# Amazon seller protection, again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347 "2012-12-07T21:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/21 "2012-12-10T15:16:16Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > I tried to download Diane Duane’s first of 7 Wizarding books to my Kindle (“So You Want to Be a Wizard”, by far the most popular book in the series) for my wife to read. All the other 6 books can be bought for the Kindle as e-books, because they don’t sell well, but the first one is audiobook only. > > And I didn’t purchase it, because they pissed me off with that. Assholes. That’s likely a publisher’s decision, not Amazon’s - if they had ebook rights to it, they’d definitely sell the book. For the OP: I do think it’s shady that they advertise the card and instead you got a photocopied sheet, and I agree 5 dollars is insane shipping for either format - though presumably the shipping fee was disclosed at the time you placed the order so you can’t say you were blindsided by it. I’m also a bit surprised that they refused your review. I often see people panning an item, when from their comments it’s clearly the _vendor_ that is the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/22 "2012-12-10T15:33:07Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > I think it is legitimate. What if he wanted to give it as a gift? I expect to get what I was promised even if it is not needed. I’d be upset - for example if a product didn’t come with the packaging. Silly? Perhaps, but that is what I expect. > > After looking at the page it isn’t clear from the pic it is an actual card, but seems logical to assume it is. > > I can certainly see people not caring that there is a card, but not everyone thinks the same way. I ordered the phone, the SD card and the time card from the same seller. Since it’s for my 12yo son, I planned to assemble and charge the phone and load the time before I give it as a gift. I would prefer to have the original time-card from Tracfone because if there are any difficulties getting the time to validate I can (1) say, yes, I have the real card; (2) give them the addtional validating number that’s under the other scratch panel; (3) generally prove that I bought this nonphysical product. A piece of paper that looks like it was produced by a school secretary, with no name, numbers, seller ID, nothing - just a sticker with 16 digits on it - is going to be a real PITA if the numbers don’t validate. I paid $5 for the pictured, described Tracfone card to be sent to me - and had I known I was going to get this problematic (never mind overpriced) sheet of bond instead, I would have spent about the same amount buying a card locally. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/23 "2012-12-10T15:48:16Z")
> **[The Truth Behind Amazon's Success? It's Kinda Evil.](https://www.upworthy.com/the-truth-behind-amazons-success-theyre-kinda-evil?c=bl3)** > > Amazon.com is responsible for a third of online sales, and that number is on the rise. It has become this colossal through unfair business and labor practices that are getting worse every day. **The Truth Behind Amazon’s Success? It’s Kinda Evil** Puts them right up there with Walmart and Target. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/24 "2012-12-10T16:28:08Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > [The Truth Behind Amazon's Success? It's Kinda Evil. - Upworthy](http://www.upworthy.com/the-truth-behind-amazons-success-theyre-kinda-evil?c=bl3) > > **The Truth Behind Amazon’s Success? It’s Kinda Evil** > > Puts them right up there with Walmart and Target. Meh. You get big enough there’s always something and there’s always someone digging to find it. Not only that, but it’s merely a blog, and a blog bought & paid for by Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which is against any & all big business. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/25 "2012-12-10T16:33:06Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I’m also a bit surprised that they refused your review. I often see people panning an item, when from their comments it’s clearly the _vendor_ that is the issue. “They” as in Amazon, likely didn’t “refuse’ anything. If the review was auto-rejected, it means it contained a verboten word or phrase. Rarely does a human make a decision or even read it, it’s all bots. This makes me think that the OP has not been totally honest with us. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/26 "2012-12-10T17:31:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “They” as in Amazon, likely didn’t “refuse’ anything. If the review was auto-rejected, it means it contained a verboten word or phrase. Rarely does a human make a decision or even read it, it’s all bots. This makes me think that the OP has not been totally honest with us. The review is quoted in Post #6 above. I don’t see anything that strikes me as a likely “verboten word or phrase,” but I do see how it might have been rejected due to being more about the seller than about the product itself, or due to mentioning prices/costs (which are subject to change and are not inherent in the item). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/27 "2012-12-10T17:57:08Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The review is quoted in Post #6 above. I don’t see anything that strikes me as a likely “verboten word or phrase,” but I do see how it might have been rejected due to being more about the seller than about the product itself, or due to mentioning prices/costs (which are subject to change and are not inherent in the item). Honestly, it could _not_ have been \*rejected \*for that reason. No one at Amazon checks the reviews for that sort of thing. Certain words and phrases are verboten, these are found by bots. Perhaps the OP included a couple words in the review which are not in his post. Now, if it was posted, and the seller complained to Amazon, then yes, it could have been rejected for that reason. But that doesn’t match what the OP sez. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/28 "2012-12-10T18:18:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Honestly, it could _not_ have been \*rejected \*for that reason. No one at Amazon checks the reviews for that sort of thing. Certain words and phrases are verboten, these are found by bots. I was just wondering whether there was something (like too many uses of “I/me/my” in the review) that could have made the bots reject it as being not a review of the product itself. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/29 "2012-12-10T19:11:51Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I was just wondering whether there was something (like too many uses of “I/me/my” in the review) that could have made the bots reject it as being not a review of the product itself. I have had reviews with plenty of such words, no issue. I am fairly high up as a Amazon reviewer, I write many reviews every week. What the Op could do is go to one of the Amazon forums, post his review, and see if any eagle eye can spot what the Bot found. It is more likely that what he posted here leaves out a word or two, for example “rip-off” is a no-no. In any case, such rejections have nothing at all to do with protecting Amazon sellers. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/30 "2012-12-10T21:17:44Z")
