Can Kindle Books Be Returned? Everything to Know!

Kindle books are a fantastic alternative to physical books for a wide array of reasons, including the amount of space they save and the frequent deals you can get on them. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, the wrong books get purchased, or there are technical problems. In these situations, can Kindle books be returned?

Kindle books can be returned within seven days of the purchase. Returns that occur after this period will go through Customer Service on a case-by-case basis. Gifted Kindle books can be returned in exchange for an Amazon gift card. Borrowed books through Amazon services can also be returned.

This article will describe the Kindle Return Policy in more detail, along with the steps you’ll have to take to return a Kindle book. It’ll also look at the factors that can affect whether you’ll be able to get your return and the future changes the policy is expected to go through. Let’s begin!

How To Return a Kindle Book?

You may want to return a Kindle book to your library for several reasons. For example, you might’ve purchased a similar title by accident, or you got the book you wanted, but it didn’t match your expectations.

The good news is that, in most cases, you are not stuck with your purchase. Therefore, in this section, I’ll be taking you through the steps required to return your purchased Kindle book.

Steps To Return a Kindle Book You Have Purchased

Picture it. You’re browsing the store on your Kindle tablet, and your hand slips. You’ve just purchased a book you’ve never even heard of. 

You can quickly resolve this issue by hitting the cancel purchase button before it disappears. This will prevent the purchase, stop the charge from going onto your payment method, and the book won’t be added to your library.

But what if you weren’t fast enough?

Amazon’s current Kindle book return policy is pretty straightforward, allowing for the return of many titles up to seven days after purchase without customer service. Follow these easy steps to get a full refund on your book:

1. Open the account you purchased the book from.
2. Go to “Orders.”
3. Choose “Digital Orders.
4. Find the book you want to return.
5. Click on “Return for Refund.”
6. A menu will pop up asking for a reason for the return. Choose the option that applies to your situation.
7. The refund will be complete in 2-5 days.

There are also situations where you may have borrowed a book through Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Prime, or from a friend or family member. We’ll look at how to return those books next.

Steps To Return a Kindle Book You Have Borrowed

There are two primary methods of returning a borrowed Kindle book. 

First, click and hold the title from your Kindle library on your device. A small menu will pop up, and you will have the option to return the book from there.

Second, and this option takes a little more work, you will need to navigate to your Amazon account and follow these steps:

1. Open your account.
2. Choose “Manage Content and Devices.”
3. Find the book you want to return.
4. Select the drop-down menu found to the right of the title.
5. Click on “Return Book.”
6. In the menu that pops up, select “Yes.”

This will send the book back to the original source, whether it’s Amazon or another user. It’s beneficial to keep track of the number of titles you borrow from Amazon as they have a cap, so you will have to return titles to check out more. 

Steps To Return a Kindle Book You Were Gifted

While receiving books is always a welcome option for many gift recipients, sometimes the titles given just don’t match their tastes. The good news is that Amazon allows the exchange of gifted Kindle books for Amazon gift cards, which can be applied to purchasing a more appropriate title.

When someone gives you a Kindle book, you will receive an email notifying you of the purchase. Instead of clicking the link to redeem the gift, click on the link that says, “Learn how this works or exchange for credit.” 

This option will take you to a screen where you can exchange the Kindle book for an Amazon gift card, which you can use to buy another book or other merchandise if a book isn’t what you really want. As long as you do not redeem the book from the email, there is no time limit on this alternative.

Now that we have looked at the three kinds of Kindle book returns, let’s explore what can affect getting a paid refund approved.  

Factors Affecting Kindle Book Returns

Getting a refund on a Kindle book is not a guarantee. While most Kindle book returns are automatic at the purchaser’s request, Amazon reserves the right to refuse any refund for any reason. 

There are specific requirements that have to be met for a refund to be approved immediately. 

1. The Number of Days You Have Owned the Title

Currently, Amazon limits refunds to seven days after the purchase date. This allows purchasers time to realize they have made an incorrect purchase or that the book will not work out based on how it reads. 

While this is a comfortable return period, there are situations where you may not make it in time. If you purchase a particularly lengthy novel, you may not realize there is a problem with it until after the return period has expired. 

The good news is there are circumstances when this period can be extended. While you may not get a refund after several months have passed, you can still go through Amazon customer service and explain why you missed the seven-day mark. 

They make their decisions on a case-by-case basis, so if you forgot to return a book you bought or found out too late that it’s defective, it’s still worth a try reaching out to them.

2. How Many Refunds You Have on Your Account

Keep in mind that Amazon tracks the number of refunds requested by your account. If they suspect unusual activity on your end, your refund options might get restricted.

The reason behind this is the increased abuse of the refund policy. Many readers can finish a book well within seven days, after which, they return it in hopes of getting their money back.

Many authors have lost significant amounts of money due to this flaw, resulting in the proposed changes to the policy.

3. Changes to the Policy Are Coming

Amazon will introduce a new rule to its return policy, according to which, you can only return a book if you’ve read less than 10% of its content. Anyone who has read more than this amount will be denied an automatic refund on the title. 

However, customers who have a legitimate reason for a return after reading more than 10% of its content (say there was a defect you came across mid-way your reading session), can reach out to Amazon’s Customer Service to explain the situation for a refund.

In this situation, the Amazon team will take your request into consideration and will tailor a unique solution for your problem. However, keep in mind that a refund is never guaranteed.