Author Topic: Amazon Reviews  (Read 4032 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Amazon Reviews
« on: May 24, 2009, 06:56:25 AM »
Last week I ordered a book from Amazon ~ it is intended as a gift for my SiL, to be given to her for her birthday by my MiL. The old lady can no longer see to type and asked me to order the book for her. I don't expect Amazon to know this background but I placed the order 3 days ago. Why are Amazon hounding me for the book review already! Banghead They haven't even sent the bloody thing yet!

In general, if there would be one thing that would stop me using Amazon ever again, it is this constant barrage of emails DEMANDING reviews for every damned thing one buys from them.

I buy lots of books from them, many for me but many as gifts. My niece in Switzerland teaches English over there and has problems getting suitable books (she teaches age range 3 to 5) so she emails me the titles and I order them from Amazon. MY brother then carries them over when he visits his daughter. This is MUCH cheaper than her buying them direct from Amazon as Switzerland, being outside the EU, gets charged hooooge rates for postage by Amazon. But a year after the last purchase of this sort Amazon are sill pursuing me for reviews on the bloody childrens books. They will not take no for an answer. I have tried refusal and they ask again, I have tried sarcasm and they publish it as my review. I have told them I want nothing more to do with them but still the reminders "You have items to review" pops into my inbox weekly.

LEAVE ME ALONE YOU B@ST@RDS!
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Uncle Mort

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 22109
  • Reputation: 2
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2009, 09:01:42 AM »
TBH I just delete them and move on.

Offline Pastis

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 14474
  • Reputation: 0
  • a continuing precarious position
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2009, 03:57:51 PM »
Have you ever actually given a review to Amazon?  I haven't, and have never been asked ...  rubschin:
Like the Buddhist said to the hot dog vendor...
"Make me one with everything"

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2009, 04:19:12 PM »
I did try to honestly review some of the items.

Those I had bought as a gift for others I said that I had purchased the item as a gift and could not therefore claim to have read it but that the recipient was pleased with the present. As Amazon will not let you simply post the review but ask for a "Star rating" I gave such items one star. Where Amazon had met their self imposed delivery times and the items arrived undamaged I rated the service as good. Where they either failed to meet the time limits or if the item arrived damaged and I returned it I said so and also rated their response to the complaints.

Where I had bought the book for myself and had enjoyed it I gave a four or five line appraisal and four or five stars (I would be highly unlikely to buy a book that I wasn't pretty certain I would enjoy and want to read again and again) so that struck me a pretty pointless question for them to ask ~ what are public libraries for but to borrow books from when you want to read it once but are unsure if you want to own it. I have been known to buy a book that I have previously borrowed.

When the purchase was for another item I rated it as I saw it. An MP4 for the THW for instance. I have no idea how good it is as I have no other with which to compare it but she seems happy enough with it.

Then I got a bit p*ssed off and reviewed some revision books I had bought the THW with the words "I'll let you know if and when she passes the GCSE" and gave them one star with the promise of more stars if she got a decent grade.

What I didn't know (OK my fault, I should read all the small print I suppose) was that when they publish your reviews they invite other customers to comment on your reviews. One particular twat took to arguing with every review I had given saying things like "How can you rate this as only one star when you say you bought it as a gift ~ a one star rating means nothing" and similar nonsense. I have no idea if this person was for real or an "Amazon Plant" so I complained to Amazon about my reviews being in turn reviewed by someone who could not possibly have read the same items that I had bought from them. That would be stretching coincidence too far. I await the result of my complaint.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2009, 04:29:37 PM by Snoopy »
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Pastis

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 14474
  • Reputation: 0
  • a continuing precarious position
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2009, 04:28:39 PM »
Aha, seems like there's the reason then. You're marked for life as a potential reviewer  ;). Hook, line and sinker. If the opportunity arises you must get MissD to demonstrate her mime of hook, line and sinker... I was duly dressed down with it whilst relating an anecdote  redface:
Like the Buddhist said to the hot dog vendor...
"Make me one with everything"

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2009, 04:33:07 PM »
You could be right but they started it.
What I found hard to accept was the vitriol this troll of the review pages was posting. It was like me posting something innocent on GC and getting mauled by the resident wild beasts in there. OK if you are daft enough to go to the dark side but FFS this is a site for buying books!  eeek:


BTW what would Miss D know about Hook Line and Sinker? ~ She doesn't even like fish.
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Pastis

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 14474
  • Reputation: 0
  • a continuing precarious position
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2009, 04:40:27 PM »
The mime would give the lie to that....

 shutup:
Like the Buddhist said to the hot dog vendor...
"Make me one with everything"

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2009, 04:52:08 PM »
I shall ask her on Friday.  whistle:
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Miss Demeanour

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 36017
  • Reputation: 2
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2009, 08:40:53 PM »
Aha, seems like there's the reason then. You're marked for life as a potential reviewer  ;). Hook, line and sinker. If the opportunity arises you must get MissD to demonstrate her mime of hook, line and sinker... I was duly dressed down with it whilst relating an anecdote  redface:

I swear I didn't dress you down ....just a little teasing  ;)
Skubber

Offline Barman

  • Administrator
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 154907
  • Reputation: -50
  • Since 1960...
    • Virtual Pub!
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2009, 06:09:35 AM »
I've never reviewed nor been asked...  sad24:

Isn't there an option in your account settings somewhere to remove these e-mails..? I think it was discussed on the, um other place some time ago...  whistle:

Or was that ebay...?  rubschin:
Pro Skub  Thumbs:

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2009, 06:32:59 AM »
I've never reviewed nor been asked...  sad24:

Isn't there an option in your account settings somewhere to remove these e-mails..? I think it was discussed on the, um other place some time ago...  whistle:

Or was that ebay...?  rubschin:


I was looking through the "my account" details to see if I could withdraw any permission that I may have inadvertently given for these requests but I can't see anything in there that allows either an opt in or an opt out. noooo:
« Last Edit: May 27, 2009, 06:58:28 AM by Snoopy »
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Barman

  • Administrator
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 154907
  • Reputation: -50
  • Since 1960...
    • Virtual Pub!
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2009, 06:38:10 AM »
I've never reviewed nor been asked...  sad24:

Isn't there an option in your account settings somewhere to remove these e-mails..? I think it was discussed on the, um other place some time ago...  whistle:

Or was that ebay...?  rubschin:


I was looking through the "my account" details to see if I could withdraw and permission that I may have inadvertently given for these requests but I can't see anything in there that allows either an opt in or an opt out. noooo:
Prolly ebay then...
Pro Skub  Thumbs:

Offline Miss Demeanour

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 36017
  • Reputation: 2
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2009, 06:40:08 AM »
Can you not just email Amazon customer services and ask them to stop sending these emails ?

Or am I being too simples again  lol:
Skubber

Offline Snoopy

  • Administrator
  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 54191
  • Reputation: 0
  • In the Prime of Senility
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2009, 06:59:35 AM »
I refer the honourable lady to the opening post. evil:
I used to have a handle on life but it broke.

Offline Miss Demeanour

  • Power Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 36017
  • Reputation: 2
Re: Amazon Reviews
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2009, 07:07:21 AM »
Oh yes ...the original post  redface: redface: redface:

See I told you I was being simples  lol:

What about writing really abusive reviews and that way they ban you from writing any more  whistle:
Skubber