Amazon’s Colorsoft Launch Has Left Some Customers Without a Kindle at All

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

The launch of the first-ever color Kindle isn’t going so great. Amazon’s Colorsoft began shipping on October 30, but shipments were paused after some customers complained about a yellow bar at the bottom of the screen and discoloration around the edges. Amazon is working on a fix and is offering a replacement or refund.

That’s where another problem comes in. Leading up to the launch, Amazon ran a promotion advertising that its customers could trade in their old Kindle for a 20 percent discount on the Colorsoft. And some of those customers are now returning their new Colorsoft due to the yellow bar defect—leaving them without an e-reader altogether. Amazon has yet to provide any concrete information on when the fix will be ready for the Colorsoft and when it will resume shipping. It’s a mess.

It started with an advertisement for a limited-time discount on the Colorsoft via Amazon’s trade-in program. If the device was eligible, you had to answer a few questions about its condition and then ship it off. Once Amazon appraises it, the trade-in value appears in the form of an Amazon gift card. Amazon also offered an additional 20 percent off the Colorsoft along with the trade-in credit.

Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

Customers who decided to take advantage of the program sent in their older Kindles under the assumption that the Colorsoft would replace their current e-reader. The unexpected display issues meant this didn’t go according to plan. They’ve taken their complaints to Reddit and reviews on the Colorsoft product page on Amazon, which has a 2.5/5 star rating.

It’s worth noting that not everyone has run into the display issue—I didn’t notice it in my Colorsoft review unit—but if you do, you should reach out to Amazon’s customer service team for a refund or replacement. But this is where things get sticky. If you choose a refund and had used the discount, you’ll only get back the exact amount that you paid. Since the 20 percent off coupon is no longer valid, you’ll now have to pay full price for the Colorsoft, whenever Amazon starts shipping it again. If you choose to wait for a replacement, you’ll have to wait an estimated three to five weeks to receive the replacement model.

Waiting until mid-December might be fine for some, but those who traded in their previous e-readers are left without devices. Even if customers decide to use the refund to buy a new Paperwhite or basic Kindle, they can’t take advantage of the trade-in promotions because they no longer have devices to send in. Instead, they’ll have to pay full price. According to multiple reviews on the Colorsoft product page on Amazon, customer service representatives have told customers the original discount cannot be transferred to another Kindle. (It doesn’t help that Amazon’s new lineup of e-readers are more expensive than their predecessors.)


  • Screenshot showing customer complaints regarding the Amazon Colorsoft Trade In process

  • Screenshot showing customer complaints regarding the Amazon Colorsoft Trade In process

  • Screenshot showing customer complaints regarding the Amazon Colorsoft Trade In process

Screenshot courtesy of Brenda Stolyar


Some customers have had better luck. Depending on the trade-in, Amazon will sometimes deposit the gift card to your account instantly as long as you send the device in within 30 days. Some held on to their original Kindles until they received the new one, while one customer managed to secure an extension on their return. The instant payments seem to only apply in the US—on multiple Reddit threads, folks in the UK say Amazon needs to appraise their devices before receiving trade-in credit.

I didn’t experience the yellow bar or the discoloration on my review unit, but I did have a few other reservations about the Colorsoft. The color screen is impressive, but the constant refreshing to render colors and load times is a little jarring (this is a problem on most color e-readers). It’s also just too expensive, costing $80 more than the Paperwhite Signature, which has many of the same features except for the color screen. The Colorsoft doesn’t have page-turn buttons or stylus support, which also makes it feel not a good value.

We’ve reached out to Amazon about these complaints but the company had not commented by press time.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Telegram
Tumblr