All my Kindle books bought on US Amazon site have disappeared

[Former member 71219]

I have slowly been building a digital library of reference books for the Camino. Some were bought on the Australia Amazon site and others bought via the US Amazon site because they were either not available on the Au site, or I just didn't realise where I was. This wasn't an issue because I could read the books online via read.amazon.com.au or read.amazon.com - a bit painful but not a deal breaker considering there are more important things to get stressed about.

But recently all my kindle books on the US reader have disappeared. It seems to say that they are now on my AU reader, but they're not. So, I've lost a significant number of Kindle books and the order numbers are no longer in my order history either.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else? Was there a recent announcement that I missed about merging Kindle readers?

 

[WanderingtheJakobsweg]

I think this is something that you need to contact Amazon about directly. For all the many ethical issues with Amazon their customer service is usually good and although they might not recover your ebooks they'll probably refund your money if they can't do it easily.

 

[Former member 71219]

Yes I've got an open support case with them but not getting anywhere. Was just curious to know if anyone else was experiencing this issue and could offer some advice. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Marus99]

I had a similar problem with Audible (also an Amazon company) between the US and UK libraries. Basically the audiobooks were not transferable between the different libraries even though they were attached to the same Amazon ID. To access one library vs the other I had to keep going to Settings and changing my location and library there. Awkward but doable.

 

[Flatlander]

Sometime last year Amazon changed their term of service in a way that affects anyone with a library from a country where they do not reside.
Given possible different rules in different countries it may vary from one person to another.
My situation was an EU resident with books purchased from Amazon USA
What that means for me is that:
The books were lost on my Kindle device. Gone. Wiped.
On my Kindle App on my phone I still have access to all the books but cannot add more. Not even free ones.
I don't like reading on my phone so that's not a lot of use to me.
Unfortunately, my Kindle device was stolen before I had a chance to figure out a workaround.

Is it possible that you actually have two separate accounts? If so, that may be the issue.
I'd be wary of contacting Amazon unless as a last resort. I know I did not follow their "procedures" when I bought the US books so don't thonk I have a leg to stand on to complain.

 

[Steven Dwyer]

I remember reading something about the copyright issues between countries. Unfortunately, Amazon may be overreacting to cover themselves.

 

[AnneMarie1]

Wait, so if I bring my Kindle from the U.S. to Spain, I won't be able to access any of my books on it??? Seriously?!

 

[winemakerfw51]

Try using a VPN (virtual private network) that makes you look like you're accessing Amazon in the U.S. from a location in the U.S. That might work. I live in Mexico and use ExpressVPN, especially for financial transactions. On my last Camino I used Nord VPN with no problems. I've heard that Surf Shark is good.

 

[DLJ]

I have slowly been building a digital library of reference books for the Camino. Some were bought on the Australia Amazon site and others bought via the US Amazon site because they were either not available on the Au site, or I just didn't realise where I was. This wasn't an issue because I could read the books online via read.amazon.com.au or read.amazon.com - a bit painful but not a deal breaker considering there are more important things to get stressed about.

But recently all my kindle books on the US reader have disappeared. It seems to say that they are now on my AU reader, but they're not. So, I've lost a significant number of Kindle books and the order numbers are no longer in my order history either.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else? Was there a recent announcement that I missed about merging Kindle readers?

Kindle has changed the system for Kindle's 5th generation and older. Not sure if this was your problem, but they said you would have to have the Kindle app.

 

[Marus99]

Wait, so if I bring my Kindle from the U.S. to Spain, I won't be able to access any of my books on it??? Seriously?!

No. You’ll be able to access anything you have downloaded. You won’t be able to buy new books from your home Amazon store (I think!)

 

[Rosella25]

No. You’ll be able to access anything you have downloaded. You won’t be able to buy new books from your home Amazon store (I think!)

That's not been my experience using the Kindle App. I've bought and read many books while in Spain, using my usual Amazon account. However, it's no longer possible to buy new titles directly through the app, you have to use the Amazon store. Once the titles are in your library you should be able to download them to whichever device you want to use at the time.

