Audible - I had no idea!

[WorldWideWords]

So I can listen to a book, or not, return it and get my credit back to purchase a different audiobook???

You can but only so many times per year and they can reject your request to refund.

I didn't think if you listened beyond a certain point. 30 seconds or something

There's no such limit. I've returned titles I've listened to well over 50%.

They have a fair use policy, so if you return books a lot, especially if fully listened to, they will reject refunds. They will have stats on if you're the type of customer they want Over 10 years I've returned maybe 5 books, mainly because I've been fooled into buying the same book twice because they've be re-issued but sometimes because the book was making me raged.

You can return books even if you've listened to 1 second or every page.

You reach a limit and then they reject refund requests. If you wait a few weeks and try again, it resets.

I didn't know you could return a book if you had read it. What reasons would you have if you had read every page- just not enjoying it?

If you return the book after you've read it the author doesn't get paid. There is a huge author group (comprising mainly independent authors who paid out of their own pockets to have the audiobooks made) that has spent the last few years fighting Audible's policy of allowing these returns.

Thanks I’ve just returned two books that were shite and I was never going to get beyond the first few chapters. I didn’t know I could do this.

Shocked to hear about the non-payment of authors when books are returned. I have occasionally returned books that I have read on Kindle because of the appalling issues with typos and layout, presumably resulting from a refusal to invest in achieving a high editorial standard when published books are dropped into the Kindle format from their original print format. (I get the impression they often just use scanning software that reads - or often misreads - a printed page, and don't make an adequate human check)

Amazon make these returns very willingly, and no wonder if they are passing (some of) the cost onto the author. But it isn't the author's fault,. It is a failure of the publisher of the ebook. As a former copy-editor it makes me really angry. They could pay someone a pittance to catch these errors

The return policy is not a right, and IME they refuse returns readily. This is if you try and do them yourself through the website. When I go to the bother of phoning them, they have done the returns pleasantly enough. Once, I was told I was returning too many books at once (I’d tried to return two at the same time). I have asked a number of times what is considered reasonable in terms of returns…they won’t spell it out, of course . There’s always the threat of withdrawing your membership altogether if they consider you’re abusing the system. You will be ok if you return occasionally.

That said, I never return books that I’ve listened to fully, how can that be justified? I can usually tell within a few minutes whether I want to read the book.

@Keepingongoing "That said, I never return books that I’ve listened to fully, how can that be justified? I can usually tell within a few minutes whether I want to read the book"

I agree in theory. But how can they justify charging 7.99 for a 15 year old recording of an out of copyright book where both writer and narrator are dead?

@CurlewKate no idea how audiobook pricing works. But I would suspect they charge 7.99 for the book in your scenario because they can? Justifying the price is not their concern.

I’m not a lover of Amazon. To put it mildly.

You can, but it's piracy... it might not hurt the big famous authors but indie authors barely make any money as it is, so if you enjoy it, they should get something. There are a bunch of free audiobooks on youtube but they aren't all legit.

The £7.99 is the subscription price. For that, you get 1 book choice for your credit, and limitless tithes included for no extra charge. I find it excellent value for moved and I’m quite scrimpy!

I think you can only return if you used a credit to purchase rather than paid £

If you cancel they will generally gift you a credit, if you hold your nerve they will give you membership for 99p per month…

How do you do this. I can’t see how to do it on the app

Worth checking with your local library if they have BorrowBox or a similar service to borrow audiobooks. Then you can listen and return them.

The thing that has irritated me with Audible is that if you pause or cancel your membership, you lose any unused credits.

How can this be when you have paid for the credit?

I don't think you lose them if you pause but could be wrong

You're right about that, @Eldermilleniallyogii . I was confused! But why do you lose credits if you cancel-that seems so unfair. After all, they are bought and paid for.
I know you can use up credits before you cancel but what if there isn't anything you want at that moment-you have to use the credit for the sake of it or lose it.