Amazon/Kindle returns

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Whimsical Writing

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Hi guys,

So I searched the site and saw previous threads in prior years on this subject, and so I wanted to renew the question: anyone have issues with Amazon/Kindle returns? I'm annoyed.

1: I think most read and return, using it like a library. Maybe a few clicked on the wrong button.

2: If 1 is true, there's not much help for us. Amazon wants to keep their customers and keep them happy- so what's a return to them even if the customer has a revolving door of ebooks in and ebooks out?

I'm frustrated. How do you guys deal with this? Is this totally a newbie frustration that will ebb with more experience and books published?

Thanks!
 

Cella

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I could be wrong, so someone please correct me if I am, but I thought that if an ebook has been advanced past some percentage or page # then it can't be returned, with the aim of preventing amazon from being used as a lending library...?
 

Whimsical Writing

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Oh. I forgot to add that I didn't even know ebooks were returnable. And to think, I've read some hair-pulling books that I've wanted to toss my reader across the room!
 

J. Tanner

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Everything could be better, but I'm fine with their return policy as is.

I believe most returns are just due to mis-clicks (outside of erotica where there appears to be a larger problem). I've done it myself more than once. The Kindle e-inks are especially vulnerable to accidentally being on the buy button by default when you're just trying to navigate.

Amazon already cracks down on serial returners. They don't get away with this forever. Some get their return previleges revoked, and others get their account deleted, sometimes without warning. (It would be nice if they could act a little quicker. There are some obvious patterns that they don't act on quickly.)

Most of the serial returners and the book scrapers weren't going to buy your book anyway if the exploit didn't exist. So don't think of them as lost sales. Think of them as free improvement to your rank and discoverability.

ETA: There is no threshold of amount read that disables returns. The return option is automatically available for 7 day. After that you can still return by going through customer service and giving a reasonable explanation.
 
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Polenth

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It hasn't been an issue for me. It was months before I saw the first return, and I've only had a couple. They were so quick, I saw the return appear with the sale... so either they read the first few pages and hated it or it was a misclick. I've no reason to assume it was dishonest, due to the speed.

If you're getting a high percentage of returns, it might be there's something putting people off. If it's a low percentage, don't worry. There will always be a few.
 

Whimsical Writing

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J. Tanner, thanks for that info. You make valid points and it makes me feel better. Just curious, how do you know they crack down on serial returners? I
 

Elly_Green

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How or where can you find statistics on returns?

I have looked here, there, everywhere on KDP for that stat and even did a Google search for help. So, either I am using the wrong approach or I am missing something very obvious.

Thank you!
 

Polenth

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How or where can you find statistics on returns?

I have looked here, there, everywhere on KDP for that stat and even did a Google search for help. So, either I am using the wrong approach or I am missing something very obvious.

Thank you!

It's in your "Month-to-Date Unit Sales" report on KDP. In the table, look at the numbers for "Units Refunded". Those are the returns. For some reason, it doesn't take returns into account on the line graph you get on the first page, so you need to look at the table to get your net sales (sales minus returns).

https://kdp.amazon.com/reports

I think the spreadsheets it generates lists it too, but I don't have them to hand at the moment to see where.
 

Celeste Carrara

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I've only had 2 returns. One, I'm not sure why and another, which was about a week ago was a purchase & return right away so I'm guessing that was a mis - click.

I try not to worry about stuff like that ;)
 

LOTLOF

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About a 2% return rate seems normal. I've had returns every single month, even on titles that are $.99. I just consider it part of the process. Don't let it bother you. Customers would be much less willing to buy ebooks if they could not return them at all.
 

TheaFair

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I worried about possible returns when I started using Amazon, but it really hasn't been that much of a problem so far for me.

Each book I've put through Amazon has had one return within the first day of being published. I generally publish short stories so it's very possible that they're read and returned, but the missclick is also possible I guess. I've only had one book bought and then returned three days later. It is a relatively low number, and most of the returns do seem to happen so fast that I don't even really consider them as revenue lost. The one that took three days made me sour for a bit, mostly because the return occurred at the start of another month and I started the month in the red because of it, but I let it go because it was only the second return of that particular book. Most people who bought it kept it, and I assume enjoyed it.
 

Mclesh

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I haven't had a return in a while. *knocks wood* We can never really know if they're due to a misclick or the reader just didn't care for the book. But it's not enough to be a problem.

My first returns (2) were with my publisher, and they listed them in the book's sales figures. That did worry me for a while. I mean, I really took it personally. :cry:

Luckily, it's rare. And I prefer to think of them as mistakes. :D
 

HistorySleuth

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I've had I think 3 over the last 5 months, and I sell books every day. I wouldn't worry to much about it, unless of course you see a lot as others have said.
 

Dallionz

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I've had a few returns. It was weird because I had one return when the book first game out (August 6th) then nothing until the beginning of September and I've had four or five returns now. Someone once told me it seemed like returns came in bunches.
 

grayworld

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About a 2% return rate seems normal. I've had returns every single month, even on titles that are $.99. I just consider it part of the process. Don't let it bother you. Customers would be much less willing to buy ebooks if they could not return them at all.

I completely agree. The 2% return rate has been my experience too, albeit over a much smaller sample size. I chalk it up to sloppy fingers on the smartphone or tablet. Mistakes happen. I doubt there's anything nefarious going on.
 

Anita M Shaw

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I know this is an older thread, but as I've had two sales and two returns this month, I have to say I'm discouraged. One a middle grade novel and the other a contemporary romance.

Such a bummer to login to the dashboard and get momentarily psyched to see sales and then see a big fat zero in the royalties column. If we could know why they were returned we could fix it . . . maybe.

Oh, well . . . tomorrow I'll pick myself up and keep plugging.
 

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A friend of mine has had eight or nine returns this last week, all of different works, from the same three people. She thought it so odd that she asked Amazon to look into it; and she asked around to see if anyone else was seeing an upturn in returns. It seems that there has been a surge in returns lately, it is considered suspicious, and Amazon is investigating.
 
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