Secret Santa gift exchange! discussion

Since Amazon is being difficult, post your 'Zon questions here!

Amazon has recently "updated" their site, which means some helpful features are either gone, changed or relocated:

- unclaimed gifts must be revoked within 60 days.
Make sure to check on the gifts you sent out regularly.

- you can no longer return/exchange a gifted book.
Leave a request in this thread for your Santa/Elf to exchange those books for you.

- you can no longer send a reminder via Amazon to your giftee if your gift remains unclaimed.
You now have to revoke and then re-send the gift.
Or you can anonymously message your giftee via Elfster.

- make sure to choose the "send" date when buying a gift.
There seems to be a glitch, that if left to its own devices Amazon does not always immediately send the book.

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This thread is for posting technical questions and answers regarding Amazon Kindle and for Requests for gift exchange.

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Just a suggestion....
but maybe if we remove the book from our Elfster's wishlist...
or change its bookshelf on GR after receiving a book gift might help cut down on duplicates?
Just click on the three little dot buttons on the top right-hand corner of the wish and you can delete it after you get it.

Sheri wrote: "Just a suggestion....
but maybe if we remove the book from our Elfster's wishlist...
or change its bookshelf on GR after receiving a book gift might help cut down on duplicates?
Just click on the ..."

That's a great idea.

Sheri wrote: "Just a suggestion....
but maybe if we remove the book from our Elfster's wishlist...
or change its bookshelf on GR after receiving a book gift might help cut down on duplicates?
Just click on the ..."

I always do this on my own wishlist and I always mark something as purchased if I gift as an elf from someone else's list.
Hopefully this will help others too!

Not an excuse, but - the edit/delete button is so tiny and in a such inconvenient location, that 45 times out of 46 I click on it, it takes me the bookseller's location. I have to zoom in in order to operate that thing successfully.

M'rella wrote: "Not an excuse, but - the edit/delete button is so tiny and in a such inconvenient location, that 45 times out of 46 I click on it, it takes me the bookseller's location. I have to zoom in in order ..."

Ahh, I only ever use Elfster on the browser not the app so I don't have that problem thankfully.

@Cadiva

I am actually talking about my laptop and Chrome. Maybe it's my resolution, I don't know. But I am forever zooming in and out of Elfster so I can operate that little button. Just as I keep zooming in and out of GR with its new book pages.

Sheri wrote: "Just a suggestion....
but maybe if we remove the book from our Elfster's wishlist...
or change its bookshelf on GR after receiving a book gift might help cut down on duplicates?
Just click on the ..."

This is what I do... I use Elfster website to remove books that have been sent to me. That way, I hope no one buys a duplicate title.

Just drooping by to offer any help I can to anyone that may have problems gifting internationally! Especially with Amazon doing wierd things this year :)

Thank you Secret Elf for your gift, I am so excited to read it.

Carmen wrote: "Just drooping by to offer any help I can to anyone that may have problems gifting internationally! Especially with Amazon doing wierd things this year :)"

How do I send a gift to someone in the UK

You can check whether some of the wanted titles are sold by Smashwords.com.
Or send an elfster Q&A to ask them to select a wishlist on Smashwords, too.

@Elfvira Mistress of the Dark
Thank you again for the books you've sent me!! Somebody else recently bought me Make Me Fall and since I didn't have the books listed individually on my wishlist it didn't get marked. I have not "accepted" it so that you can either get a refund or exchange it for another if you choose.

I'm so sorry for the hassle!

Aղցela W. wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Just drooping by to offer any help I can to anyone that may have problems gifting internationally! Especially with Amazon doing wierd things this year :)"

How do I send a gift to so..."

Do you have a vpn? Even a free one can help you mask you are in that country and changing then the location for Amazon you can gift or at least it's what works for me :) Another option is to create a "dummy" account with that amazon country page and then gift the other person, that's what I did my first year.
On the other hand if you are gifting paperback/hardcover you can use amazon, bookdepository and such that mail internationally. You also have the option of Smashwords that only ask for an email to gift someone.

Carmen wrote: "Aղցela W. wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Just drooping by to offer any help I can to anyone that may have problems gifting internationally! Especially with Amazon doing wierd things this year :)"

How do I..."

I'm using a VPN and have my address as in US and I still can't as an international buyer redeem my gifts. I don't know what else to do T_T

Teeny wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Aղցela W. wrote: "Carmen wrote: "Just drooping by to offer any help I can to anyone that may have problems gifting internationally! Especially with Amazon doing wierd things this yea..."

For redeeming you need to have at least a device registered, try with a smarphone or a tablet, and let's cross fingers is that!

Carmen wrote: "I'm using a VPN and have my address as in US and I still can't as an international buyer redeem my gifts. I don't know what else to do T_T"

From my knowledge the only way to accept a gift cross country is transferring your entire amazon (kindle) account to the country where the gift was sent from. You can do this manually, or ask a support worker to do it. After redeeming the gift card there you can transfer your account back. I have done this in the past without issue, but it's a hassle and I always fear something going wrong.

The safer bet would be to ask your gifter to revoke the gifts, then send a gift card for your amazon store with the correct amount for the book so you can buy it yourself.

iam wrote: "Carmen wrote: "I'm using a VPN and have my address as in US and I still can't as an international buyer redeem my gifts. I don't know what else to do T_T"

From my knowledge the only way to accept ..."
That's true too, I mostly know how to go around the countries restiction to gift but what you said it's the easier option too. <3

Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly.

Sandra wrote: "Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly."

YES! It's most annoying. Ha.

Sandra wrote: "Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly."

YEP!!! Another ANNOYING THING this year

Sandra wrote: "Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly."

Yes!

