Two years ago, when I published Through Kestrel’s Eyes with the Kindle KDP program I had only one email address. Everything associated with Amazon – Kindle, Createspace, Amazon.com and my Kindle devices – were connected to that email. There had never been issues until I published this second book.
When I tried to access my KDP account I found it blocked. Email is KDP’s only option for customer service – ever – no matter what. Keep that in mind as I proceed.
I spent the next week or so in email hell. First they said a passcode change was needed. Then they told me I needed a second email account because I had too many Amazon accounts. I didn’t want a second email. It had always been fine before.
I’ll try to keep this short. Each email I sent to KDP customer service was routed to a different rep. No matter how much I clarified my situation, each email seemed to muddle things even more. I called Amazon customer service. At that time the person I spoke to escalated the problem to someone in IT who worked in South Africa. He worked with me until we had everything back on my original email.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief, thinking all was well. My relief was short-lived. The next day, when I tried to access the account it was once again blocked. I was back in email jail. The cycle began all over again, each contact making things worse. They insisted I still needed a second email account for KDP publishing. I was stonewalled.
The stress was taking a toll on my health. After two weeks of futility I gave up and gave in. I created a second email just for KDP and went on with my life. Because the only thing I used that second address for was KDP, I missed any messages associated with KDP, including the warnings about needing my ITIN from the IRS or they would close my account.
In the meantime I had filled in my papers for the IRS and followed the downloaded instructions to the letter, only to be rejected twice with no explanation, just the usual form letter. After the third rejection I called them and talked to a rep who explained that the rules had changed.
This coincided with publishing my third book, The Dreamt Child. It made it onto the KDP account the day before it was blocked. From that point I could not make changes to it. Both the IRS and KDP issues overlapped over the same three-week period. My KDP account was blocked while I tried to sort out the IRS problem. This meant that I could not edit or change the price of my books for a Seasonal Special.
Are you confused yet? I went through it and even I am confused.
I resubmitted my request to the IRS according to the new rules. Again my application was rejected with no explanation. Again I called. The rep I spoke to at that time offered to escalate my request, citing ‘hardship’. The person she referred me to explained that the rules had been changed once again. When I explained the urgency of my situation, that rep offered to see what he could do. He was wonderful and came through several days later to give me my ITIN over the phone, telling me written confirmation would take a while. After two years I finally had what I needed to get my royalties.
Elated, I went back to KDP, assuming I would be able to plug in the tax information and my account would be unblocked. Not so. I was still in email jail.
I searched for a customer service number for Amazon and called them. That rep gave me the broken-record response about KDP only dealing via email so many times that I asked to escalate the problem to a supervisor. I’m certain my tongue was bleeding from biting it continuously so I wouldn’t shout the expletives that were pressing to get out. But I stuck with the issue and stayed civil. The supervisor tried the same broken-record routine but finally agreed to send an email to KDP requesting that a team leader deal with my problem. It was better than nothing and I knew I would get no more, so I agreed to try that.
I was now back in email jail with KDP. After the initial email from the team leader, the cycle began all over again. I could access my account, they told me. All I needed was a passcode change. I could see the writing on the wall but tried to play along. According to them I could still get into the account, just not my bookshelf. And I would be able to merge the account onto my original email.
Hah! Not so fast. Now the system did not even recognize my name. After being given the same instructions three times and telling them twice that their instructions did not work I was tearing my hair out.
I sent one last email accusing them of not reading the entire file, of sending me to a different rep each time who did not read my explanations, highlighting key bits in bold. Even then I stuck to the issue and held back my ‘real’ feelings. In it I requested that the issue be referred back the original team leader, as I had been promised by the Amazon rep.
I ended that message with this: “All other departments in Amazon have access to a rep by telephone. I strongly believe that it is KDP’s refusal to offer that option in cases where emails do not resolve the issue is the reason I have been unable to get anywhere. This policy needs to change. There has to be some way to get a rep to look at an account in person in complicated situations such as I have now twice encountered. There are times when email simply doesn’t work.”
