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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Books The Amazon Glitch Aftermath: If You Ignore It, Maybe It'll Go Away

Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 11:05 AM

On Sunday, I linked to a Bleeding Cool report that Amazon was selling hundred-dollar-plus comic books for fifteen dollars. It was obviously a major glitch, and even people who were ordering hundreds of dollars of books understood that they would probably get e-mails canceling their orders.

They were half-right. Today, Bleeding Cool has revealed that Amazon has completely dropped all the orders without a word. They didn't even send cancellation e-mails to the people who ordered the books. I have a call out to Amazon to ask whether they're planning on telling customers that their orders were canceled.

UPDATED at 1:34 pm: Amazon has started sending e-mails out. a sample of one is after the jump.

Hello,

Our records indicate you recently ordered 'The Complete Invincible Library, Vol. 1
Madman Gargantua (Madman Comics)
The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1 (Walking Dead (Image Comics))'. Unfortunately, due to a pricing error, we sold many more than expected. In fact, we completely sold out — we don't have any in stock right now, and we're not even sure if we'll be able to get more.

As a result, we've had to cancel your order. I realize this is disappointing news, and I'm so sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

You may want to check our website from time to time to see if this item is available. If anyone is selling it, you'll see a "More Buying Choices" box on the product detail page; if it's not available from any sellers, you might see an "Order it used" or "Alert me" link. "Order it used" allows you to place a pre-order for the item in case another seller lists the item for sale later. "Alert me" allows you to sign up so we can e-mail you when Amazon has stock available for purchase.

I'm sorry I don't have better news. We hope to see you again soon.

Comments (17) RSS

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Amazon could be sued for breach of contract.

They cannot represent that people knew that these were so underpriced that people should be on notice that they weren't the proper price, since Amazon's whole business model is selling books at a loss to get people to buy other products.

this isn't a mutual mistake, since the mistake is entirely due to Amazon's negligence.

Posted by vooodooo84 on March 9, 2010 at 11:15 AM

That's weird, because I got an e-mail about my cancelled orders.

Posted by Lithera on March 9, 2010 at 11:19 AM

@2

Yeah, so did I.

Posted by Hong on March 9, 2010 at 11:30 AM

Can we get a refund on our pre-paid WA state sales tax that we filed when we ordered it, since all online purchases require the form?

If it's advertised and the contract is executed (patented one-click) then they must deliver the product.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 9, 2010 at 11:30 AM

@2: Did you order multiple copies? Nobody I know who ordered single copies of Omnibuses has gotten an e-mail, and Twitter seems to confirm that.

Posted by Paul Constant

on March 9, 2010 at 11:31 AM

@4: good luck with that.

Posted by Beetlecat on March 9, 2010 at 11:33 AM

@1: Such a suit wouldn't have a chance.

Posted by bigyaz on March 9, 2010 at 11:41 AM

who buys $100+ comic books?!?

Posted by talk about disposable income... on March 9, 2010 at 11:53 AM

@8 - who doesn't?

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 9, 2010 at 11:54 AM

I ordered a single omnibus, no email of cancellation, and now no record of it in my order history. All I have to remember it by is the one glorious original order confirmation email telling me what I got for nine bucks.

Posted by gloomy gus on March 9, 2010 at 12:01 PM

@9 - umm...the people who check it out from the library for free?

Posted by talk about disposable income... on March 9, 2010 at 12:13 PM

I got the following in an email about the books they cancelled:

"Unfortunately, due to a pricing error, we sold many more than expected. In fact, we completely sold out — we don't have any in stock right now, and we're not even sure if we'll be able to get more.

As a result, we've had to cancel your order. I realize this is disappointing news, and I'm so sorry for any inconvenience this causes."

It looks like they might be honoring the prices for what they had in stock, but nothing more. Two of the books in the order were not canceled, however, and one of them actually arrived today. The other claims to be shipping in about a week or so. I expect there's a good chance that once they catch up it will also vanish, but I'll wait and see.

Posted by dodder on March 9, 2010 at 12:24 PM

@11 - it's not free, that's what your taxes are for.

We in Seattle pay for both the Seattle libraries and the King County libraries through levies. Even though most of us never use the latter.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on March 9, 2010 at 12:41 PM

@13 - yup. good point. ax the 'free' part.

Posted by talk about disposable income... on March 9, 2010 at 12:52 PM

@9 FTW. There's a reason I call the guy who sells me comics my dealer.

Posted by TheRain on March 9, 2010 at 10:20 PM

"Amazon could be sued for breach of contract."

God, I hate people like you. Cheap and terrible.

Posted by ungh on March 10, 2010 at 11:05 PM

Yes, the books were severely underpriced, but considering the cost of keeping things in inventory in this recession, they might just let this one slide and deduct the loss. So they will honor the items they had in stuck, whereas everyone else ... S.O.L.

A glitch that clears out nonselling warehouse space, ISN'T THAT BAD.

Posted by former tri-state on March 11, 2010 at 7:46 AM