This morning Amazon started a promotion, selling the new Tran-Siberian Orchestra album "Night Castle" for cheap. I bought it using the credit card number Amazon had thoughtfully (and un-asked for, as far as I can remember) remembered from the last time I bought something, then I downloaded the MP3s.
A couple hours later, I got a notice saying that the credit card I had used was invalid and my order was being canceled. I went and checked my Amazon account, and sure enough the credit card was an old one. However, I've already downloaded the MP3s.
Do I call them up and say, "Hey, I need to give you money!" Do I just re-buy the album using a valid credit card even though I don't need to download it again? Why didn't they run the credit card before allowing me to download the album in the first place?
9 comments:
I actually read an article about this happening almost a year ago. Though the guy called amazon about it they didn't seem to care. when he asked what to do they said he could repurchase the songs if he wanted to, but according to him they didn't seem too concerned about it. let me see if i can find the article.
I know some of the specifics to the answer but I don't think I'm allowed to tell you. In short, there was a gray situation and Amazon gave you the benefit of the doubt. If you feel ethically bound to, you're welcome to re-purchase (if it lets you?). Or you could contact customer service and perhaps they'll be allowed to tell you more of the details if they're privy to 'em. Sorry I can't divulge more...
Where is the question?
I see this as similar to a clerk in a store making an honest mistake and not charging you for an item in your cart due to an oversight.
You have in your possession something that you do not own due to an honest error on both sides of the transaction. The fact that it is electronic makes things even easier. An option is to delete the music files and then reorder them if you still want them.
Only my opinion, of course.
(Only my opinion, of course.)
The question was never whether I'd pay for the album, I will. The question was the best way to go about it. The secondary question was why Amazon caused this problem in the first place by apparently not running my credit card before giving me the product. I thought that was Monetary Transactions 101.
@Margaret
he could have just pirated it, but:
if amazon has to pay royalties for the one he got for free it would be fairer to amazon to pay directly rather than repurchasing the album
(which amazon would have to pay royalties on as well).
in your analogy:
you arnt charged for an item at a store, feel bad about it, then you go back buy another of the same item to try to make it all better.
AC, good point about Amazon being charged double royalties for downloading it again. Before you said that That was my solution. Huh.
On the other hand, twice the royalties would go to TSO.
My profuse apologies to The Writer and readers. My comment was not intended as a question of integrity. I believe The Writer to be one of the most honest and upright people I know. Obviously, I misunderstood what the question was, oversimplified the quandary, and poorly worded my comment.
Don't worry, I know you didn't mean it that way, I just responded for the benefit of readers who may not know me as well.
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