the boys' Amazon account.


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## sparklemotion (Jan 13, 2011)

That's wonderful. I'm glad they came through for you - and in a big way too.


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