Amazon Digital Services Charges : Introduction
Everybody might have heard the term Digital Services but do you know what it means? Digital Services indicates the electronic delivery of information across multiple platforms and devices like mobile phones and computers. The transition from traditional paper forms to digital forms is an integral form of Digital Service. The digital services enhance the user experience and benefit the organization.
The usual services provided digitally are access to e-markets, software and upgrades, games, e-books, websites, hosting, VoIP, and more. Amazon is one of the many companies which have incorporated Digital Services. Some of the services which are offered by the Amazon are:
- Amazon Music Unlimited.
- Amazon Prime.
- Kindle Unlimited.
Amazon charges you to use these services. For example, if you are using Kindle Unlimited then a fee of $9.99 is charged on your card. Also, an unidentified charge of $0.99 for amazon.com is applied for the application users.
If you are using Amazon prime then at the end of the free trial, the annual subscription charge is automatically charged from your card. Amazon digital services can charge you up for the Hulu app if you have linked the Amazon account with your Hulu account. After the trial duration is over the charges for Hulu are $8.75 with auto-renewal features.
Whenever you start a trial period of any Amazon service or a service that is linked through Amazon, you have to track the trial period and check for any digital orders to know what charges are for.
Various applications and software programs can charge a fee when linked with the amazon account. When you are using Kindle owner’s lending library, for a guide to be totally free you need to have a Prime account or a 30-day trial account.
Some of the methods to prevent Amazon Digital Charges
An Amazon user can access any number of services but he/she has needs to be vigilant about the account details and money charged for certain services used. Some simple pointers you can tick are:
- Make sure you have linked your email and phone to your Amazon account. So, whenever you place an order or some amount gets deducted from your account, you will be notified within seconds.
- If you find some order or charges not validated by you, you can seek help immediately from the customer care.
- Checking the renewal dates regularly of the digital services you have subscribed to.
- If you wish to opt-out of the subscription, just cancel the auto-renewal checkbox. Looking in the settings on the “Manage your Content and Devices” page can be helpful.
- Services like Amazon Prime or Kindle once subscribed are set to auto-renew. You have to check for the auto-renew tab and cancel it if you are no longer in need of it.
- Turning off the 1-click checkout option in the settings for normal and digital orders. The 1-click checkout option is activated by default. This pointer is helpful when you have kids or teens using digital services.
- When you are sharing your account with friends and family, there is a possibility that they have placed an order using your credit card credentials (since it saved on the platform). Checking and verifying who has placed the order is necessary.
Amazon Digital Services Charge: Illegal Purchases
If you find an Amazon digital service charge as illegal or unauthorized and you are not sure where it came from, you have to log in to your account and search for the transaction that matches the charge. If you can’t find the details on this page then you have to consider the following scenarios:
- Do you have a child who has permission to use your card or account? You have to ask them if they know anything about this.
- Do any of your friends or relatives who have access to your account know anything about this purchase?
- There might be a case that your account is compromised or hacked. The person who hacked your account is using your card to place such illegal orders.
In the first two scenarios, you can have a chat with the person and get on with the thing. The case in the third scenario is different. If you think your account is hacked, you have to connect with your bank immediately and ask them to stop/block these payments.
You can also contact Amazon customer care and check their unauthorized transactions policy. Be aware of the Gift card claim code which you receive via text or email. Amazon does not send any such codes to the users. Do not complete any payment for a purchase that directs you away from the merchant site.
During the dispute resolution process, if the Amazon finds that you are not responsible for the charges, you will get reimbursement. There are certain conditions that have to be met in the case of unauthorized or illegal purchases.
How do I cancel my Amazon Electronic Subscription?
Amazon.com has various electronic services like Kindle store, Books, Software, Digital Music, and many more. You can easily cancel the subscription to any of the listed services. To cancel the subscription, you can contact the customer helpline, mail them, or browse through the service and click on the cancel subscription button.
Reviewing the cancellation policies is recommended whenever you wish to unsubscribe the service. The policies are changing continuously and it would be best to review them once before leaving. You can always use the Help button which is available on every Amazon page at the bottom.
Some examples of how to cancel the subscription:
Amazon Kindle Unlimited
To cancel the subscription, you have to browse to the Amazon webpage and look for the “Manage my membership” section. There will be your current plan details and an option to cancel. These changes have to be made on the website only.
Amazon Network
Channels like HBO, Outset, and Cinemax can be subscribed using Amazon. Under the Amazon channels section, you can locate these channels and cancel the subscription if you want to.
Amazon Drive
Amazon Drive is a cloud-based storage facility for data. It is similar to Drivebox or Google drive. Amazon is one of the top providers for cloud-based digital services. You can visit the web portal of Cloud drive and cancel or renew the subscription accordingly.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is a membership-based model that is helpful in many services. There is a monthly or yearly charge for this membership. You can change the settings of the subscription in the “Manage my membership” section.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is a one-stop online music store. There is a fee of $9.99/month for non-prime users and $7.99/month for prime users. You can manage the subscription from your account.
You can always contact Amazon Customer service in case of any difficulty. You can check and click on the help button which is at the bottom of every page. Then you will get three options to contact the Amazon customer service, call, Email, or chat.
Conclusion
Amazon is one of the best Business-to-Consumer companies in the world. The digital services offered by the company are many and they cater to anyone around the world. Amazon charges some fee for each of these digital services.
For example, the kindle unlimited is available for $9.99/month fee. The charges imposed by the Amazon are sometimes not in congruence with the user. To avoid such charges, the user needs to be vigilant about their account activities and card details.
Also, if you have subscribed to any service offered by the Amazon, you have to check the auto-renewal dates and charges. You can easily unsubscribe any of the services with just one click.
The user has to be aware of various Amazon-related scams which can result in illegal purchases. In the end, if the user faces any problem, he/she can always contact Amazon customer service professionals. So, it is established that Amazon charges for the digital services offered but a user can verify those services and cancel it if he/she wishes.