That got results. I got an email from the team leader offering to call me on the phone. When Pablo called he was very helpful. By this time I had my verbal ITIN number. He offered to merge the account back onto my original email. The rules had apparently changed from two years previous. He offered to call me back to confirm that I had access again. I had received confirmation of my ITIN from the IRS just the day before, so when Pablo called me I was able to fill in the tax form with him while he guided me through on the phone. He explained that merging the account would take a couple of days and offered to call back to make sure everything was working as it should. He was true to his word. I could have kissed him. Instead I asked to speak to his superior to give him a commendation.
Knowing that to suggest that they offer telephone help for complicated problems would be ill advised, I chose instead to make a different suggestion to Pablo’s superior. I suggested that they change their procedure such that when a customer emails them with a problem, the same rep deals with that customer until it is resolved instead of routing the call to the next random rep. At least that way one person gets the whole story. Will they follow through? We’ll see. I probably don’t have that much influence.
But all is well with my account now. I have all my work associated with one email and I am out of KDP email jail – at least for now.
Thank you, Pablo.
OMG, how ghastly and frustrating. I too had issues when I published with KDP and couldn’t get a live person to speak to. They make so much money from doing almost nothing that one wonders what could possibly justify this ridiculous situation. Congratulations for hanging in there Yvonne.
Thank you. I hope you finally got your issues resolved, too, Ester.
Wow, Yvonne, that was a very sad tale. Glad it had a happy ending (for now).
I just went through my very first interaction with KDP and it was much smoother than I had expected. But, then again, this is only the second day that my item (a short story single) has been online.
Thank you for the tips on how to get through issues with KDP.
Thank you. When it works as they should it’s quite easy. But when there are issues it’s hard to get the help you need. Really though, Pablo was great, once I got to speak to him.
What an awful experience! I’m so glad you finally got it all worked out. I suppose I’ve been luck (knock on wood), because so far, I haven’t had any major issues.
Just add that wayward “y” to the word “luck” above….
lol, Melinda. I didn’t even notice. That’s why I need an editor.
Yikes! I haven’t dealt with KDP yet, nor do I want to. At least not without help from someone who can deal with them for me. My publisher handles that stuff–hooray! With my phone aversion problem, it would never get resolved.
Lucky you, to have a publisher. BTW I hate telephones, too, but it was the only way.
I hope they take your suggestion Yvonne. I have been down that same twilight zone road. It was slightly different, but I understand about biting the tongue. Lets keep our fingers crossed. They still insist I’m two different people (they don’t get the pen name bit ha!)
I hope that gets resolved for you. It must make selling more difficult.
Persistence is key with the ‘Zon. Sorry you had to go through that, but happy it all turned out, Yvonne. Holding your tongue had to be a mean feat 🙂
lol. It was. Especially since I am not patient by nature, nor do I suffer fools gladly.
This is absolutely a horrible thing to go through. I’m glad that you kept your cool and focused on the issue and worked diligently to resolve the issue. Good for you! as one in customer service it does no good to curse and yell and scream at the rep. I realize how frustrating it is but working together beats against each other. Congrats on finding a gem of a rep in Pablo! congrats on getting your KDP back too~
I worked for seven years in an incoming call centre so I know what it is like to be on the other end. It helps. 🙂
What a horrible mess. If it were me, I’d have probably given up. Why can’t everyone be more like the customer service people of Createspace. They have a button to click to have them call you and its immediate. You get to talk to a live person if you have problems. And Amazon owns Createspace, I don’t understand how the two entities can be so vastly different in how they deal with their customers. Thank goodness you got it straightened out.
So true. The difference is night and day. I do hope they take my suggestion seriously as it makes economic sense for them as well. Issues will be resolved more quickly. Time is money.
