Amazon is changing return rules: customers will have to take this into account in the future

Created: 09/29/2022, 13:43

By: Victoria Krumbeck

An Amazon Kindle with a selection of e-books.

© Jakub Kaczmarczyk/dpa

There is a major abuse gap at Amazon that a new return policy aims to fill.

The rights of authors are protected.

New York - Many consumers have switched to the digital form of reading.

On a small tablet, tomes like Anna Karenina or Lord of the Rings can be taken anywhere with no added weight.

Customers can also return e-books, audio books or software like other goods.

A right of withdrawal of 14 days applies to these products.

The potential for abuse is very high here, because books can simply be read and then exchanged.

But that will soon be the end of it, at least at Amazon.

Amazon changes rules for consumers: no longer possible to return e-books?

There is no question that not everyone can like all books.

So if you are dissatisfied with your purchase, you can also return your e-book to Amazon within 14 days.

But not all customers are fair to the authors - some use the gap and simply return books they have read.

The American professional organization for writers "The Authors Guild" has now announced that it has reached an agreement with Amazon on the matter.

Amazon plans to tighten return policies.

As the organization announced, the company will only take back books from customers if no more than ten percent have been read.

The change is expected to take effect in the US later this year.

Anyone who has already read more than ten percent of a book and still wants to return it must send a request to customer service.

Then it is first checked whether the abuse guidelines have been violated or not.

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Amazon changes return policy: introduction in Germany still uncertain

Amazon wants to close the rights gap with this regulation.

The British letter tax union "Society of Authors" and numerous authors also campaigned for the new regulation.

However, it is still unclear when the new return guidelines will also be introduced in Germany.

Also this year, Amazon introduced its new e-book reader, which will be launched in October.