Amazon Responds To My Email About The Obama Mask/Terrorist Costume

[WeDidIt]

They got FREEPED:

Hello from Amazon.com.

Thank you for contacting us with your concern about the search results for the Barack Obama Halloween mask.

First, please allow me to express my sincere apologies for any frustration that has been caused. It is certainly not our intention for our customers to have anything but a pleasant experience at our store.

We'd like you to know that the search result for that item was modified by an Amazon.com customer using a "tagging" feature available on our website. The result was not provided by an Amazon employee or an Amazon search algorithm.

The search tag was removed quickly after it was discovered.

We've fixed the problem and apologize for any offense it created.

We hope you will give us the opportunity to serve you again in the way you deserve. Again, we are sorry that you experienced these difficulties, and we hope that we can restore your faith in our company.

Further if you wish to close your account:

Before authorizing us to close YOUR ACCOUNT, please read the following information carefully. Further action is required in order to close your account.

Once your account is closed, it's no longer accessible by you or anyone else. You'll need to start a new account if you wish to order more items on our site or take advantage of any other features on our website which require a password.

Before you authorize cancellation of your account, keep in mind the following:

-- If you use the same e-mail and password combination to shop at other sites that are powered by Amazon.com (Target.com, Bebe.com, BenefitCosmetics.com, Lacoste.com, Endless.com), these accounts will be automatically closed as well.
-- Any open Amazon.com orders you have will be cancelled.
-- If you have an outstanding refund or an A-z Guarantee claim, we can't ensure resolution or that you'll receive a refund.
-- If you are planning to return any items, please wait until the refund has been processed before requesting that we close your account. Refunds are typically processed within 2 to 3 days after we receive your package at our returns center.
-- If you have an Amazon Payments account, please be aware that once an Amazon Payments account is closed, it cannot be reopened. You would need to open a new account with a new e-mail address if you wanted to use Amazon Payments again in the future.
-- If you have an Amazon Web Services account, closing your Amazon.com account will not cancel these services. Please cancel your subscriptions for any Web Services prior to requesting that your account be closed.

CONTACT US TO CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNT
If you still want us to close your account, please write back to us by visiting this page:

(they gave a link)

Please send your request from the e-mail address associated with the account you'd like to close. Be sure to include the name on the account, so that we may verify your identity, and in the "Comments" section please confirm that you want your account closed.

Thank you for contacting Amazon.com.

Thank you for contacting us.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:


Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail.

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section of our web site.

Best regards,

Jofert C.
Amazon.com Customer Service
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10/27/08 11:42:38
Your Name:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Comments:Remove my account from your system IMMEDIATELY. I do NOT do business with racist or bigotted companies such as yours.

After you listed a "Barack Obama Terrorist" costume earlier today, I can no longer do business with your company.

If my account is not removed within 72 hours, I shall be forced to seek legal redress in civil court.
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[davidpdx]

1. I would get further up the chain with the complaint

If you post the email address I'll send one as well. I have an Amazon account as well, but don't use it very often (I'm overseas and it's as expensive as hell to mail stuff here).

[WeDidIt]

3. There is no email address

You have to send an email from their web site.

[davidpdx]

10. You need to find one

or request a response from a manager. Don't give up. If at worst, call them and ask to speak to a manager and make it clear that you want to get in touch with someone at corporate headquarters.

[dbmk]

2. Wow! You went straight for the throat, huh?

It was pretty obvious that the description was provided by a customer.

I can understand giving big companies little leeway in terms of the benefit of doubt. But maybe a little more should have been applied in your initial communication? :)

[WeDidIt]

4. Why fuck around?

IF they don't know that I was pissed, they won't do anything to stop it from happening in the future.

[npincus]

5. it sounds like some asshole modified the tag, not Amazon

and Amazon acted immediately to remove the slur and correct the problem. Sorry, I think you are over-reacting by cancelling your Amazon account. Perhaps Amazon should remove their taging feature altogether as it enables hateful idiots to alter content ont their site. Amazon probably has millions of items for sale, and I think it is completely unrealistic to think that they will be on top of each and every one. The fact that they were responsive and provided you with the information they did seems appropriate.

when I have found content that was innapropriate on eBay (hasn't occured on Amazon) I report it, I don't cancel my membership.

Of course you are entitled to your feelings, but you can't stop the all the hate out there, and don't understand why you would want to cancel your membership after they have acted to correct the issue you reported.

[WeDidIt]

6. Hey, I didn't cancel it

I told them I was canceling it and they responded with this.

[npincus]

7. Oh!

I have to get a little further into my cup of coffee... my brain-switch hasn't flipped on! :)

Glad they responded, glad you are staying with them. Personally, I looooooove Amazon! I buy stuff (books, music) on their Marketplace- great prices.

[Dissent Is Patriotic]

8. I think you did the right thing. Good for you. We need to be

educated, aware consumers not sheep. Bravo(a)!

[Hellataz]

9. I wrote to them and got one too:

Hello from Amazon.com.

Thank you for contacting us with your concern about the search results for the Barack Obama Halloween mask.

We'd like you to know that the search result for that item was modified by an Amazon.com customer using a "tagging" feature available on our website. The result was not provided by an Amazon employee or an Amazon search algorithm.

The search tag was removed quickly after it was discovered.

We've fixed the problem and apologize for any offense it created.

Thank you for contacting us.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:

If yes, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-y?c=yxxhghdf3251182855
If not, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-n?c=yxxhghdf3251182855

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail.

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section of our web site.

Best regards,

Dinesh Rathinam S.
Amazon.com Customer Service
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Check your order and more: http://www.amazon.com/your-account



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