It just goes to show ya -- if you support Amazon, they'll screw you over every time. ;)

Obviously, this email to you is one of several moves they are making toward profitability. They apparently are cancelling the accounts of people who make full use of their promotional discounts, as well as overcharging people's credit cards, despite confirming a lower price.

At least I know for sure I am not alone. Check it out -- another one!

I'm really more confused than anything. Ironically they never even answered my question. I sent an e-mail concerning the Deniro box set misprice to Jeff Bezos figuring I'd get an answer. Well I guess I did, though they never answered my question. I never expected to get the box set for $10. Nor do I expect Amazon not to have misprices. But what my question was, is why do some people get GCs and others do not? Why not treat all customers the same?

Instead I get an e-mail saying they're closing my account. I've made so many orders from Amazon I can't count. I've used promo GCs on around 75% of my orders from various sources. From codes posted here, Verizon, dealprovider, Pizza Hut, from Amazon sending them to me. I can't recall all of the, but if I'm doing something wrong, at least let me know. Every order was accepted by their computer and shipped out. How am I to know what I'm doing wrong? Are the codes here meant to be one per person? Is combining share the love with a promo discount bad?
Secondly, I've probably bought more from Amazon than 99% of their customers. Last August they sent me a Braveheart DVD because I was such a "good customer" (for those that remember that). And I had well over $300 in outstanding orders when they deleted my account. doesn't make sense to drop all that business for a $5 or $10 promo.

Admittedly, I guess I'm not the customer Amazon wants. Every recent order I made included a promo coupon, share the love discounts, and was all pre-orders. Which means I'm paying less for the goods that others are paying for. Still I buy at such a volume that I doubt it matters. Oh well, I can move on to Cdnow or DDD since they offer competitive prices and that's all I want. I thought yours was an islotaed incident, but it appears not.

WTF, why are they closing accounts? Are they blacklisting anyone who orders on a misprice? Isn't it their fault for either intentionally or accidentally having a misprice. What happened (to the very least) an "I'm sorry." We have gone from a honoring of a misprice, to a I'm sorry but please see if you like the new terms, to a sorry but we won't, to a screw you and say bye to your account with us. What's next?

Just checked and my account is still active (I also haven't placed a single order without a GC). I wonder what their criteria is...

Well, I got the final email from them. They say that they will not refund the overcharge, that this is their final answer, and that if I try to make any trouble (such as challenging the matter with my CC or, presumably, reporting them to my state's Consumer Fraud division), they will permanently shut down my Amazon account. So, the latest scam is now "we're closing your account." Man, these guys are unbelievable!

Man, that is ridiculous. I would take this one all the way and fight it. No one can charge your CC without your consent. This is ridiculous. They are trying a scare tactic now, really nice thing to do to customers.

Is Amazon's objective to get rid of customers who do not purchase an item unless they have a discount? If so then I think I am worried about my pending orders with them. Every order I placed uses a coupon, STL discount, and some have free shipping too. Should I be worried about having my account closed or Amazon not honoring the purchase price? Unforunately it will take me several weeks to find out until my first order ships. I always was honest with them and never tried to scam them, but now I risk being called a crook, cheat, liar, and accused of committing fraud with my orders. Amazon appears to be sinking fast and is quickly becoming a terrible store. If they don't want my business I will gladly switch to other stores like DVDEmpire or Lasersedge.

Hoc, if they don't lower my price to what it is, I will go to my CC company and talk to a fraud specialist and tell them I refuse to pay the charges and will then tell Scamazon to close my account and to go f*** themselves, I don't want their business anyways if this is how they deal.

That is certainly my initial inclination, as well. I mean, it really isn't much of a tough choice between acquiescing in credit card fraud, or having my account cancelled at a merchant who has no compunction with committing credit card fraud. On the other hand, I am pondering my benefits of having an account at a merchant about whom I no longer have any feeling of loyalty.

For example, when the Ofoto deal came out, I used it only once. In my current mood, I would not hesitate to have used it with all nine of my email accounts. I've always been one who is willing to give up the battle if it means winning the war. Right now, I am making up my mind.

I just cancelled my pre-orders with them. I would do what is suggested above. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard. They obviously don't care about customer loyalty and don't give a f*** about customers anymore. I'm gonna cash in my GC's and run now.

Well I wouldn't worry about your account. I think the only reason they closed my account is that I wrote them about the DeNiro misprice. I didn't write to their main customer service or anything, but to Jeff Bezos instead. I figured instead of a canned e-mail, I'd get results. Well whoever looked at my account, apparently decided to look through my order hostory or whatever and deemed I used too many promo GCs. I'm 99% sure if I didn't write them, they would have never done anything. Still they could have at least told me I was doing something wrong first

I think you hit the nail on the head. Amazon makes more money on some dude ordering an already released disc (at minimal discount) with no promo/discounts/GCs etc...

But I wouldn't worry about your orders. Unless you write Amazon specifically, they won't go out and seek you it appears. I wrote to a high level offical and it appears Hoc has gotten somewhere in there too. If you want to keep doing business with Amazon, I guess you should keep quiet. In my case I've made so many orders with a number of promos that maybe I exceeded a deemed threshold. I hope you guys hadn't, but like I said if you don't write you should be fine

Yeah, it's pretty sad. And I was supporting Amazon up until recently. They used to be pretty good to deal with. I mean they never had the huge discounts that reel.com or buy.com did, but they at least offered good prices with good service. And I estimate I made over $2000 worth of orders with them. Apparently that's not loyal enough.

