fisherman, you definitely know how to sarcastically wipe the floor with amazon...I also like how they show that there's no gift wrap or tax charge!... now if only hoc sent that as a reply...

this again proves how inept amazon's email CSRs can really be...what a waste of time

good luck hoc if you make another attempt (you should!)

Hey, remember Amazon's "Safe shopping" guarantee? If any unauthorized charges are posted to your card as a result of an order at Amazon, you will not have to pay anything for the purchase:

"The Amazon.com Safe Shopping Guarantee protects you while you shop at Amazon.com, so that you never have to worry about credit card safety. Period.

We guarantee that every transaction you make at Amazon.com will be safe. This means you pay nothing if unauthorized charges are made to your card as a result of shopping at Amazon.com."

I think this definitely qualifies. Perhaps I should exercise my rights under the guarantee. Think they'll honor it? I doubt it.

I believe in the legal sense, Amazon themselves are authorized to charge so I doubt that even fits.

I am curious what happened with this whole GC thing. I don't think I've seen a firm answer from Amazon. But complaining here won't do anything, someone would actually have to talk to Amazon. And while it may be a "waste of time", it would probably be better than wasting time complaining about it here. One might actually see a real answer.

I consider posting the troubles here as sort of a public service -- a way of letting people thinking of shopping at Amazon know of the potential problems with the store. That is the reason for having this board. I don't consider that to be a waste of time, and I certainly don't expect that, by posting here, it makes any difference in connection with the resolution of my issue.

In other words, contrasting the time spent posting here and the time spent on hold on the telephone with Amazon CSRs really is comparing apples and oranges.

Hoc, I agree with you about the public service part and think after checking your website that you should try and add a "led successful class action lawsuit against Amazon.com " to the top of your list.

I have been to other forums where people are also really POed about this kind of stuff. Yet every time I turn on the TV, there is good 'ol Jeff B. telling us how Amazon has "increased service" for their customers with a "leaner, more focused" organization. Yeah right.

Actually, Nekobus, I wouldn't lead any class action against Amazon, as I suspect that, in the end, there will be no money to collect. Amazon is obviously hemhorraging money, as it seems to lose money on every sale.

Never sue an entity unless it actually has assets.

AT&T, on the other hand. . .

I do see the difference, but I see this could also be an isolated incident. Let's face it, in the course of thousands and thousands of orders, they will screw up some. And I know it sucks when it happens, but it still will occur.

This seems to be some sort of computer error that may or may not be intentional. And you seem like a trustworthy guy, and I believe your story, but I also know people who thought they were right about something and later found out they were wrong. Amazon probably screwed up, but could it really hurt to check? Maybe they would honor your GCs if you could explain your situation to someone, as I doubt they truely understand anything from a few e-mails.

Sure it's a waste of a few minuites time, but if it resolved the issue, wouldn't it be better than continuing on about it here?

I am glad you posted this and are keeping us informed. I once had to send an email 4 times before someone understood my problem and fixed it. personally I would just take it up with the fraud unit of your credit card company and let it go at that.

I am glad i thought Share the Love was too complicated for me and with a large potential for abuse by amazon. it looks like they are screwing people over huge on this program.

Too true!

For those who are thinking this is an isolated incident-it's not. Many others have had the same problem.

As for the phone hold time and canned email responses, that's what happens when Amazon lays off a big chunk of its CSRs.

Well I haven't seen any other people have problems with GCs. It would suck if Amazon no longer accepted stackable GCs, but then again I don't get many GC these days either.

Amazon does not get it. This is not about a problem with a gift certificate. It is about a problem with Amazon confirming a price and shipping the product while charging my credit card more than the confirmed price, and not asking me to approve the overchange. It is the first time I have had this problem with Amazon, and the first time I have seen it posted. Others may have had a similar problem or not.

As far as I know, it is a new problem (although others have had many other problems with Amazon recently), and may indicate a shift in Amazon's business practices due to foundering liquidity. It happened to two other Amazon orders I placed on the same day, also using a combination of GCs, STL and promo coupons. All three orders were changed when Amazon started messing with the STL credits, and all of my GCs, STL and promo coupons were suddenly listed as "promotional credits" on the receipt. However, when I got the overcharge on this order, I switched my payment method on the other two orders to a webcertificate, each of which I funded $5 over the purchase price. On both of those orders, I got messages from Amazon that they needed another method of payment because my webcertificates would not authorize the charge. So, it never happened to me before, but suddenly it happened three times. If this starts to happen a lot, then people need to be very wary of Amazon.

Posting here is indeed sharing troubles and solutions with our fellow dvd-er in quest of unscrewing themself from amazon's shenanigans. It allows for stress relief in form of cynicism, as we share a common bond to own the famed "DVD." Amazon, the hostage taker has taken our dvds hostage and holds us to infurious demands...constantly reneging on previous agreements of contract.

We are in the fight of our lives folks, but we shall win and our DVDs shall be liberated.

(I do not condone the "liberation" of DVDs from the local B&M shelves though no matter how easy and pleasant it may be).


I love this forum!

The latest: They sent me another email, again trying to justify the overcharge. My response:

"Again, regardless of your research, the bottom line is, you confirmed one price for my order, and then simply charged a higher price to my credit card without requesting confirmation of the price increase. Had you requested me to approve a higher charge, I would have declined. Your site promises that you will not increase the charges on an order without first requesting approval of the increase. You did not request approval. Your site contains a "safe shopping" guarantee that no unauthorized charges will be made to my credit card as a result of an order placed at Amazon. You made an unauthorized charge with this order. Your site promises that, if you do make such an unauthorized charge, you guarantee that I will pay nothing as the result of the order.

Accordingly, it does not matter whether this order was correct or incorrect. It does not matter whether the confirmation for the lower price reflected an attempt to pay with jellybeans. The bottom line is that I was charged more than the confirmed price without first seeking my approval. Unauthorized charges were made to my credit card as a result of this order. Please refund my money."

Ultimately, I suppose this will probably end up as a CC challenge.

Amazon finally apologised for cancelling my STL, and gave me a GC.
Does $10 make up for being called a liar, a cheat and a fraud?, not really, and if jiggyblau is anything to go by, this will happen again.
It's a shame, I really had hope at one stage that Amazon was the one benchmark etailer everyone could always rely on for service, if nothing else.

Hoc-

I have to say I guess I was wrong on Amazon. I could not get into my account today and then I got this e-mail from amazon which came from my "complaint" about the DeNiro set. I didn't really complain about not getting the misprice, but I felt that giving some customers a "bonus" and not others was wrong. In the e-mail they said to me:

I would like to move on to the matter of your account and
abuse
of our promotional certificates. While looking into your account and
ordering history, it has come to my attention that you have made
generous
use of several of our promotional certificates. Generally, we
encourage
our customers to use the promotional certificates to their benefit,
however, it is clear that you have abused this privilege, having used
many
promotional certificates that are limited to one per customer.

This abuse of our promotional restrictions will not be tolerated.
Accordingly, your account with Amazon.com have been closed and
all
outstanding orders have been cancelled. We are no longer interested in
doing business with you.

I have no idea what they mean by multiple promotional discounts. I can only assume it has to do with using GCs I've gotten here. From the coupons like those posted in the bargain forums and sometimes getting those old $5 promos. I've picked up many GCs along the way from Jaboom, Freeride, and here on this board. But it seems I'm in a related boat. Needless to say this comes as quite a shock, but I guess I will take my business elsewhere

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.