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Officially Done with Amazon!

2K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  wormil 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Previously I had posted about how Prime wasn't always Prime. See this thread http://lumberjocks.com/topics/243769

Now, I'm done with them. A few days ago, I added my wife onto my Prime account as she wanted to do some Christmas Shopping. We added her credit card for payment purposes and all seemed ok. The following night she went on the site and made some purchases. The total was just over $100. I explained to her that she will get an email confirming the purchases and then another email when the items are shipped. As of tonight, she had not received any emails confirming shipping so she went into her account and everything she ordered was in her cancelled items folder. So she called Amazon for an explanation. They told her that since she was a new customer and not using the same payment method that I use, it was flagged for cancellation for security purposes. So I got on the phone and asked the customer service person to explain further. I said … So are you saying it's ok if someone uses my credit card to make purchases but they can't use their own because they are a new customer? How does a new customer not affiliated with any current member make a purchase then since they are new and have a new form of payment? The woman said…That's just our policy and I'm sorry but there's nothing we can do. Your wife is welcome to create her own Prime account if that helps you any. I said, so what you're really saying is that you want another $99 to make this issue go away? She then said she was sorry again but that was all she could do to help. UNBELIEVABLE! I'm done. I'll just be more careful when I make purchases and try to get free shipping when I can from other companies.
 
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#2 ·
I know it's not what you want to hear but that policy is for your own protection. You should just add her card to your account as a different payment method. My whole family of 5 uses my Amazon account. They just click on their credit card number when selecting the method of payment.
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I know it s not what you want to hear but that policy is for your own protection. You should just add her card to your account as a different payment method. My whole family of 5 uses my Amazon account. They just click on their credit card number when selecting the method of payment.

- Andybb
Same here, no issues. I have 4 different people using my account with 4 different cards….never an issue.
 
#4 ·
Amazon wouldn't allow me to share Prime with my wife unless we share payment methods. Depending on your business, half or more of all sales for the year can happen between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and most of the fraud, so companies are extra careful for your benefit and theirs (mostly theirs). Many people do not like online shopping. They want to look someone in the eye, also-wait in line, smell old lady farts, waste gas driving around, and get rude service. Personally I prefer shopping from home.
 
#5 ·
Nothing like the smell of old lady farts in the evening :)

I don't mind occasionally going to a brick and mortar store and oggling the goods first hand, particularly when you just want to see the thing in person first before buying. If I know exactly what I want, then it's online time. Sometimes it's just to the store to see what fits (last time was for a motorcycle helmet), so I know the size to order online. The stores just love it when I do that! <grin>

Cheers,
Brad
 
#6 ·
I know it s not what you want to hear but that policy is for your own protection. You should just add her card to your account as a different payment method. My whole family of 5 uses my Amazon account. They just click on their credit card number when selecting the method of payment.

- Andybb
You obviously have had your account set up that way for a while then because that's not possible now. They limit you to only adding one other adult to your Prime account. Also, her card was added to my account as well as hers. That wasn't the issue. They wouldn't allow her to use it. She had to use my normal card for purchases. It was the only one they would allow. That was the only way they would honor the purchase. If she wanted to use her own card, she had to pay $99 for her own Prime account. This wasn't a security or fraud protection issue. They verified who I was when on the phone and still refused to allow the purchase to go through. Just how would they receive that $99 new Prime membership fee anyway that they suggested we sign up for if they won't allow the use of the card we added as payment? This was their way of saying for $99 we'll let her use her own card and that's BS.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
My suggestion was not to add an adult, just another card to your account. If she wants her own account then she needs to pay the $99. You are right. That has nothing to do with fraud. Those are the rules laid out in the agreement that nobody reads. But I just added another card to my prime acct last week. The card is not in my name and there was no issue with adding it. I don't work for Amazon, I was just trying to help you by telling you what has worked for me and seems to work for others based on the responses. It's how you get around the one person rule. Their goal is to collect as many $99 members as they can. The fact that they let you add other cards to your account knowing that other people are using it is ok by me.
 
#8 ·
Andy, she doesn't want her own account. I know that's not what you were saying and she was perfectly happy being part of my account. I was just explaining to you that the card was added to both my account and her "household" account. It's what Amazon calls it now. That card wasn't allowed to be used by my wife. I don't understand it. It's her card with her name and a $0 balance. I can use the card supposedly on my account (have not attempted that) but she can't use her own card on her account. She can however use my card that I have used for a long time, according to the Amazon representative. It makes no sense to me. Maybe what they were trying to say but failed to was that if I added her card to my account, used it, making it an established form of payment and then added it to her account, she could use it. Because she is a new member, she has to use a payment method that is already established (my card or any card I add to my account and use first), I have no idea. All I know is they are a company that's loved by many and most have no issues at all. I just happen to be one that has had more than one issue with them and it's not worth the hassle to continue using them.
 
#10 ·
I just added my self to my wife's prime account, added my credit card and used it a couple of days later without any of the problems you are having. It looks like the only difference is I had an amazon account that I had been using for several years. Maybe she need to sign up for her own account without prime use it a couple of times then get added to your prime account.
 
#11 ·
I am also done using Amazon for online purchases. Until 2-3 years ago, their service was still acceptable. I would pad the order with enough stuff to get free shipping and it would usually arrive in about 3 days. Then they started sitting on the order for 8 days and shipping it so it would arrive on the 10th day. Now it feels like they are holding the order hostage because I won't pay the $99 ransom.

There are plenty of other places to order stuff online with free shipping on a $25-35 order and good customer service. Amazon used to account for 80% of my online orders. Now it is less than 10% because of their horrible service for non-prime customers.
 
#13 ·
johnstoneb, I'm happy you aren't experiencing any of the problems I have. Your point could be valid. It's as good of a reason as any I've heard or thought of. My wife signed up just a couple of days before trying to make the purchase and was linked to my Prime account at the same time. It was the first time using the account. Even if that is the reason, customer service should have explained it rather than just saying she needed to pay for her own Prime account, It's a security policy and they can't help me any further. That told me nothing when on the phone with them!

Rick_M, the credit card was linked to my account. It was listed as a payment form on both of our accounts but neither of us had used it yet until she attempted to. Again, Amazon could have explained that if that was the reason.

Steve, They do the same thing with Prime members too. "Two day free shipping" means you'll receive it two days after they ship it which can be several days after you place the order. Deceptive practices for sure.
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
Not that it really matters but today I realized how of an impact where you live has to do with delivery success and timeliness. I ordered a Grizzly product on Thursday with my Amazon acct but Prime was not an option. Estimated delivery was Dec. 26th. It arrived today. Grizzly is about an hour north of Seattle, and I live in Seattle. Go figure. :)
 
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