 

[Dennis Pack]

Welcome to "freedom" in a capitalistic culture.

 

[AnneMarie1]

That's not been my experience using the Kindle App. I've bought and read many books while in Spain, using my usual Amazon account. However, it's no longer possible to buy new titles directly through the app, you have to use the Amazon store. Once the titles are in your library you should be able to download them to whichever device you want to use at the time.

I have taken my Kindle to Spain before and not had any problems reading what was on it. It sounded like this post was about a new thing Amazon is doing, though. (??) Also, I don't like reading books on my phone. (You mention the app.) Do you know if it's still the case that you can read things you've downloaded onto an actual Kindle OK?

 

[AnneMarie1]

Sometime last year Amazon changed their term of service in a way that affects anyone with a library from a country where they do not reside.
Given possible different rules in different countries it may vary from one person to another.
My situation was an EU resident with books purchased from Amazon USA
What that means for me is that:
The books were lost on my Kindle device. Gone. Wiped.
On my Kindle App on my phone I still have access to all the books but cannot add more. Not even free ones.
I don't like reading on my phone so that's not a lot of use to me.
Unfortunately, my Kindle device was stolen before I had a chance to figure out a workaround.

Is it possible that you actually have two separate accounts? If so, that may be the issue.
I'd be wary of contacting Amazon unless as a last resort. I know I did not follow their "procedures" when I bought the US books so don't thonk I have a leg to stand on to complain.

Is it your sense that this has to do with your residency? (So for travelers to another country, their device would still work?) Although I guess that raises the question of for how long, before Amazon thinks you've moved to Spain. (I wish!)

 

[Rosella25]

I have taken my Kindle to Spain before and not had any problems reading what was on it. It sounded like this post was about a new thing Amazon is doing, though. (??) Also, I don't like reading books on my phone. (You mention the app.) Do you know if it's still the case that you can read things you've downloaded onto an actual Kindle OK?

I usually read my books on a tablet, sorry I don't know about how it works on the Kindle device

 

[Former member 71219]

To access one library vs the other I had to keep going to Settings and changing my location and library there. Awkward but doable.

Thanks for the tip, I will look into that.

Sometime last year Amazon changed their term of service in a way that affects anyone with a library from a country where they do not reside.

What that means for me is that:
The books were lost on my Kindle device. Gone. Wiped.

Is it possible that you actually have two separate accounts? If so, that may be the issue.
I'd be wary of contacting Amazon unless as a last resort. I know I did not follow their "procedures" when I bought the US books so don't thonk I have a leg to stand on to complain.

Very useful info, thank you! I had no idea they changed their terms of service (probably just accepted some update to terms without reading it and understanding what it meant!). That would explain it since my books are also gone. Wiped. I do think I have two separate accounts which was difficult to figure out because they have the same username and password. I think I have to just kiss these books goodbye. Thanks for your reply, it was very useful!

 

[Former member 71219]

I remember reading something about the copyright issues between countries. Unfortunately, Amazon may be overreacting to cover themselves.

I will do a few searches on that topic, it would explain what has happened, thank you!

Kindle has changed the system for Kindle's 5th generation and older. Not sure if this was your problem, but they said you would have to have the Kindle app.

Thank you for that possible solution. I don't read via an app, I read on my laptop from the online link. But it's something to consider, thank you again!

Welcome to "freedom" in a capitalistic culture.

I'm learning the hard way!

 

[Former member 71219]

Thank you all for your generous replies. It seems I've been tripped up by recent changes to Amazon's terms of service. I have to accept that I have lost my Camino guides and books of interest including Beebe Brahmi's Moon guide, Lyndon Penner's "The Way of the Gardener" and "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago, A complete cutural handbook". Plus of course tons of other books collected over the past 10 years or so.

Oh well. C'est la vie.

 

[Marus99]

Have you tried all the steps suggested in the following link?

