1. Changing their privacy policy without giving existing
customers a choice whether they want to pull their info
of Amazon.
Anindo,
Amazon did not mate it too easy but it is possibly to at least be told your records are removed except for transactions which that makes sense. Please see below my correspondence"
"Thanks for writing back to us at Amazon.com.
As you requested, your account has been closed. It is no longer
accessible by you or anyone else.
Thank you for shopping at Amazon.com. I hope that you will give us
the opportunity to serve you in the future.
Best regards,
Miok
Amazon.com
Earth's Biggest Selection
amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more! amazon.com
Questions? We have your answers! amazon.com
>Date: Wed Sep 13 05:43:35 PDT 2000
>Subject: Close my account
>To: <account-close@amazon.com>
>From: grudolph@zoominternet.net
>> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not
understand
>this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
>
>--MS_Mac_OE_3051679337_5346730_MIME_Part
>Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>
>Please close my account.
>
>My login is ******
>--
>
>
>
>
>Very truly yours,
>
>
>
>Glenn D. Rudolph
>
>Please visit our web site at:
>
>http://www.davidjewelers.com
>
>David Jewelers
>3620 Liberty Center
>Erie, PA 16508
>Phone 814-864-0693
>Fax 814-337-0754
>
>David Jewelers
>16881 Conneaut Lake Road
>STE 103
>Meadville, PA 16335
>Phone: 814-724-5852
>
>
>> Dear Glenn,
>>
>> Thank you for writing to Amazon.com with your concern.
>>
>> Customer privacy is an issue we take very seriously. Please rest
>> assured that Amazon.com is *not* in the business of selling customer
>> information.
>>
>> We have developed, and may continue to develop, business relationships
>> and co-branded sites with other online companies (such as Greenlight
>> and toysrus.com). We will make it clear when an affiliated merchant
>> is involved in any transaction you may make via our web site.
>>
>> If you would prefer not to share your personal information with an
>> affiliated merchant, you may always choose not to shop with that
>> merchant. In either event, because the customer information shared
>> with these jointly owned or co-branded businesses is limited to
>> information regarding your transactions with those merchants,
>> information about your other purchases at Amazon.com (such as books
>> and music) will never be shared with any jointly owned or co-branded
>> business without your consent.
>>
>> Please note that it is fairly easy to tell when you are dealing with
>> an affiliated merchant, and we do not share your information with
>> non-affiliated third parties (i.e., direct marketers and spammers).
>>
>> In the unlikely event that Amazon.com Inc., or substantially all of
>> its assets are acquired, customer information may be one of the
>> transferred assets, just as with a bank or other physical store that
>> keeps customer records.
>>
>> I hope this has addressed your concerns about our Privacy Notice. If
>> you wish to close your account, however, please write back to us at
>> account-close@amazon.com and we will do so. Please note that we
>> cannot totally remove account information from our system, as it is
>> part of our business transaction records.
>>
>> Please feel free to write back to us if you have any further questions
>> or concerns. Thank you for shopping at Amazon.com.
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Tony S
>> Amazon.com
>> Earth's Biggest Selection
>> amazon.com
>> ==============================
>> Check your order and more! amazon.com
>> Questions? We have your answers! amazon.com
>>
>>
>>> To: terms@amazon.com, ir@amazon.com
>>> From: "Glenn D. Rudolph" <grudolph@zoominternet.net>
>>> Subject: Privacy Notice changes
>>> Date: Mon, 04 Sep 2000 13:46:15 -0400
>>>
>>>> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not
understand
>>> this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
>>>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part
>>> Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>>> Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>>>
>>> Dear Sir or Madam:
>>>
>>> I was not made aware under your prior privacy policies that in
the "unlikely
>>> event that Amazon.com, Inc., or substantially all of its assets are
>>> acquired" my personal information would be transferred. You used the
word
>>> unlikely but I believe that is not the case. In either case, the
information
>>> obtained about me was intended only for the use of Amazon.com and was
not
>>> intended to be a business asset. Your privacy policies did not state my
>>> information would be considered a business asset that may be sold at
the
>>> time it was obtained. Therefore, I demand that you remove all records
>>> regarding me including, credit card information, email address, items
I have
>>> purchased, items and pages I have viewed, where I came from to arrive
at
>>> your site, when I went to leaving your site and any other information
you
>>> possible have gathered. I expect this to be done within thirty days
and I
>>> expect one final email indicating this has been done. Then you will
remove
>>> from email address from your files as the final step. Please see below
a
>>> quote of your privacy policy change.