Your review seemed perfectly reasonable to me. I’m sure they have a lot of different people reading the reviews, you probably just got a picky one. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/31 "2012-12-10T21:22:05Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Now, if it was posted, and the seller complained to Amazon, then yes, it could have been rejected for that reason. But that doesn’t match what the OP sez. The review was rejected in minutes. I posted it, and the rejection email came no more than 30 minutes later. It may have been much less; I wasn’t paying attention. So if it’s not a bot-ject, and if there aren’t any obvious reasons, then I guess I have to go with picky/irritable review reviewer. I am waiting for the phone to arrive so I can see if the key code is valid and works without problems. I will post another review - attempt to post - after that step. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/32 "2012-12-10T21:42:58Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > The review was rejected in minutes. I posted it, and the rejection email came no more than 30 minutes later. It may have been much less; I wasn’t paying attention. > > So if it’s not a bot-ject, and if there aren’t any obvious reasons, then I guess I have to go with picky/irritable review reviewer. > > I. Sigh. There are no “review reviewers”, picky or otherwise. (Well, not in the first wave anyway. You can reach a real person and have then actually read your review if you complain long enough up Amazons ladder and manage to fight your way past ranks of bots ) But if like you said, it was rejected within minutes, that because a bot rejected it. No real person ever saw it, so no real person could have rejected it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/33 "2012-12-10T21:44:31Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Your review seemed perfectly reasonable to me. I’m sure they have a lot of different people reading the reviews, you probably just got a picky one. No, they have no Amazon staff at all checking the reviews. Amazon depends upon bot blocking or member reportage. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/34 "2012-12-10T22:48:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No real person ever saw it, so no real person could have rejected it. I’ll take your word for it. Which means I must have used some count or combination of keywords that tripped the bot. As I said, when I actually have the phone and can validate the time number… I will try again. And report here. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/35 "2012-12-11T00:54:54Z")
> [@drew870mitchell](#): > > and is **al0752** joking? Jeff Bezos founded Amazon. He’s been with them since the beginning. He’s not joking. He’s just an idiot with a great and possibly irrational dislike of Amazon. He also thinks that Amazon, the market leader in ebook readers, which basically has no greater goal at the moment than to dominate the ebook market and become the biggest e-publisher in the world, was withholding an ebook version of some book. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/36 "2012-12-11T04:17:51Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > He’s not joking. He’s just an idiot with a great and possibly irrational dislike of Amazon. > > He also thinks that Amazon, the market leader in ebook readers, which basically has no greater goal at the moment than to dominate the ebook market and become the biggest e-publisher in the world, was withholding an ebook version of some book. Are you calling me a liar? ROFL The book wasn’t available as an e-book. I have little doubt Amazon OK’d this happily, and probably even suggested it. The fact that it changed means they probably weren’t getting many purchases of the audiobook, because people probably felt, like me, that it was a ridiculous greedy money-grab. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/37 "2012-12-11T04:50:12Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > Are you calling me a liar? ROFL > > The book wasn’t available as an e-book. I have little doubt Amazon OK’d this happily, and probably even suggested it. The fact that it changed means they probably weren’t getting many purchases of the audiobook, because people probably felt, like me, that it was a ridiculous greedy money-grab. Amazon makes it’s biggest mark-ups on e-books (well, pretty much everyone does) and audiobooks have the smallest profit margins. And the book is available as a e-book. But the reason why it’s wasn’t available for a while is that the author felt she had to update portions: [http://www.dianeduane.com/diane-duane-so-you-want-to-be-a-wizard-new-millennium-edition-out-now](http://www.dianeduane.com/diane-duane-so-you-want-to-be-a-wizard-new-millennium-edition-out-now) So, yes, you are completely, absolutely,\* on several levels-\* **dead wrong**. ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/38 "2012-12-11T05:59:09Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Amazon makes it’s biggest mark-ups on e-books (well, pretty much everyone does) and audiobooks have the smallest profit margins. > > And the book is available as a e-book. > > But the reason why it’s wasn’t available for a while is that the author felt she had to update portions: > [http://www.dianeduane.com/diane-duane-so-you-want-to-be-a-wizard-new-millennium-edition-out-now](http://www.dianeduane.com/diane-duane-so-you-want-to-be-a-wizard-new-millennium-edition-out-now) > So, yes, you are completely, absolutely,\* on several levels-\* **dead wrong**. I still don’t care. Amazon’s abuses of its workers are plenty for me to hate them. They could have at least explained why the e-book wasn’t currently available, which would have been good customer service. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/39 "2012-12-11T14:03:17Z")
> [@al27052](#): > > I still don’t care. Amazon’s abuses of its workers are plenty for me to hate them. > > They could have at least explained why the e-book wasn’t currently available, which would have been good customer service. Why on earth _should_ they explain??? I mean, if you had contacted them and _asked_ them, they certainly should have answered you, but if I’m looking at a book I don’t expect it to have any statement as to why they don’t carry any particular version of it. Hate 'em for the warehouse / worker abuses, fine. But not for the other. They have absolutely _no_ reason to withhold an ebook version of anything, or encourage publishers to do so. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347/40 "2012-12-11T15:04:01Z")
If it is demonstrated that Amazon abuses its workers, then the company should change its policies and make retribution. The existence of a lawsuit is not proof, however, nor is the account of an undercover writer who worked there a couple of days and found it tough work. I did a couple of temp jobs working in warehouses, and guess what? It sorta sucked. It was hard work, and it wasn’t for a super-high-volume vendor like Amazon. When I was offered a permanent job I turned it down and found something else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-seller-protection-again/643347.md?page=3)