ComplaintsforKobo Inc

• Initial Complaint

  28/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a device/e- reader through Rakuten Kobo. I was not satisfied with it and initiated a return within 30 days. Upon receiving the return label from the business after several attemps and several days, I shipped the device back to them which was delivered to them on 3/22/2024. Now when I reach out about my refund which has not yet been issued, their customer service insists that they have not received the package. As I talked to a different customer service associate today, I was told that I did not even ship the package. I do have the tracking number and proof through UPS that they delivered the package to them which they acknowledged. Now they have me on hold for another several days. I believe this business is delaying to resolve any issues in a timely manner. Not only with the refund, but also supplying customers with necessary information to initiate any returns at all.

  Business response

  02/04/2024

  Hello,
  
  thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo. We sincerely apologize for any confusion that may have arisen. 
  
  Kindly note that there is typically a delay between when our warehouse receives a package and when it is processed. As stated in the instructions email that was sent on March 14, we kindly ask that customers allow up to 10-15 business days for the refund to be processed.
  
  Please be advised that our warehouse has processed the return on March 28, 2024 and a full refund has been issued the same day.
  In light of the inconvenience and confusion caused, we have waived any stocking fees.
  
  If there is anything else we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to let us know.
  
  Sincerely,
  The Rakuten Kobo Team

  Customer response

  02/04/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  30/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a kobo Libra 2 January 2023 from ****** ********. It quit working after 2 months. I went through the help guide and did all the troubleshooting. I contacted retailer and they told me to contact kobo directly. The only option is to chat online and it is an endless loop that takes you no where. Even when I click the call us button it goes to the same loop. This device is under warranty and I want to return for refund but can not reach kobo

  Business response

  08/12/2023

  Hello,
   
  thanks for contacting Rakuten Kobo. We apologize for the difficulties encoutered while attempting to contact us. 
  
  We are committed to providing a seamless experience while navigating our website and we regret any technical issue experienced.
  
  Upon reviewing this request, you contacted us on November 28th 2023 with ticket reference number *******. Unfortunately, it appears that you were disconnected from the live chat with our customer support.
  
  We have then sent you a follow-up email on November 29, 2023. Since we did not receive a response, we sent you another email on November 30, 2023.
  
  On November 30, 2023 you have responded providing us with the information requested to assist you.
  
  We submitted a replacement request the same day.
  
  According to our records, the replacement device was delivered to you yesterday. Hence, this request is considered resolved.
  
  Should you need further assistance, we remain at your disposal.
  
  For inquiries big and small please visit us at https://*************
  
  Sincerely,
  the Rakuten Kobo Team

  Customer response

  08/12/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  14/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They ****** ** billing and overcharged me four times, said I would get it back within 24 hours, never got it back, then I spent 4 hours on their chat support, with everyone *********** and ******* but all of them refusing to give me a phone number of anyone I can call or talk to or a manager who knows *** is going on. Each chat person said they were trying to help me and I just needed to wait and then they would disappear until the chat timed out and I would have to start all over again with someone new.

  Business response

  17/11/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo.

  Upon reviewing this request, you contacted us on November 13 2023, with ticket reference ******* regarding your missing audiobook credits.
  Please note that the credits were removed automatically as they expire six months after the subscription is cancelled. This policy is outlined in our Terms of Sale, which you can review here (Section 6 - Audiobook Subscription credits): https://*************************

  
  As a gesture of goodwill, we have reinstated the credits to your account on November 15, 2023  and thus this request has been resolved.

  
  We are sorry that, due to system limitations, the credits could not be added within 24 hours as promised during the first interaction regarding this matter and we apologize for the wrong information provided.

  
  As a token of our appreciation for your time and patience, we have also added a credit to your account that can be used towards any book in our catalogue.

  
  If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact us at kobo.com/help.

  
  Sincerely,
  The Rakuten Kobo Team

• Initial Complaint

  19/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Following ebooks ordered on 09/17/2023 were incompatible with my device and subsequently requested to be cancelled and the merchant's online support had agreed to refund them but no refund has been processed and the merchant is now communicating to me to suggest store credit, stating that it would be quicker. The merchant seems to be delaying or ignoring the original refund request. eBook ordered and paid for with credit cards: *** **** 9/17/2023 Order #********** $14.03 * ********** *** ***** ********* ******** 9/17/2023 Order #********** $11.78 ********** *** - A Novel 9/17/2023 Order #********** $14.03 *** ****** ** ***** 9/17/2023 Order #********* $5.39

  Business response

  26/09/2023

  Hello,
  
  Thanks for contacting Rakuten Kobo.

