A tale my New Kindle and the impossible hunt for a cover that fits

New Kindle Owners Beware

A few years ago I acquired a Kindle, and I loved it. In fact I have owned two, and when the new “Waterproof, 6 inch screen, 32GB, Paperwhite ” was launched, this month, I purchased one.

When I ordered it I looked at the specifications and just below them was the suggested Kindle Cover to “personalise your Kindle” so I purchased one of those but was told I had to wait because they wouldn’t be available for two days after the arrival of my Kindle.

So the Kindle arrived, lighter, brighter and very nice. I wouldn’t use it until the cover arrived because it is that light it appears almost fragile, and the screen has no protection.

When my Kindle Fabric Cover “Charcoal Black” arrived I was quite excited….Until I tried to put the Kindle in it, the cover is way too small.

“Oh Well” I though and went on line to find an alternative. I found a cover from Moko which states in its specifications “Fits All-new Kindle 10^thGeneration 2019 release, Thinnest Protective Shell Cover” (sic) so I purchased one of those, and then went away to work for a few days.

 

When I got home an Amazon package was waiting with my new cover inside. Like a kid at Christmas I tore open the packaging and went to fit the cover to my new Kindle. It didn’t fit, again the cover was too small.

 

I had a bit of a rant on twitter and somebody from @AmazonHelp tweeted back in minutes, surprise-surprise. They suggested I try talking on the phone to somebody. I replied I’d tried that but kept getting an automated voice telling me that the waiting time was in excess of 20 minutes, so I didn’t utilise that offer.

They then gave me a direct dial number, which at that time didn’t connect. They also gave me a link to “real-time chat” at customer services.

I opened the link and was quickly talking to somebody called Vasnath Kumar.

Vasnath was very helpful and sent me a link to the cover which would fit my new Kindle. I opened the link to find it was to the first cover I’d purchased.

Sorry Vasnath I replied that’s one I’ve already tried. So he apologised and gave me a second link. Yes you guessed it was a link to the second one I’d ordered.

Sorry Vasnath. I replied that’s the other one I’ve already ordered. He apologised again and sent me a link to one I hadn’t seen before with the guarantee that it was the correct one for me. So I ordered it.

About 4pm this afternoon the same Amazon delivery driver attended with a padded Amazon Prime envelope, we’re getting to know each other well me and this driver.

I opened the package and found the case, this time from a company called Ivos.

Guess what, yes it was too small, and it was identical to the Moko one.

That’s it, I was determined to talk to somebody, so I tried the phone number supplied by the person from @AmazonHelp.

The first person I spoke to was obviously not from these shores and after about ten minutes he told me I wasn’t fitting the cases right and I should send him a screen shot of the Kindle and the cases.

A screen shot over a land line phone ? I asked. Yes, he said. How I said. He didn’t know, so he said he’d speak to the Kindle department.

After a 5 minute hold another man came on the line with a very similar voice. He couldn’t help me either, so I asked to speak to a Supervisor.

After a further 15 minutes on hold, during which time a man came on the line and asked if I was still there and was surprised to find I was but said they were still trying to find a Supervisor to speak to me, I finally got to talk to the Supervisor.

A very pleasant young lady with the same accent came on the line and tried to help.

She gave me a serial number to put directly into the Amazon search bar. It was to the Kindle cover I’d originally purchased. “Yes” she said ‘it’s the one frequently brought with that Kindle”

“No” I said “it’s the one that Kindle suggests you buy to personalise your e-reader”

“ Yes that’s right” she said.

“No it won’t fit” I say

So then asks me to wait and emails me the same link. I open the link and we have the same conversation.

“Ok” She says, “I’ve found the one for the waterproof Kindle” and sends me another link.

I open the link and find she has sent me a link to a waterproof cover for the 2018 Kindle.

I point this out to her and tell her it’s a waterproof cover, not a cover for a waterproof Kindle.

“Yes, Yes, the same thing” came the reply

“No, no it’s not” I replied.

A thought had occurred to me that I had been sent the wrong Kindle, but this nice young lady had already taken the serial number and confirmed it was the latest model.

She then tried to get me to buy further cases all of which were for the 2018 generation.

When I queried this, she said yes that’s the one you’ve got.

So I asked her if she was aware that Kindle had launched this new model earlier this month, April 2019. This appeared to confuse her.

As it happens I had my other Kindle next to me and popped it out of its cover. The new Kindle was too small for this cover but, surprise-surprise, my old Kindle fitted perfectly into all three of the cases I’ve been sent so far this week.

The young lady was still confused and trying to get me to order 2018 cases, so I asked her “Is there anywhere in the UK where I can go and talk to somebody about this”

“Yes” she replies with glee “We sell through Argos you can go there and try all of the cases till one fits”

Oh hum.

I thanked the young lady for her help. I have filled out the return forms for the 3 cases which I will drop off at one of the Doddle agents. But I won’t get refunded my costs of £49.93 until the items have been returned and checked.

Happy?

Not a lot