Auto-Subscription to the Kindle Compass??

I am absolutely APPALLED. Amazon, you should be completely ashamed of yourself!! An auto-subscription to a publication I've NEVER heard of, that you will be auto-billing me for after 14 days? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND??

How many people are not going to get the email or it will end up in their spam folder, and will start getting auto-billed for something they didn't order nor did they show ANY interest in whatsoever??

SHAME SHAME SHAME SHAME on you, Amazon! I trusted you as a retailer. I've been buying from you for years. Since the beginning even. And you go and do something underhanded like THIS???

I'm going to be telling everyone I know who has a Kindle to watch for this underhanded attempt to charge my credit card for something I didn't buy nor did I ask for, so they can stop the "trial subscription" as well.

You should rethink this method of getting people to subscribe to your publication!

Susabelle

Have you contacted amazon.com about this? If not,

Call Customer Service---Direct toll-free number: 1-866-321-8851(USA)

Or use this URL,, https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/kindle-help.html/?nodeId=200127470 You may have to sign in. Suggest you use Phone or Chat. Not E-mail.

I was surprised too and I can't believe they didn't even tell us how much they would be charging us.

Seconding the original post. This morning I got an email stating that I get a free trial of "The Kindle Compass" bi-weekly subscription and if I do nothing starting 1/19 I will be automatically billed directly to my credit card.

I have no idea what this is, I'm not interested in this at all, and it's obvious that Amazon is trying to make an extra buck by charging people unknowingly after 2 weeks.

I feel like this is something that will be reversed after massive public outrage, much like the Bank of America $5 charge or Verizon $2 charge a couple weeks ago.

UNBELIEVABLE!! The mark of a product not good enough to sell on its own, and a corporation that has become underhanded. I do however feel bad for the customer service people who will be enduring some pretty angry customers today....

I agree absolutely, word for word. I couldn't believe it when I received an email telling me I had been subscribed to this service! Amazon, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!! This is something that only the sleeziest of companies do. This will make me seriously reconsider what future services I purchase form this company.

This is annoying and underhanded. I have already started notifying other Kindle users to watch for this tactic. Very bad business practice, Amazon.

I agree completely. I'm considering editing my credit card information to a credit card that will expire shortly. If they continue this practice, I certainly will no longer subscribe to the service.

are y'all absolutely sure it's amazon doing this?

and that it's not spam? or a phisher?

btw, I didn't get one

To All Above.

Read my Post above.

I just got mine too, and was wondering what the heck? I think that is ridiculous. We own 4 various level kindles in this house, and are hardcore users. Do they really need to gouge us with underhanded marketing practices?

When I cancelled, I received a message:

"Thank you for subscribing to the Kindle Edition of The Kindle Compass (bi-weekly).

Best regards,
The Amazon Kindle Team"

I didn't subscribe, thank you very much.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm out of the country (and will be in the air when my free trial period ends), but I hope others call to complain.

It is legit. I see the subscription in my account, but no mention of future price. I am hoping that it is the automatic kindle newsletter that is normally free, and they just failed to mention that it would cost nothing. But in fact, the email eludes to the fact that it will cost SOMETHING. They even have the audacity to put the last 4 digits of my card they will charge it to.

This is Amazon. I went to the link to see my subscriptions and there it is. It was easy to cancel and I got my confirmation email that it was cancelled, but I shouldn't have been signed up for this in the first place. I plan to reach out to various websites such as Consumerist, Gizmodo, Engadget, etc. to make sure that a firestorm is created over this extremely underhanded way that Amazon plans to make money. I feel this is worse than Verizon charging $2/month to bill you or Bank of America charging $5/month to use your debit card.

If you're equally outraged by this attempt to sign people up for an unwanted subscription please also reach out to your available channels so this becomes well known.

Very disappointed in Amazon.com and Kindle to see this automatic subscription to a "free" subscription to Kindle Compass. Seems an underhanded way to generate income. I love my Kindle but I want to decide what content I want to view. Do we need to remove our credit card information so that Amazon can't dip into our pocketbooks when we are not looking?

I completely agree! I was a bit surprised when I opened my email this morning and saw that I have a "Free Trial Kind Subscription to The Kindle Compass". I have no idea what the "Kindle Compass" is nor can I find anything on the amazon website. What is this and how much is the subscription going to cost since I can't find any of that information either?

