Amazon to replace broken Kindles free of charge
updated 05:20 pm EDT, Thu July 16, 2009
Kindle replacements free
To avoid ruining its relatively good reputation, or perhaps to shake off legal action, Amazon on Thursday said it would replace its Kindle 2 e-book readers with cracked screens free of charge, instead of asking $200 for a replacement. Just yesterday it was reported the $5 million class action lawsuit was filed in Seattle against Amazon because an official screen protector that mounts onto the Kindle 2 damages the device over time, leading to a cracked body and screen, making the device unusable.
The $200 replacement fee applied to both Kindle 2 and DX e-book readers, and has now been dropped. A spokesperson for Amazon said people with a broken Kindle 2 due to the accessory are encouraged to return both and get the no-cost replacement pending approval, but did not comment on the lawsuit.
When it was first launched, the Kindle 2 was priced at $359 before that price was reduced to $299. The $200 replacement fee, then, represented a near 67 percent cost for a problem that, many argue, is Amazon's fault. [via TGDaily]