>>>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find you
did
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the
appropriate
>>> legal actions.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy stores or
>>> assets. In such transactions, customer information generally is one of
the
>>> transferred business assets. Also, in the unlikely event that
Amazon.com,
>>> Inc., or substantially all of its assets are acquired, customer
information
>>> will of course be one of the transferred assets. "
>>>
>>>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find you
did
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the
appropriate
>>> legal actions.
>>>
>>> Thank you
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Very truly yours,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Glenn D. Rudolph
>>>
>>> Please visit our web site at:
>>>
>>> davidjewelers.com
>>>
>>> David Jewelers
>>> 3620 Liberty Center
>>> Erie, PA 16508
>>> Phone 814-864-0693
>>> Fax 814-337-0754
>>>
>>> David Jewelers
>>> 16881 Conneaut Lake Road
>>> STE 103
>>> Meadville, PA 16335
>>> Phone: 814-724-5852
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part
>>> Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
>>> Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
>>>
>>> <HTML>
>>> <HEAD>
>>> <TITLE>Privacy Notice changes</TITLE>
>>> </HEAD>
>>> <BODY>
>>> Dear Sir or Madam:<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> I was not made aware under your prior privacy policies that in the "<F=
>>> ONT SIZE=3D"5"><FONT FACE=3D"Times New Roman">unlikely event that
Amazon.com,
>>> In=
>>> c., or substantially all of its assets are acquired" my personal
inform=
>>> ation would be transferred. You used the word unlikely but I believe
that is=
>>> not the case. In either case, the information obtained about me was
intende=
>>> d only for the use of Amazon.com and was not intended to be a business
asset=
>>> . Your privacy policies did not state my information would be
considered a b=
>>> usiness asset that may be sold at the time it was obtained. Therefore,
I dem=
>>> and that you remove all records regarding me including, credit card
informat=
>>> ion, email address, items I have purchased, items and pages I have
viewed, w=
>>> here I came from to arrive at your site, when I went to leaving your
site an=
>>> d any other information you possible have gathered. I expect this to
be done=
>>> within thirty days and I expect one final email indicating this has
been do=
>>> ne. Then you will remove from email address from your files as the
final ste=
>>> p. Please see below a quote of your privacy policy change.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find you
did =
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the
appropriate =
>>> legal actions.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> </FONT></FONT><BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> "<FONT SIZE=3D"5"><FONT FACE=3D"Times New Roman">As we continue to
>>> develop=
>>> our business, we might sell or buy stores or assets. In such
transactions, =
>>> customer information generally is one of the transferred business
assets. Al=
>>> so, in the unlikely event that Amazon.com, Inc., or substantially all
of its=
>>> assets are acquired, customer information will of course be one of the
tran=
>>> sferred assets. "<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find you
did =
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the
appropriate =
>>> legal actions.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Thank you<BR>
>>> </FONT></FONT>-- <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Very truly yours,<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Glenn D. Rudolph<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Please visit our web site at:<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> davidjewelers.com<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR>
>>> 3620 Liberty Center<BR>
>>> Erie, PA 16508<BR>
>>> Phone 814-864-0693<BR>
>>> Fax 814-337-0754<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR>
>>> 16881 Conneaut Lake Road<BR>
>>> STE 103<BR>
>>> Meadville, PA 16335<BR>
>>> Phone: 814-724-5852<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> </BODY>
>>> </HTML>
>>>
>>>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part--
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>--MS_Mac_OE_3051679337_5346730_MIME_Part
>Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
>Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
>
><HTML>
><HEAD>
><TITLE>Close my account</TITLE>
></HEAD>
><BODY>
>Please close my account.<BR>
><BR>
>My login is ******<BR>
>-- <BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>Very truly yours,<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>Glenn D. Rudolph<BR>
><BR>
>Please visit our web site at:<BR>
><BR>
>http://www.davidjewelers.com<BR>
><BR>
>David Jewelers<BR>
>3620 Liberty Center<BR>
>Erie, PA 16508<BR>
>Phone 814-864-0693<BR>
>Fax 814-337-0754<BR>
><BR>
>David Jewelers<BR>
>16881 Conneaut Lake Road<BR>
>STE 103<BR>
>Meadville, PA 16335<BR>
>Phone: 814-724-5852<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>> <TT>Dear Glenn,<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Thank you for writing to Amazon.com with your concern.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Customer privacy is an issue we take very seriously. Please rest=
><BR>
>> assured that Amazon.com is *not* in the business of selling customer<B=
>R>
>> information.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> We have developed, and may continue to develop, business relationships=
><BR>
>> and co-branded sites with other online companies (such as Greenlight<B=
>R>
>> and toysrus.com). We will make it clear when an affiliated merch=
>ant<BR>
>> is involved in any transaction you may make via our web site.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> If you would prefer not to share your personal information with an<BR>
>> affiliated merchant, you may always choose not to shop with that<BR>
>> merchant. In either event, because the customer information shar=
>ed<BR>
>> with these jointly owned or co-branded businesses is limited to<BR>
>> information regarding your transactions with those merchants,<BR>
>> information about your other purchases at Amazon.com (such as books<BR=
>>
>> and music) will never be shared with any jointly owned or co-branded<B=
>R>
>> business without your consent.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Please note that it is fairly easy to tell when you are dealing with<B=
>R>
>> an affiliated merchant, and we do not share your information with<BR>
>> non-affiliated third parties (i.e., direct marketers and spammers).<BR=
>>
>> <BR>
>> In the unlikely event that Amazon.com Inc., or substantially all of<BR=
>>
>> its assets are acquired, customer information may be one of the<BR>
>> transferred assets, just as with a bank or other physical store that<B=
>R>
>> keeps customer records.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> I hope this has addressed your concerns about our Privacy Notice. &nbs=
>p;If<BR>
>> you wish to close your account, however, please write back to us at<BR=
>>
>> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">account-close@amazon.com</FONT> and we
wi=
>ll do so. Please note that we<BR>
>> cannot totally remove account information from our system, as it is<BR=
>>
>> part of our business transaction records.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Please feel free to write back to us if you have any further questions=
><BR>
>> or concerns. Thank you for shopping at Amazon.com.<BR>
>> <BR>
>> <BR>
>> Best regards,<BR>
>> <BR>
>> Tony S<BR>
>> Amazon.com<BR>
>> Earth's Biggest Selection<BR>
>> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">http://www.amazon.com<BR>
></FONT>>
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<BR>
>> Check your order and more! <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">http://www.a=
>mazon.com/your-account<BR>
></FONT>> Questions? We have your answers! <FONT COLOR=3D"#=
>0000FF">http://www.amazon.com/help<BR>
></FONT>> <BR>
>> <BR>
>>> To: <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">terms@amazon.com</FONT>, <FONT CO=
>LOR=3D"#0000FF">ir@amazon.com<BR>
></FONT>>> From: "Glenn D. Rudolph" <<FONT COLOR=3D"#00=
>00FF">grudolph@zoominternet.net</FONT>><BR>
>>> Subject: Privacy Notice changes<BR>
>>> Date: Mon, 04 Sep 2000 13:46:15 -0400<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>>> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does no=
>t understand<BR>
>>> this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part<BR>
>>> Content-type: text/plain; charset=3D"US-ASCII"<BR>
>>> Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Dear Sir or Madam:<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> I was not made aware under your prior privacy policies that in the=
> "unlikely<BR>
>>> event that Amazon.com, Inc., or substantially all of its assets ar=
