Audiobooks discussion

After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing so with the other book, but might return it in future if I don't run across any other disappointing ones (and the offer is still in place).

John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing so with the ot..."

That is very interesting information.

I was very happy to hear about this policy too and returned one, it was so very easy and just reinforced my love of audibles customer service!

John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing so with the ot..."

You received an email from Audible stating that? There are many discussions about Audible emails that folks here get that I don't seem to. I double-checked on their site and have all the communications checked. I cannot figure out why I don't get these email announcements. Guess I'll have to get in touch with their outstanding customer service...seriously, no sarcasm intended.

At the bottom of my Account Details screen is a list of all books I've purchased within the past year (they only show a few at a time, so I needed to keep hitting "show more" to get a complete list), each one has an "eligible" link in the right column. Clicking on that for my dud book went to a screen where I had a choice of exchanging it for another book, or requesting a credit in my account.

OMG! I followed your directions, John and all my books are eligible too! (except for a freebie I got obviously).

Audible is awesome, I tell you.

Holy moly == doing this now!!

It was nice to be able to return a DNF because of an awful narrator maybe if enough people return it they'll redo it with better narrator! I just hope people won't take advantage so this perk gets taken away.

I just returned two books that I didn't like and dnfed. And then it helped me buy with confidence two more books. The first two I returned had been bought on sale, so I still owed money.

Previously, audible allowed me to return 3 books that I bought as a set in a series and I stopped in the beginning of book #2 because I couldn't stand them. But that was by a special request. I am glad to have this option, I will more easily purchase books now. Thanks for this thread!

Hmm I will have to check into this because I am on a computer at the library which for some funny reason blocks audible's site but I have a few too from many years of purchasing on audible that I could never get into. Even if I can return one or two of those I would be a happy girl.

Here's how it works:

http://www.audible.com/mt/glg

You can only return books you bought within 365 days and they'll reviewing people's accounts to make sure people won't be taking advantage.

It's limited to books purchased in the past 12 months.

Miss Susie - I assume you selected the poor narration specifically as the reason. There must flags in place so that folks who are suspected of abusing the system no longer have return privileges.

Amazon/audible are so good at figuring out ways of making people more comfortable about spending $$$.

This is awesome! I didn't get the email either, but I went online and saw that most of my books (purchased within the last year) were eligible. I returned two of them. When it looked like I wasn't getting a full refund, I phoned and learned that I hadn't been looking at the member discounted price.

Audible has got one of the best customer service departments that I have ever encountered.

Yes, they have the full price in there, not the price you paid. I noticed right away when I saw a few books I own priced at over $30. I know I've never paid that for an audio, LOL!

This is great--I successfully got credits for two that were just duds for me, but was stopped on a third. Perhaps that constitutes "abuse" but I'm checking with customer service to see.

Three out of how many total eligibles?

John wrote: "Three out of how many total eligibles?"

At least 100. I'm an addict.

I guess they must have a flag at more than two at a time.

very helpful, cheers!

Well, I did a chat with customer service, and she did a credit for the third. Maybe doing them all at once is ill-advised. :-). Anyway, I looked through my whole list, and there are only two others I would offload. Pretty good deal, I say!

I don't see a huge difference between two and three, so in that sense your asking seemed fair to me. While I understand that with new physical books stores allow credit for anything (they can resell) within a short time, I don't have a problem with letting a credit go on a third (or fourth) book just because I didn't like it. A limit of two or three a year "no questions asked" seems fair to me; I'd make an exception for allowing credit if the actual technical quality of the book was bad (I have one of those in my library, but ... I honestly LIKED the book!)

Thank you guys, you just made my day. I talked to Audible and thy said they are working on their system, but customers will be and over th phone already are able to return 6 books every 6 months.

I think this works to their advantage in the sense that folks will leave fewer negative comments, instead returning the book and moving on.

Slightly OT...
While looking at my Audible account to see what this return business was all about, I noticed that Audible members also get a complimentary subscription to NYT or WSJ (weekday only).
Does anyone use this? I didn't even know about it.

Ali-ef wrote: "Slightly OT...
While looking at my Audible account to see what this return business was all about, I noticed that Audible members also get a complimentary subscription to NYT or WSJ (weekday only)...."

I believe it's a podcast version, though.

I think six books in six months is quite generous, really.

At present, one can go back a full year for eligible books, so I'm a bit confused where the six months comes in? It would be incredibly generous for them to simply disable the feature after the sixth (in a six month period), and re-enable it later (when I don't know). From my experience, six duds in six months would mean perhaps Audible's not the place for you?

John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing so with the ot..."

Thank you! Thank you! I returned one dud book I got and it was so easy to get one I wanted.

John wrote: "At present, one can go back a full year for eligible books, so I'm a bit confused where the six months comes in? It would be incredibly generous for them to simply disable the feature after the six..."

I take it to mean that you can return as many as six books over the course of any six month period. But that if you actually do that, it's a red flag that possibly you're reading and returning things to take advantage and "re-use" credits.

I agree that it's a pretty generous marker.

I returned a book that I'd bought after waiting a long time for it to be released in audiobook format. It was a multiple-reader format, and it was awful in many ways; I posted a 1-star review about it, including that I'd stopped after just a few chapters. A week or so later I noticed the information about being able to return a book, and was very happy to get my credit back.

