Thursday 7 November 2013

Lost in the Amazon Jungle


The idiot. That's me. Or so Amazon thinks. 



I ordered and paid for a book a week ago. It was a copy of Eat and Run by ultra-runner Scott Jurek.

Two days ago I received a computer generated email from Amazon: Your book has been despatched. You will receive it in approximately 6 days.

Today I received a second email, again by computer generated email, to the effect that the book was undeliverable. It listed several possible reasons why my order had not be delivered, albeit there were still 4 days to go before the delivery date according to their earlier email.

As far as I could see none of the given reasons applied to me. I could reorder it via their website if I wanted to they said. But I don't think I'll bother. I think I'll buy it elsewhere. I think I shall place an order for it at a small independent bookshop. I don't think I'll be visiting Amazon again.

I now recall that there were problems at Amazon earlier in the year; something to do with the pathetic rate of pay at the main European warehouse in Germany it was. There was talk of relocating elsewhere. I think Poland was mentioned.

A third computer generated email, ten minutes after the  second, informs me that my money will be refunded within 10 days.

That's very generous of Amazon  don't you think?

Not one word of apology for the inconvenience by the way. Just as well I didn't order any of the other books they have recently been bombarding me to buy.


8 comments:

  1. Peerhaps it is something to do with your living abroad Gwil. I must say that I find them most efficient here (hope that isn't tempting fate).

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  2. You must have been very unlucky about this. If you have a kindle you could download it straightway.

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  3. Pat, perhaps you're right but it seems to me they have made no effort to keep to their side of the contract. If they are having problems with their delivery agency that's something they have to deal with. I've kept my side of the contract. So they should keep theirs.

    Rachel I dont' have a Kindle. I just bought Eco's Prague Cemetery as my rucksack book. When I've finished with books I like to give them to friends or to charity jumble sales.

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  4. No, I don't have a kindle either. I just threw it in for good measure.

    Would that be Umberto Eco? I think he would stay in my rucksack. I recall having to read something of his at art school and finding him difficult.

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  5. Hi Rachel, Umberto Eco - The Prague Cemetery - I've just checked and I'm on p59 - which means I read 59 pages on the train today. "A complex tale of 19th cent plots and conspiracies says one blurb" so could get difficult as you say but going ok up to now.

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  6. Semiotics, that's what it was about, a difficult subject I think. The Prague Cemetery could be very good because I just checked it out and see it is described on Wikipedia as "a narrative on the rise of modern day anti-Semitism". How long was the train journey though....f

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  7. I couldn't read all the time (3 hrs) because the train was full and there distractions. I'd read 2 or 3 pages. Pause. Read again. Pause again etc.. But it passed the time and the journey just seemed easier in the end as I have a cold at the moment. I left a note about my night out with Arsenal 40 yrs ago on your blog.

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  8. I just read it and left a reply. I like train journeys and never read in case I miss something.

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