>e<BR>
>>> acquired" my personal information would be transferred. You u=
>sed the word<BR>
>>> unlikely but I believe that is not the case. In either case, the i=
>nformation<BR>
>>> obtained about me was intended only for the use of Amazon.com and =
>was not<BR>
>>> intended to be a business asset. Your privacy policies did not sta=
>te my<BR>
>>> information would be considered a business asset that may be sold =
>at the<BR>
>>> time it was obtained. Therefore, I demand that you remove all reco=
>rds<BR>
>>> regarding me including, credit card information, email address, it=
>ems I have<BR>
>>> purchased, items and pages I have viewed, where I came from to arr=
>ive at<BR>
>>> your site, when I went to leaving your site and any other informat=
>ion you<BR>
>>> possible have gathered. I expect this to be done within thirty day=
>s and I<BR>
>>> expect one final email indicating this has been done. Then you wil=
>l remove<BR>
>>> from email address from your files as the final step. Please see b=
>elow a<BR>
>>> quote of your privacy policy change.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find=
> you did<BR>
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the ap=
>propriate<BR>
>>> legal actions.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> "As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy=
> stores or<BR>
>>> assets. In such transactions, customer information generally is on=
>e of the<BR>
>>> transferred business assets. Also, in the unlikely event that Amaz=
>on.com,<BR>
>>> Inc., or substantially all of its assets are acquired, customer in=
>formation<BR>
>>> will of course be one of the transferred assets. "<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find=
> you did<BR>
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the ap=
>propriate<BR>
>>> legal actions.<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Thank you<BR>
>>> -- <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Very truly yours,<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Glenn D. Rudolph<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> Please visit our web site at:<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">http://www.davidjewelers.com<BR>
></FONT>>> <BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR>
>>> 3620 Liberty Center<BR>
>>> Erie, PA 16508<BR>
>>> Phone 814-864-0693<BR>
>>> Fax 814-337-0754<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR>
>>> 16881 Conneaut Lake Road<BR>
>>> STE 103<BR>
>>> Meadville, PA 16335<BR>
>>> Phone: 814-724-5852<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part<BR>
>>> Content-type: text/html; charset=3D"US-ASCII"<BR>
>>> Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <HTML><BR>
>>> <HEAD><BR>
>>> <TITLE>Privacy Notice changes</TITLE><BR>
>>> </HEAD><BR>
>>> <BODY><BR>
>>> Dear Sir or Madam:<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> I was not made aware under your prior privacy policies that in the=
> "<F=3D<BR>
>>> ONT SIZE=3D3D"5"><FONT FACE=3D3D"Times New Roman&=
>quot;>unlikely event that Amazon.com, <BR>
>>> In=3D<BR>
>>> c., or substantially all of its assets are acquired" my p=
>ersonal inform=3D<BR>
>>> ation would be transferred. You used the word unlikely but I belie=
>ve that is=3D<BR>
>>> not the case. In either case, the information obtained about me wa=
>s intende=3D<BR>
>>> d only for the use of Amazon.com and was not intended to be a busi=
>ness asset=3D<BR>
>>> . Your privacy policies did not state my information would be cons=
>idered a b=3D<BR>
>>> usiness asset that may be sold at the time it was obtained. Theref=
>ore, I dem=3D<BR>
>>> and that you remove all records regarding me including, credit car=
>d informat=3D<BR>
>>> ion, email address, items I have purchased, items and pages I have=
> viewed, w=3D<BR>
>>> here I came from to arrive at your site, when I went to leaving yo=
>ur site an=3D<BR>
>>> d any other information you possible have gathered. I expect this =
>to be done=3D<BR>
>>> within thirty days and I expect one final email indicating this ha=
>s been do=3D<BR>
>>> ne. Then you will remove from email address from your files as the=
> final ste=3D<BR>
>>> p. Please see below a quote of your privacy policy change.<BR&g=
>t;<BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find=
> you did =3D<BR>
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the ap=
>propriate =3D<BR>
>>> legal actions.<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> </FONT></FONT><BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> "<FONT SIZE=3D3D"5"><FONT FACE=3D3D"T=
