I have an Amazon Audible account that I pay annually rather than monthly and receive 12 book credits a year.
I went online via the webpage and clicked to pause my account 2 weeks before renewal as I had 3 book credits still available to use. The webpage acknowledged that I’d paused my membership but would still be able to listen to books already downloaded and still use my 3 remaining credits. I assumed I’d likely renew it in about 3 months time.
However, today, they took the full annual fee out of my bank account - £70. As I wasn’t expecting this, it has taken me overdrawn by £20.
I contact Amazon/Audible and spoke to a human (!) who initially said it wasn’t possible to pause an annual membership, only the monthly ones. I told him I’d already done it and he asked me to send him screenshots as he was adamant it wasn’t possible.
After about 40 mins on the phone with him going to speak to a supervisor etc., I sent him screenshots of the pause button and the confirmation of it being paused, he reluctantly acknowledged that the website was wrong and it must be a technical fault.
Apparently, it shouldn’t have let me pause it and that as their terms don’t allow this, the best he could offer me was 1 month free membership and after that, I could pay for one further month and then I can pause it !!!!
He also agreed to refund my £70 fee but said it could take up to 7 days to reach my bank account. Obviously, the bank will charge me from today for being overdrawn. He’s also cancelled my membership.
I’m so annoyed because Amazon have acknowledged that they’ve cocked up but have not offered me any compensation to cover the bank charges I will incur for their mistake. The one month free offer is a piss take as all new audible memberships offer 1 month free as standard.
Can anyone advise how best to escalate this matter and actually get a decent offer from Amazon? Even a tenner to cover bank charges would be better than nothing. I can’t believe they’re being so bloody awkward when they have no problem with someone pausing a monthly membership.
If anyone has any insight, I’d be grateful to hear from you.