Yesterday I returned 2 books, one that I had bought months ago to which I gave a negative review and one I couldn't get past the first few pages in reading although it came highly recommended. The transaction was simple and the money spent was redeposited in my debit card account.

Back in your bank account - wow! I would've thought they'd have added it as "store credit" to your Audible account instead.

Nope. Credited to my card and also gave me a $10 credit.

Sounds as though you must've used cash to cover a book over $10.

I think it was from a $10 gift audible gave me at some point.

OOHHHH, thank you all for pointing this opportunity out! I just went to Audible and returned a book ... it was so simple, and I would have had NO idea to even look for that service. Awesome!

John wrote: "At present, one can go back a full year for eligible books, so I'm a bit confused where the six months comes in? It would be incredibly generous for them to simply disable the feature after the six..."

Well, I am not sure that is correct, sometimes I would like the book, but I don't like the narrator or like the narrator, but not the book, and it is always kind of a "risk" to spend a credit on something that for some reason does not work out in audio for me. If I bought six books at B&N and decided to take them back it would be ok. I think it is just right that we can do the same with audio books even though there is their risk of people reading and returning stuff.. Even if I return 6 books every six months I still spend a just about a fortune at audible.com all the time so I think in the end they are better off.

But I did chat with somebody on the computer from customer service and she said one can return any books within the last year of purchase and she didn't know anything about the 6 months 6 books deal, so I guess we shall see... I assume if people get out of control and start returning a bunch of books they may implement some kind of limitations, but right now one can return any books from the last year of purchase... you might have to call though or do it through their complimentary chat service.

thanks for pointing this out! returned a title i really didn't like (and it was so acclaimed!).

Excellent thread...from reviews, to technical tips/advice, to new information like this...this is a great and useful group.

On the subject of this thread, fortunately, I did not have any that I felt that I needed to return in the past year but it is great to know that I now have this option.

Lucky you!

I had basically three of them -- one where after an hour I could not have cared less about the story or characters (already returned it); one where I bailed about halfway through, disliking both the story and narration pretty much equally, and one that was a recent addition to a long-running series that had been on hiatus for a while - overall poor narration made a weak book much worse. I'll probably return the older of those two soon, holding off on the newer one until they allow all six to be done online.

I've also run across a couple of non-fictions that were drier than I'd hoped for, but I don't feel that's a reason to ask for a new credit, but to warn folks in a review they really need to be interested in the subject matter, or the print version might be a better option.

I haven't needed to return anything either. But I'll start listening to those books that been in my library for a while just in case!

John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing so with the ot..."

Is there a limit on how many you can return...I purchased several nonfiction based on NYT recommendation and was really disappointed...so I just chalked it up to my own fault, but if I can exchange them I will. I really appreciate this information! Thanks so much!

Cynthia ☮ ❤ ❀ wrote: "John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really easy. I'm leery of doing s..."

Cynthia there is several posts in this thread about it -- varying information exists as to the number. I personally returned two. Both were ones I couldn't finish. I have finished books I didn't like, but I finished those so I didn't return them.

Regina wrote: "Cynthia ☮ ❤ ❀ wrote: "John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedure is really eas..."

Thanks! I contacted Audible directly and they will allow you to return two books in a six month period.

Cynthia ☮ ❤ ❀ wrote: "Regina wrote: "Cynthia ☮ ❤ ❀ wrote: "John wrote: "After getting the email that I'm eligible to return books that didn't work out, I "sent back" one of the two that I'd given up on early - procedur..."

Actually, you can do two books online yourself, for any further credits, you have to contact them. Having discovered that I have acquired more than 350 titles since I joined a year ago, I've returned six (which is apparently the limit for six months, but who knows) all of which I finished, because I'd hoped they would have some redeeming qualities. Because I'm asking for audible credits, I don't feel I need to justify the returns, particularly because it's a little more difficult to pass on or donate a downloaded book than a print book. These books were well-reviewed, and in one case I'd even read (and enjoyed) the author's first book. They just didn't work for me. So if they're going to let me trade them in, there I am.

Did you ask for all four of the additional ones at once on the phone? Was the rep at all surprised? Had to put you on hold for authorization, etc.?

I'd actually gotten the third yesterday, and I even told them today that although I'd gotten the credit, the book was still in my library. When I called today, the woman was pretty clueless and said she didn't know what I was talking about, then returned the three but only gave me one credit (apparently she thought it was all okay because I had a total of 3, although I still had two left from before this whole circus started). Anyway, I did a online chat later, and got it all straightened out, and he made sure the other book was gone from my account/library.

My guess is that if I continued to call and ask for credits, there might be a problem, but I have no plans to do so.

Sara wrote: "I'd actually gotten the third yesterday, and I even told them today that although I'd gotten the credit, the book was still in my library. When I called today, the woman was pretty clueless and sa..."

oh, forgot to say that I did get an email response yesterday about the six in six months. It sounds to me as if they still have some kinks in the whole thing.

From my experience the books will stay in your library. I returned 3 audio books last year -- got a refund, but the books are still in my library.

The one I returned yesterday is gone.