>imes New Roman">As we continue to <BR>
>>> develop=3D<BR>
>>> our business, we might sell or buy stores or assets. In such trans=
>actions, =3D<BR>
>>> customer information generally is one of the transferred business =
>assets. Al=3D<BR>
>>> so, in the unlikely event that Amazon.com, Inc., or substantially =
>all of its=3D<BR>
>>> assets are acquired, customer information will of course be one of=
> the tran=3D<BR>
>>> sferred assets. "<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Keep in mind it is my legal right to make this decision. If I find=
> you did =3D<BR>
>>> not remove all records of me after thirty days, I will take the ap=
>propriate =3D<BR>
>>> legal actions.<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Thank you<BR><BR>
>>> </FONT></FONT>-- <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Very truly yours,<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Glenn D. Rudolph<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> Please visit our web site at:<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <FONT COLOR=3D"#0000FF">http://www.davidjewelers.com<BR</F=
>ONT>><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR><BR>
>>> 3620 Liberty Center<BR><BR>
>>> Erie, PA 16508<BR><BR>
>>> Phone 814-864-0693<BR><BR>
>>> Fax 814-337-0754<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> David Jewelers<BR><BR>
>>> 16881 Conneaut Lake Road<BR><BR>
>>> STE 103<BR><BR>
>>> Meadville, PA 16335<BR><BR>
>>> Phone: 814-724-5852<BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> <BR><BR>
>>> </BODY><BR>
>>> </HTML><BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> --MS_Mac_OE_3050919975_3800462_MIME_Part--<BR>
>>> <BR>
>>> <BR>
>> <BR>
></TT><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
></BODY>
></HTML>
>
>
>--MS_Mac_OE_3051679337_5346730_MIME_Part--
>
"
2. A recent experiment of theirs where they had different
prices for the same items depending on who was logged on.
(I believe new customers were given better prices)
New customer I believe were given better prices as confirmed by a professor at University of Michigan. I do not have the source handy so will not state that as a fact.
Whereas earlier I would buy stuff from Amazon irrespective
of price differential between Amazon and other sites, now I am very open to buying from
others.
My preference was always to buy from others. Amazon had the one advantage of more customer reviews of products compared to others. I have more reasons to buy from others than just my dislike of Amazon. The convneience of a brick and mortar counterpart makes exchange issues and service issues far easier to handle.
My opinion is Amazon damaged their public relations recently more from their lack or retailing experience than from what actually occurred. Amazon's management talks a lot about how they are going to or are the "Most Customer Concentric Retailer Ever." My observation has been Amazon has catered more to Wall Street than the customer although they do have fine customer service. Amazon is missing the long run issue of the customer is what really counts and that Wall Street will take care of itself if Amazon can show a positive retuen on invested capital. Amazon management is in a fog I believe in that they have found they can buy customers using Wall Street dollars so they continue to cater to the street.
The recent pricing "glitches" I suspect were so small in dollars that although Amazon had the legal right (as you have the legal right for 30 days to be removed from their records from the date they revised their privacy policy) to not ship products that were improperly priced, they should have shipped them. Amazon would have lost more money but after having already blown off $2 billion through various good and bad decisions, this was no time to be a penney foolish. The amount of additional loss was insignificant and Jeff Bezos himself could easily have re-imbursed the firm for the error with a very small part of the more than $50 million he has already taken out of Amazon. Jeff Bezos clearly runs the show and I am not really saying he should have payed for the error out of his own pocket but am trying to put into perspective which comes first. It appears to me it was Amazon and management that came first. Other insiders second. Stock and bond holders third, the customer fourth and the employee fifth. That is my opinion from observing this occurance.
Sorry to be so lengthy.
Glenn |
