Amazon Thursday reversed course on its policy for Kindles with cracked screens, telling
The Seattle Times that users who own cracked Kindles related to their use of the Kindle's protective cover could come to Amazon for a replacement. The move from Amazon -- a complete reversal of what was essentially a "fix it yourself" response from earlier in the week -- follows a $5 million lawsuit filed against the company by a Seattle real estate executive who alleged that Amazon's optional $30 Kindle cover cracked his Kindle.
The lawsuit, according to court filings, details how Matthew Geise bought a Kindle for his wife and then watched it freeze up following signs of cracking in the frame. The lawsuit filing also notes that a number of Kindle users have complained about the cracking on Internet message boards, and that when Geise contacted Amazon representatives about the Kindle's warranty, Amazon indicated it would not fix the Kindle because the cover was used improperly. The suit further alleges that an Amazon supervisor told Geise's wife that cracked Kindles are a "common problem."
"Because of the relatively small size of the typical damages, and the modest resources of most consumers, it is unlikely that most Class Members could afford to seek recovery against Amazon on their own. A class action is therefore the only viable, economical and rational means for members of the Class to recover from Amazon for the damages it has caused," reads the lawsuit language.
It remains to be seen whether Amazon's Kindle repair response will be satisfactory to Geise or other alleged Kindle users with cracked screens. But the move does represent a dramatic change for Amazon, whose previous position was to tell customers they were responsible for what was, according to Geise's lawsuit, $200 in repairs thanks to the Kindle warranty not covering the damage.
Amazon seems hell-bent on protecting the positive image of its Kindle e-reader brand, and the reversal came after coverage on Wednesday and Thursday brought its much-scrutinized and allegedly popular Kindle back into the spotlight in a negative way.
Amazon earlier this month cut the price of its Kindle 2 by $60, part of what appears to be a broader strategy to keep the Kindle in front of consumers and at the vanguard of e-books and e-reading even as its initial buzz has worn off. It's wise to do so -- Kindle competition, from Google applications to other dedicated e-reading devices, is increasing all the time.
