Is Amazon getting sneaky?

[Sunkist]

I've been dealing with Amazon since around 2012, and never had this experience before yesterday.
All I was trying to do was order two books.
Although I usually see references to Prime, and opt out, after I placed my order I received emails saying I now had Prime AND Prime Access.. AND I was charged for both.

I contacted customer service through Live Chat, and explained this situation.
The person said she would cancel both and refund the money they'd charged.
As I did not sign up for anything, I don't know how I became a 'subscriber,' or why fees were taken out of my bank account.

When I checked bank this morning, it looks like both have been refunded.

Has anyone had this experience- and possibly know how to avoid it entirely?

 

[IrishEyes]

They are sneaky in many ways of late

 

[JustDave]

I've run into the same thing once. I can't explain it for sure, but they have come upon ways that encourage accidental clicks on seemingly innocuous baits. It also seems to me that brazen Join Prime Now clicks instilled in me kind of a safety. I would always know when not to click. Other times, "Join Prime Now" baits are far less obvious, and get you before you know what happened.

You know, it could be just me, but you must be wary on Amazon. They have done their research and whatever they're doing facilitates accidental expenditures you don't want, but many people will let go.

Amazon of long ago rose to the top by gaining more and more market share. Now they must profit in other ways to keep the increase growing.

 

[Marconi]

I've been dealing with Amazon since around 2012, and never had this experience before yesterday.
All I was trying to do was order two books.
Although I usually see references to Prime, and opt out, after I placed my order I received emails saying I now had Prime AND Prime Access.. AND I was charged for both.

I contacted customer service through Live Chat, and explained this situation.
The person said she would cancel both and refund the money they'd charged.
As I did not sign up for anything, I don't know how I became a 'subscriber,' or why fees were taken out of my bank account.

When I checked bank this morning, it looks like both have been refunded.

Has anyone had this experience- and possibly know how to avoid it entirely?

This is a known tactic by Amazon: Google Search

 

[Sunkist]

This is a known tactic by Amazon: Google Search

All of this really sucks..
not only Prime, but Prime Access, too (which I'd never heard of), and was charged for both.
If I hadn't received the emails, I wouldn't even know about it.

 

[Marv Malone]

It is a sales ploy, happened to me years ago. They refunded my money quickly.
Be careful what you click.

 

[GoodEnuff]

Yes, happened to me, too. I called customer service (saved that number some years back, try to find it now) and they immediately canceled it.

Very sneaky, yes.

 

[Oldeagle66]

I've always known them to be shady and sneaky. I would look for items (just shopping around). I would come back a few minutes later and the price would jump. Plus they gave me a hard time because I wouldn't change and honestly bad reviews.

 

[Jules]

Obviously there are lots of people who don’t catch that they’ve snuck in the Prime membership, otherwise they’d quit doing it.

 

[Sunkist]

Obviously there are lots of people who don’t catch that they’ve snuck in the Prime membership, otherwise they’d quit doing it.

Seems accurate, yes.

Plus, I'd never even heard of "Prime Access" til this happened.. TWO entirely different 'subscriptions' and fees!

 

[Nathan]

Dishonest and sneaky, two money making tactics in the modern business playbook. Watch out for the "free shipping"...with strings attached.

I 'kind of' look at an item's customer reviews, but there are many many planted fake reviews...

 

[HoneyNut]

It hasn't happened to me yet, though I've noticed that the default purchase option is usually $0.00 and would start a subscription, I have to scroll down the page to find the button to select to pay the non-subscription offer price.

 

[KSav]

A lot of online retailers seem to be duplicitous; one has to be so careful—it can get a bit exhausting.

I've heard of Amazon sneakily signing up people for Prime, @Sunkist. I've never heard of Prime Access. I thought there had been a class-action lawsuit about that and Amazon had to refund customers and stop the practice, but I'm clearly wrong about that.

I'm glad you were able to get the fees refunded! But how annoying.

 

[KSav]

I thought there had been a class-action lawsuit about that and Amazon had to refund customers and stop the practice, but I'm clearly wrong about that.

I did find this article just now; I haven't had a chance to read it carefully yet, just skim it: FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel