Broken Kindles and Amazon's support responses

Back before I was an iPad convert I went through not one, but two, Kindles that had broken screens (they used to be really flimsy if you didn't have a bulletproof case) and Amazon dealt with it perfectly. Amazon never asked any questions and always immediate shipped off a new kindle and return packaging in both cases. I was completely stunned.

I think that given the millions of Kindles sold, the one meager blog page of complaints that dates from '09 is pretty much testament to how good a job Amazon has done with their product and service.

*Disclaimer: I've had 2 broken Kindles (of 5 in the extended family) to date, both replaced without question.

Kind of an aside but the post relates to a UK purchase and in the UK there's a reasonable chance that Amazon are actually liable for a replacement under the Sale of Goods Act.

Part of the SoGA states that things must be "fit for purpose" and it's not uncommon to deem something that costs £150 and only lasts 13 months without ill treatment as not "fit for purpose", regardless of what the warranty says.

The trick tends to be to read up on this and make it clear that you understand your rights and that your claim is under the Sale of Goods act rather than against the warranty or whatever. It's astonishing how many previously intractable companies change their view when you calmly and politely explain that you understand your legal rights and are willing to hold them to them (which you can do very cheaply without legal representation through the small claims court).

Some of those seem to be people who damaged their kindles then got upset that Amazon wouldn't replace them for free? Do they have the same approach if they crash their cars I wonder...

And the entire site has 6 complaints. Since 2009. And two of those got free replacements.

The first post complains about Amazon asking for 50 bucks to replace a Kindle outside the warranty. People will just complain, no matter what you do.

My first DX fell off the bed and the screen broke. I called them up the next day and my current DX arrived shortly after that. The most surprising thing was the lack of any sort of return label for sending back my broken DX. Over the years, I have been served well by Amazon so I have come to expect (and am always relieved by) their good service (to me).

I wonder if Amazon's back-end is clever enough to flag big spenders and know whether it's cost effective to send a replacement kindle.

It's a clever idea, but then if the information leaks onto the web people may get pissed at the double-standard which to them may seem arbitrary.