Although eBook readers have been around for over a decade, it wasn't until Amazon released the Kindle in 2007 that people started to take them seriously. Now, on its fourth iteration, the Kindle, reviewed, seems to be ubiquitous.
Amazon Kindle
Jump on a commuter train and you're virtually guaranteed to see at least one person in the carriage reading on a Kindle. Chances are that the owner isn't a geek, either. In fact, they're probably a technophobe that's had a Kindle bought for them. That's the beauty of Amazon's set up: a relatively affordable price for the hardware, a vast library of books to choose from and near-instant downloading via Wi-Fi directly to the Kindle.
It really is revolutionary. Gone are the days when you'd have to choose which books to take on holiday and which to leave behind. Even with 2GB of memory inside your Kindle, you can take more books than you could hope to read. And if you're not off on holiday you'll still appreciate that the Kindle is smaller and lighter than a real book, yet the screen is just as easy to read from.
However, there's a piece missing from the puzzle. It's frustrating enough for Kindle owners that they're not allowed to lend an eBook to a friend as they would with a 'real' book, but there's also no way to buy a Kindle book for someone else in the UK. It seems like an obvious omission, too, since Amazon's US customers can 'gift' Kindle books. But not in the UK.
This is a big problem, especially if you don't like giving gift cards and certificates. Although plenty of people like receiving them, plenty don't want to give them because they lack the personal touch - and thoughtfulness. It isn't quite the same to give a voucher with an accompanying note suggesting that the recipient spends it on a particular book because you think it will be 'right up their street'.
It's also confusing for anyone that doesn't realise it's not possible to buy a Kindle book for someone else. We know of people that have bought a book using their own Amazon account only to realise it's locked to their Kindle, so have then had to buy a gift certificate and send it to the other person. To make matters worse, it's not obvious how to get a refund on a Kindle book that you've bought by accident as they're not listed along with your other Amazon purchases.
Fortunately, you have seven days to ask for a refund on any Kindle book, but you have to know to click the 'Manage your Kindle' link to see this option. Otherwise, you could easily believe that refunds aren't allowed on eBooks.
The main annoyance, however, is that Amazon allows its US customers to 'gift' Kindle books to each other. Quite why the option is missing in the UK is a mystery, but the as far as we know, the situation isn't about to change.
We'd love to know your thoughts and feelings on the subject so feel free to comment below.
Comments
Renee Brennan said: Thank you I just spent hours trying to figure out how to find the give as gift button thats in the How to Give Kindle Book As Gift pages What a total balls-up Do they think Brits are too stingy to buy gifts for friends What are they trying to say Booo Amazon - get yourself sorted For a supposedly international organisation I say get some international organisation
Yorkist said: They are still not allowing UK customers to give away books Worse still their help page says they do allow it and tells you where to look But when you do the relevant button is not thereThere is no good reason for this and they should correct it
Kelly said: Yup same problem in Canada - we cant lend or gift Kindle books either I urge everyone to write Amazon and complain Apparently they are compiling a list of Canadians who want to be able to lend If you dont complain directly to them nothing will ever change
Guest said: I suspect the reason is because some Kindle books have not been licensed for Amazon distribution in the UK ie They do not want a UK customer who is unable to obtain a Kindle book request their friend to gift it to them from the US store
Squirrel169 said: Sort it out Amazon Dont you want my money
Tache0908 said: you should be able to send kindle books on certain days of the year to arrive on birthdays and Christmas and leave a message with it to make a personal gift
Kayemm said: I also thought i was going mad after frustratingly searching for the gift button Id read about on AmazoncomSeems like a missed opportunity to me but then I guess no one is going to send a gift of 420 when they could actually buy a Kindle book for that price gifts of the upgraded 10 are of course far more profitable for Amazon
debbie smithwilds said: at Christmas time they are missing a trick I have 4 members of my family with Kindles but will not buy them vouchers but would have bought them books if I could have sent a particular book
Itsme99_uk said: Ive just spent the last hour investigating this and Im soooooo annoyed about the whole thing I would never have thought that there would be a problem buying a book for someone else its ludicrous My daughter sent me an email with funny excerpts from a book and as she is going on holiday to chill out over Christmas I had the brilliant idea to buy the book for her Kindle But of course I cant Its hardly the same to buy her a gift certificate I always buy her books for Christmas and birthdays sometimes she tells me what she wants sometimes I just buy some for herWhy on earth can they do this in US and not here I tried to buy through the US site but it told me my Kindle is registered to UK site and to go there I tried creating a new account with an alternative email address and new password But it knew I was from UK and told me the Kindle book couldnt be bought by someone from UK So Im scuppered and daughter will have to do without her bookAs you can tell Im not happy
Jeremy Webb said: If you want to give a Kindle eBook to someone in the UK its still not possible directly but there is this neat work-around which creates a custom gift card with the books cover name and a short link as the gift image httpechoebookscomblog160
Claire Snell said: Agree that Amazon UK are seriously missing out - wheres the business sense in this decisionesp when it CAN be done as demonstrated in the US Very very frustrating
Ameliejacques said: Pathetic And mysteriousHappy Christmas to you Ian Amazon you idiot
Oddandthe4gals said: Absolutely annoyed I cant gift kindle books to my many friends who have kindles Why is the US allowed to and not the UK This has to change
Alanr7 said: Thank you for this great article It is really disappointing that after 7 months Amazoncouk still havent come back and given Jim Martin any response at all to the question about gifting Kindle books - it is indeed one of the first things you would think of if you were buying one as a gift for someone
Weerory said: Thank you for this article - I have spend an hour going between an Amazon help page telling me i can gift kindle books obviously the US page and the Amazon UK and France kindle book pages that have no give as a gift button Thought i was going mad Now i know that its just that they are a shower of craps cheers
Owen_clark said: It is incredibly stupid they dont allow this its the first thing pretty much anyone would want to do if they bought someone a Kindle as a presentIts just beating the user around the head saying Dont Spend Your Money HERE utterly iditioc
Gruffalo said: Yes you can There is a Gift this App button on the App that you are viewing I do it all the time
Simon Jary said: Apple doesnt let you gift apps from the App Store either Both seem pretty stupid ways of making less money and frustrating customers
Simon Jary said: The report is saying you cant gift eBooks Of course you can gift the Kindle itself And its cheaper than an iPad
StaHi said: You can go into PC World and buy a Kindle for anyone you choose