Kindle Ebook Returns

            There’s been something going on in the ebook world that some authors have been unhappy about. Let me tell you about Kindle book returns on Amazon.

            I can understand why they allow returns – if you click the wrong button shopping online, you could accidentally buy a book when you might have been trying to download the free sample instead. Or you realize the next day that you already have that book on your shelf. No problem. But Amazon allows a full week for you to return an ebook. I can easily read a book in less than a week. If I wanted to, I could use Amazon as an ebook lending site.

            There are ways to borrow ebooks – my library lends tons of ebooks, and I check them out all the time. But I’ve never bought an ebook on Amazon with the intention of reading it and returning it for a refund later.

            I’ve also heard readers complain that they didn’t like the book, hence the return. Most ebooks have a free sample to try before you buy. I think that’s more than fair to determine if you like the general style and tone of the book. Is it really fair, then, to return it because you don’t like it?

            My opinion is that seven days is too long. One or two days maybe would allow accidental purchases to be returned. Longer than that and Amazon can expect some people to use it as a lending library. I do understand that people don’t have tons of cash, but the bottom line is if you like an author’s work, buy it! Or at least borrow it from the library or a friend who has already bought the book. It’s hard to make a living as an author, so if you’d like them to keep writing, support their work.

            What do you think? Should Amazon change their ebook return policy? Or do you think seven days is fair?