Sandra wrote: "Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly."

YES!! That is another annoying Amazon issue in a long list of things they changed ugh!!

Sandra wrote: "Does anyone else have to log into their amazon account EACH TIME they accept a gift ebook? I have clicked "keep me signed in" to no avail, repeatedly."

I do

Ugh... yes! Amazon, just stop being horrible for once!

We are all addicts in an abusive relationship with Amazon, our provider.

Hemmel wrote: "We are all addicts in an abusive relationship with Amazon, our provider."

That is so true

Hemmel wrote: "We are all addicts in an abusive relationship with Amazon, our provider."

*Snort, giggle, laugh, cry*

Hemmel wrote: "We are all addicts in an abusive relationship with Amazon, our provider."

LOL Dude, I was drinking some coffee when I read that, you can imagine... I'm going for the dish towel to clean ehem...

Okay work is swallowing my up and I forget to come back and respond. I had my country set as in US, but I had my default shipping address which is in Greece on the main page. Also my phone's VPN app doesn't work really well because although I had set it up as in US it didn't seem to work, when I went to my browser on my PC and added a VPN extension there and chose USA it did the trick. A trick I need not only to redeem gifts but to send as well!

Oh Hemmel, how true it is!!

Carmen, eek! Hopefully, it wasn't all over your kindle! 🤭

Teeny, whew! You figured out their maze. Impressive!

I tried, Teeny. I even added an USA address as delivery and downloaded the app again, now the .com market while my vpn said New York.
Nope.
The customer service person unredeemed the voucher and now the Elf can use it again.

Kalinka Elf, thank you for gifting me but Amazon was bullying. I can not use an .com card.

To elfvira, I was already gifted Mistletowed so you can revoke it and send to someone else.

Good morning Fairly Fruity Elf ! Thank you for the lovely gift of Silent Voices but I already have a copy of it. So please revoke it so you can get your gift back. Again thank you for thinking of me!

Thank you so much to A Hanukkah Harlot for the gift of Homo Action Love Story! A tall tale by Ben Monopoli, but I already own a copy. Please send it along to someone else or get a refund for your purchase as I don't want you to be out your generosity! Thank you again for thinking of me!

M'rella wrote: "@Cadiva

I am actually talking about my laptop and Chrome. Maybe it's my resolution, I don't know. But I am forever zooming in and out of Elfster so I can operate that little button. Just as I keep..."

Oh no, how annoying!

Hi Winter Cherry Elf
Thank you for gifting me An Unseen Attraction but I've already read it.
Thank you SO MUCH for your thoughtfulness - if you want to revoke your gift, you can send it to someone else. Thank you for thinking of me!

Hi Macca-beat me, daddy!

Thank you so much for sending me The Geek Who Saved Christmas. It was a wonderful book, but I can't tell whether or not I redeemed your copy or whether I had bought it previously. Can you please check your gifting and if I haven't redeemed it please revoke it and send it elsewhere? It's too fun of a book to waste. You are amazing!

I love this Secret Santa books gift giving experience, it is making holiday season so much more special. Now is my very first time participating and I am enjoying it very much. Thank you Heather K for organizing it and everyone for participating. Happy holidays

Thank you to Palm Tree Elf for Novel Affair but someone else has already gifted it to me. Hope you can revoke it and send it on to someone else. Thanks for thinking of me!

Thank you so much Macca-beat me, daddy for but I already own it. Please revoke it so you can get your money back or send it to someone else to enjoy. It was incredibly sweet and generous of you to think of me- it does look great!!

O.M.G.
☹️😣🤬

WHAT ON EARTH IS GR UP TO NOW???

I tried searching for a book and got THAT instead

"Search is temporarily unavailable.
Use this time to read a book!"

I am in full panic mode right now ☹️☹️☹️

@BWT

My dear Secret Santa, thank you for the gift #5!

In Chills: A Halloween Gay Romance (Holiday Together Book 1) by Emily Bourne

Please, revoke it, as someone else got it for me a week or so ago.
Thank you again, for all my books and all the fun!

😁❄️☃️🎉🎄💕

M'rella wrote: "O.M.G.
☹️😣🤬

WHAT ON EARTH IS GR UP TO NOW???

I tried searching for a book and got THAT instead

"Search is temporarily unavailable.
Use this time to read a book!"

I am in full panic mode right ..."

I've been getting that message too. Annoying.

Kristy wrote: "M'rella wrote: "O.M.G.
☹️😣🤬

WHAT ON EARTH IS GR UP TO NOW???

I tried searching for a book and got THAT instead

"Search is temporarily unavailable.
Use this time to read a book!"

I am in full p..."

Same here- ugh

ETA: They are all gone! I hope everyone enjoy’s the books. I wish Amazon would return to a more reasonable policy on this matter.

I have some duplicate gifts. Because of Amazon’s policy, I went ahead and accepted the books. I can’t return or exchange them (as stated at the beginning of this thread). However, I can gift these books.

So I thought in the spirit of this group, I’d like to offer the books up for anyone here that would like them. PM me with the title below that you’d like and the email I should use to gift it to you.

The books I have to offer are:

By Lucy Lennox and May Archer
Hijacked
Hitched

By Tara Lain
Be Bad for Goodness Sake (This on is an MF story.)

I will take Hijacked and Hitched rojoroaors@yahoo.com

Melanie~~ wrote: "I have some duplicate gifts. Because of Amazon’s policy, I went ahead and accepted the books. I can’t return or exchange them (as stated at the beginning of this thread). However, I can gift these ..."

Roger,

Someone else snapped up Hijacked, but I’ll send Hitched on to you.

Please edit your post and remove your email so the ‘bots don’t get it. ;-)