I am more than APPALLED at this. I have been a customer of Amazon for many many years and order 100's of books. I just happened to check my junk folder this morning to find I had been signed up for a subscription I have no clue what it is and don't want and going to be charged for. How dare them do this. If I knew another way to get all of my books this action of theirs would make me stop using them. I have trusted them for years but no longer will.

is it an app?

I just had a chat with someone in customer service. The conversation went as follows:

Me: Great, so I'll ask again: What on earth is Kindle Compass, and why was I subscribed without first giving permission. How can I find out what this is? Maybe I'll want it? But please let me know what it is first....

Gustavo: Alisa I was trying to find out what's The Kindle Compass but I'm not able to get to the product description, according to the system there's no charge for that subscription
would you like me to cancel the subscription for you ?

Me:Well if you don't know what it is, then yes, I would like the subscription cancelled. I also feel nervous that my credit card number was listed, in my email even though there was no charge for the account. I may need to think about having the automatic pay information on my account. I hope someone is looking into this. There is a thread going about this issue right now: http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle%20customer%20service%20q%20and%20a/ref=cm_cd_n_gssMsg?_encoding=UTF8&cdThread=TxXN3WORPDU9WC

Gustavo:Alisa that subscription is to keep updated the customer of kindle, normally if you purchase a certain item you will like to get the most you can of the device, also be updated of the news and features, that's Kindle compass
and it's complete free
dont understand why people on that thread thing they are gonna get bill but that's not true
Me:How would we know? There is NO OTHER INFO about this subscription available?!? No description, no nothing? I understand this has nothing to do with you, but please let someone know that this experience was bothersome. I would like to be asked to subscribe to a service, and I would like it clear that it is free. Here is the content of the email I received this morning, and maybe now you will understand why we may have been concerned about being charged:

Hello from Amazon.com,
Your free trial to The Kindle Compass (bi-weekly) has started - you can begin reading on your Kindle. If you enjoy your free trial, do nothing and your subscription will automatically continue at the monthly subscription rate.
Subscription name: The Kindle Compass (bi-weekly)
Current Price: $0.00 per month
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Start Date: 01/05/12
Free Trial Length: 14 Days
1st Billing Date: 01/19/12
Payment Method: Card ending in 0000
To change your payment method, cancel your subscription or see further subscription details, please visit http://www.amazon.com/manageyourkindlesubscriptions
If you have any questions or require assistance, please visit http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport
Thank You. We hope you enjoy your Kindle subscription to The Kindle Compass (bi-weekly)
Best regards,
The Amazon Kindle Team

Gustavo:Alisa I already submit the information to the kindle department so they can do something about this subscription, really apology for this inconvenience and hopefully this will be fix since it's causing some troubles for customer
I have canceled the subscription so you wont be charge

Me:Thank you for your help. I appreciate you forwarding this on.

Gustavo:Sure Alisa, actually thank you because to be honest today is the first time I notice this and for what I have read is new
so thanks for letting us know for a possible issue driver :)

Pretty unsettling that the tech-rep didn't know what you were talking about at first. I understand that this might be a free subscription that helps you "get the most out of your Kindle experience" but from what I can tell there are 2 major issues: 1) you don't auto-subscribe your users to things, that's how you lose their trust and 2) IF this actually is free you need to word the email way better to make it 100% clear that people will never get charged for the subscription (which isn't clear).

He isn't even a native English speaker, Alisa.

I anticipate Amazon getting a ton of calls today, and a lot of ANGRY calls. I'm a geek blogger and I have already posted an article about it on geeknewscentral.com. I anticipate all the big geek blogs to completely explode today on this issue, rightfully so!!

For those that asked, NO this is not an app. YES this is a legitimate email from Amazon. YES you are auto-subscribed if you have a Kindle registered to your account (if you didn't get the email check your spam filter). YES you can unsubscribe, but why should you have to? NO Amazon has not rescinded the auto-subscription yet nor have they made any public comment at this point about this issue.

maybe it's not being sent outside the US - what does it show up under MMK?

Just posted this on another thread. For your possible time saving.

http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2012/01/05/amazon-has-lost-its-mind-and-ethics-apparently/ an article relating to it.

the good news go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fiona/manage?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_14&#Magazines and in the left column click on magazines and then Compass is listed and on the right there is an options tab where you can cancel your "subscription."

Just got the email this morning myself and just canceled, now going to find an email link to tell them what I think of them wasting so much of my time this morning.