How to Change Kindle Account Country? A Quick Guide! – TheBookBuff.com

thebookbuff.com

If you still can’t access the books, you shd contact Amazon. You own those books and they can’t just take them away from you. There are many legitimate reasons for having different kindle accounts in different countries .

 

[Former member 71219]

Have you tried all the steps suggested in the following link?

How to Change Kindle Account Country? A Quick Guide! – TheBookBuff.com

thebookbuff.com

If you still can’t access the books, you shd contact Amazon. You own those books and they can’t just take them away from you. There are many legitimate reasons for having different kindle accounts in different countries .

Thank you, I had a look at that link and tried it but it didn't restore the books I've "lost". Amazon will help but they want my order numbers. My order history has also disappeared and I've long since deleted the emails from them with this information.

Thank you so much for trying though and sending that link, I appreciate it.

 

[Flatlander]

Is it your sense that this has to do with your residency? (So for travelers to another country, their device would still work?) Although I guess that raises the question of for how long, before Amazon thinks you've moved to Spain. (I wish!)

Sense? I don't have much of that
To answer your question, no.
It's pretty clear to me that I was in breach of their terms and conditions and when that was discovered I was cut off.
I'm pretty sure it was the address associated with my bank card that did it and that hasn't changed in years despite me wandering about.

I think I have to just kiss these books goodbye. Thanks for your reply, it was very useful!

My order history has also disappeared and I've long since deleted the emails from them with this information.

All hope may not be lost.
I'd suggest doing a search on Google or YouTube using a variety of search terms that cover your case. There is normally a lot of information out there, some of it, though, might seem technical. A Camino forum just won't have the detail you need.
(Just be wary of anyone who contacts you privately offering to help. They'll need all kinds of private information)
Even just on the order history. It's possible you're looking at the order history of one account when it actually resides in the other.
It also strikes me that your order history is something that Amazon should be able to provide to you in any case if you ask.

There are two other options.
There are many second hand bookstores online where books often cost little more than the price of postage.Put a bundle together and the cost is spread over each book.
There are many, many sources of e books online. Technically illegal, although not always. Given that you already paid for the original is there any harm in looking for a copy?

I'll just throw this irrelevance in here for anyone thinking of a Kindle device (as opposed to the app on a phone).
A Kindle has been my travel companion for years. As well as books I can email documents to it. On my Camino, for instance, it had a list of all Albergues and their contact info as well as copies of my passport and other important documents. It had my own notes on my journey as well as a few maps (not great in reality). In other words, it was a backup source of info and ID in the event that I lost my phone and other documents. It was never carried in the same place as my phone as I figured the chances of losing both at the same time were slim (and how right I was!).
Despite my dislike for Amazon it is a very useful tool for the traveller. Cheaper alternatives may not be as good!

 

[Kathor1]

Is it your sense that this has to do with your residency?

As far as digital books and Amazon are concerned, it has to do with (sales) tax and with geolocation. If it is geolocation related, then you simply cannot buy or download the book or watch the video when it is a movie in digital form. Even a VPN app will not help. When it is tax related then it depends on which country your Visa card has been issued and which Amazon site sells the product it (.com, .co.uk, .de, .fr, .es) and to which site your account is linked.

Where I live I often do not have access to a book or movie in the language I want to read or watch it or no access at all. Or I have to switch my account so that I can pay and download my purchase. I have Amazon accounts with several country specific endings, and two different Visa cards from banks in two different countries, and luckily for me, I have official residence in two countries (which is legit for me but not everyone can do this). It is all a big pain in the neck.

OK, this is the situation of someone who lives in the EU and buys from European Amazon sites and occasionally from the US site amazon.com. Your situation may be similar or different. But your story is a warning for me. Amazon is expanding and currently they are offering me to switch to an Amazon site specifically for my country of residence (only for Prime btw, ie for purchasing digital content, not for goods). I have been wary of doing such a switch for exactly the problems I am having with access to digital content in general and for (imo) stupid reasons.

Best of luck with your enquiries with the Amazon helpline. Occasionally you do find someone who knows and can solve such a problem or can at least explain it. I speak from experience. Best of luck.