Congrats for living through this episode with your brain and most of your hair intact, Yvonne. 🙂 You’re absolutely right, though — KDP ought to open a ticket when someone e-mails in with a problem and assign that ticket to a single individual, start to finish. That’s what the IT department at my day job does, so it can’t be that difficult to manage.
Not sure about my brain and hair intact, lol, I hope they do it, too. It only makes sense. Thanks.
I can’t even begin to imagine your frustration.
I hope you never have to experience it. 🙂
It all sounds horrendous, Yvonne. I’ve not – yet – had a problem with KDP but I don’t have an ITIN. I filled a form in which I dowloaded but then I saw somewhere they won’t accept anything but an original form. I’ve been paralysed into inactivity since but feel I ought to do something to resolve it before other problems kick in.
You need to ask KDP or Amazon to send you the form in the mail. They used to let you download it but that’s changed. Once you get the ITIN there is a form on KDP on-line where you can fill it in. Voila! Do get it done before they block your account. Good luck. (Oh and the IRS requires an official copy of your passport, too)
wow! I’ve had Kindle for several years now, and I never have had those problems.
I don’t know where you are, but if you are in the USA things are far less complicated. I’m glad things are going smoothly for you. 🙂
What a nightmare! Thanks for sharing your cautionary tale, Yvonne. I imagine your blood pressure must have rose re-living it for the article!
Yes, lol. And that was especially true when i tried to keep things balanced in the post. Sometimes it’s hard to see the general past the personal.
Oh, how horrible, Yvonne! I’m so glad it’s now behind you.
Thanks, Laurie. I am, too. I just hope they make some changes.
You’re nicer than I am. After I left my former publisher, she decided to play around with the dates to release my work so I could republish it. I was so scared I would lose reviews. I called Amazon customer service only to be told they weren’t KDP and that I had to email them. My reply was, “Tough. You have me on the phone and YOU are dealing with me or I promise to never purchase another item through Amazon and will shout it to the rooftops about your laziness. Now, check my purchase history to see all the money I’ve spent with you – I’ll hold – and then get back on the phone and tell me what I need to know.”
It worked. LOL!
I hope KDP changes their procedures. Good for you for sticking it out without actual jail time!
Good for you, Nickie. I’m afraid I’m not a good enough customer for that.:) (except perhaps from Createspace)
Good for you for sticking to your guns, Yvonne, I know exactly what you went through. By the way, it too me fourteen months to get my ITIN number from the IRS.
Thanks, TD. The ITIN took so long because they kept changing the rules – and never told me why I was being rejected. All it would take is a box on the form letter saying which item didn’t meet their requirements. Once I got to talk to Peter, though, he really went to bat for me.
Your experience was horrific, Yvonne, and I’m amazed you managed to keep your cool the whole way through. A painful victory, but a victory nonetheless. I hope this incident does make Amazon re-think its procedures in the future.
Thank you. So do I. As for my cool – what they couldn’t see can’t hurt me. lol
lmao – there /are/ benefits to dealing with large organizations at a distance. 😀
Oh, the horrors of flawed customer service… I would probably have tried to murder one of them after the first four emails.
The thought did cross my mind. 🙂
Gosh, Yvonne. I commend you for biting your tongue! How frustrating. So glad it is resolve, hurray for Pablo!
Thanks, Glynis. Bottom line is I hope they take my suggestion of ‘one ticket – one person’ seriously.
It’s hard to bite my tongue but I’ve ;earned I get farther if I do. People stop listening when you yell and curse. It was a tough lesson. lol
Ah, the old technobabble two-step. I haven’t had that problem with KDP yet. Obviously I’m not using it enough 🙂
lol. Thanks Gordon.
Wow, what a mess. I’ve been fortunate thus far with KDP, my only issues being relatively minor and quickly resolved. I hope you never have to deal with anything so crazy again. Well done getting it through it, though!
Thank you Brian. I’m glad you haven’t had a major issue.