Now I'm looking at CDnow and Deep Discount DVD to order from. CDnow looks pretty good, except I don't want to wait to have things ship out. Let me know if you find a good way to order a bulk amount of titles

Just canceled
 

I just canceled orders for 11 DVDs at Amazon and split my orders between DVD Empire and 800.com. Both companies have delivered in the past (and DVD Empire just got me the corrected DTS version of Jurassic Park by opening the case and checking the number on the inner hub to make sure it was correct :) ). I won't do business with someone who charges credit cards higher than they were authorized and then threatens to close accounts if the fradulent charges are contested. I can't even begin to imagine what the suits are thinking over at Amazon -- if they get enough contested credit card charges they can have their right to use credit revoked and it's going to be really simple to show that they overcharged. Sounds like business suicide to me and I'm outta there. Good luck to all...

The way things are going at Amazon right now I wouldn't put it past them to investigate accounts using GCs and coupons on every order. Until recently I was beginning to get away from Amazon because their prices were getting higher, and GCs were becoming scarce. I came back because of some recent promotions and discounts that made them competitive to other stores. Now they may have chased me away for good unless it's something free or almost. I think I will keep my current orders and see what happens with them. But any future orders and preorders will be going to other stores.

Although amazon has or threatens to close your account, a new email address and credit card (in case they bar your old CC) will be a new customer, right?

If they bar your address (which is more difficult), it's pretty easy to open a P.O. box at some reasonable cost. Of course, only if the deals will be that good...

By the way, how amazon discovered that they needed to close your account(s)? What's the trigger? Did you make an inquiry that led them to research your accounts? Did they just randomly pick your account for security check? Was it because you had multiple accounts with them?

I think it is very common that people have a few accounts at amazon for accounting/billing purposes, and it should not disturb amazon to the extent of not doing business with you. After all, their terms and conditions do not forbid (few) multiple accounts. Unless it is like over 10 or 20 accounts just to abuse their one-time-use coupons.

I went ahead and cancelled all but two Amazon orders (Simpsons using Ofoto GC and one other) and re-ordered with DVD Empire and DDD... I fear Hoc's story may be just the beginning of similar stories.

I don't think everyone should cancel their orders. Just wait and see what happens with a few of them before making a judgement. I have seven of them I would like to receive unless Amazon is going to create problems. If they over charge me I will try to resolve through customer service first, then I will dispute it through my credit card company. They can close my account and I will purchase elsewhere.

I've had my fair share of troubles with Amazon lately as stated on the first page of thread... Personally I rather just save myself some future and potential grief and take my business elsewhere and be rid of Amazon altogether.

I would normally support you, and up until a few days ago I still would have. But Amazon is defintely changing, and I think at some point you would like to think you are valued as a customer instead of being threatened with fraud claims everytime you question something.

I agree with you to Amazon changing. What some people have gone through would make me cancel any remaining orders if it happened to me. I am already using other sources to buy DVDs instead Amazon, and will be more hesitant in placing future orders with them.

Ever since Reel went out of business Amazon has gotten the bulk of my business. But since about April I have started using Amazon less frequently because of higher prices, lack of GCs, and slipping customer service. I found other stores that offered better prices, faster shipping, better customer service, and value me as a customer.

Like I mentioned earlier in this thread I started purchasing from Amazon again because their recent promotions like STL, free shipping, and coupons. Using these created some very good prices and some hard to beat deals. I like to get these orders if Amazon will stand behind the prices I purchased them for, but will cancel if they create any problems.

I still think everyone shouldn't cancel their orders unless you can find it cheaper or Amazon is giving you problems. I am glad that this thread was posted trying to make everyone aware of the problems with Amazon. But I think I will wait and see what happens with my orders due in August before deciding to cancel the remaining ones.

Since i live in Europe the On-line Stores offering great service and fair prices are limited. I never had problems with Amazon and if a shipment was lost they replaced it without questioning. CS always responds within a day or two and i never had a problem with my Creditcard being over-charged. And since April Amazon also ships pre-orders 3 to 5 days early. People being angry at Amazon over the lack of GC`s are making me laugh. My Company always charges full-prices and almost never gives away things for free. And sure that`s the way most company`s are making business,so why should Amazon give you free GC`s?
Only because Reel.com did the same or because Amazon is an On-line Shop?

You should probably re-read this thread. It's not about Amazon giving GCs or not. It's about Amazon unilaterally overcharging people's credit cards after confirming a lower price and not asking for approval of the increased price.

You guys are scaring me. I've got Godfather ordered with a $10 off > $65 promo, STL and 2 Vividence GC's for $34.43. I'm gonna be pissed if they cancel this order.

I would go straight to my credit card for the fraud issue. They've always been extremely helpful in the past.

That was a bit harsh. If they sent this to everyone who according to them "abused this privilege" but really did what you did, they wouldn't have customers. Don't they realize that coupons is what gets them business. Not loyalty. But I guess pissing on some consumers is the way to big business these days.

Like I said before, the thing that irked me most, was I had no warning. I write an e-mail with a simple question and completely unrelated to that question they close my account? I mean, yeah I used promo GCs on most of my orders. But if I'm using something impromperly, maybe give me a warning. I know Amazon's order system is a decent one and it's not like I'm stacking up promo GCs on one order. Everything I did was accepted into their system, confirmed, and for the most part shipped out long ago. I did have a few large outstanding orders, but at least tell me what I did wrong. Using Promo GCs is a bit vague. I guess I should have ordered already released discs at 15% off with no other discounts. Then I'd be okay. I mean I never had a major problem with Amazon before, and I've been a customer for over 2 years and have written them before. But all of a sudden now I'm no longer wanted

Hoc..I hope you let us know what happens in the end.