  The original refund request, on September 17 2023, was made through our bot Minerva and then forwarded to our specialized team for further review.
  On September 18, 2023 you chatted with one of our agents (ticket reference *******) and we informed you that the refund request was submitted but there was not updates and we would have contacted you back within 24 hours.
  
  According to the system, the content you purchased was downloaded and, for this reason according to our Terms of Sales (https:***************************), we did not honor the refund.
  In fact, as stated in section 2 of our terms of sale: ''Please note that once you access or download any Digital Content that you purchase, you no longer have the right to cancel your purchase of that Digital Content.''
  
  We understand that you do not find our policy to be satisfactory and we have cancelled your account as requested on ticket *******.
  
  If you have any questions or for further assistance, we remain at your disposal.
  
  Sincerely,
  The Rakuten Kobo Executive Customer Care Team

  Customer response

  26/09/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The business is refusing to honor the refund agreement as stated by their online customer service
  Sincerely,
  
  *** ****

  Business response

  02/10/2023

  Hello,

  In reference to our previous correspondence, we would like to provide clarification regarding the refund request made on September 17, 2023, through our bot Minerva. Upon contacting us, the request was promptly submitted to our specialized team for evaluation (as stated in the chat, but not processed).
  Upon conducting a thorough review, we were able to verify that the content in question had indeed been successfully downloaded. In light of this, as per our terms of sale,  the refund request could not be accommodated.

  However, we understand that every situation is unique, and, considering the circumstances, we have decided to make a one-time exception for the orders in question.

  Please be advised that it may take 3-5 business days for the refund to reflect in your banking statement.

  For inquiries big and small please visit us at https://*************
  
  Sincerely,
  The Rakuten Kobo Team

  Customer response

  02/10/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** ****

• Initial Complaint

  10/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  KOBO has failed to resolve a request to deactivate and reactivate my account, despite multiple requests. This has prevented me from using my paid for and owned e-reader.

  Business response

  14/08/2023

  Hello,
  
  Thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo!
  
  We apologize for any inconveniences you may have had logging in to your Kobo account and creating a new account after your account deletion request.
  
  We noticed that you were able to create your account on July 31, 2023 so we have contacted you on August 10, 2023 and August 11, 2023 to follow up with your account creation if you had any additional inquiries and did receive a response. We can see that you are now able to borrow and read books on your eReader.
  
  We will now consider this solved. If you do you have further inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us at ****.com/**** and we will be more than happy to assist you.
  
  Regards,
  Rakuten Kobo Team

• Initial Complaint

  13/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Saturday, July 8th, I performed a software update on my Kobo Nia e-reader when prompted by a pop-up message on the screen. It is now Monday and my Kobo has not worked in the two days since the update. I called Rakuten Kobo customer service about the problem today and after several attempts to troubleshoot the issue, the agent asked me to leave my Kobo plugged in for the next four hours and to wait for an e-mail message from them. I received their message about 90 minutes ago and they are saying that the problem is a software issue and that they will not be able to fix it and that as my Kobo Nia is three years old, it is no longer under warranty and, therefore, they cannot replace it. They are offering compensation of $15 - $30 on their various Kobo e-readers, from least expensive to most expensive, respectively. I feel that as the issue came from them, their offer is not acceptable. I neither damaged nor broke the Kobo, rather, I was merely following their directives and now my Kobo has been rendered useless. Furthermore, my husband has a Kobo Clara and performed the same software update on his e-reader when prompted - without issue. As a final comment, when I responded to the email message. I also mentioned that we have a third Kobo model that is ten years old and which is still functional. Again, I feel that this is unacceptable and not an adequate compensation for damage caused by them.

  Business response

  18/07/2023

  Hello *****,
  Thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo.
  We apologize for the inconvenience, this is not the experience we wanted you to have.
  Upon reviewing this request, you contacted us on July 10th 2023 with Ticket Reference *******.
  The request was then escalated to our specialized team for further analysis and we contacted you back on July 13th 2023 to offer a replacement, which was accepted.
  According to the tracking details of this request, a replacement was delivered to you on July 17, 2023 and thus this request has been resolved.
  If you have any questions, please contact us at *************.
  Sincerely,
  the Rakuten Kobo Team

  Customer response

  18/07/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Bellware
  
  P.S.  Thank you, BBB!

• Initial Complaint

  21/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 7 March 2023, I purchased an ebook from Kobo Books, entitled "*** *** ***" by ******* ********* for $18.99: https://************************************** When I bought the book, I had no idea that I would have to download the Kobo app in order to read the book. It was not clear to me from the website. I did not want to download a whole new app to read the book. So, I requested a refund right away on 7 March 2023. I initially did this through the website's chat app, which is run by an AI, and includes a stream of choices that enable you to request a refund. But when you following these choices and get to the point of requesting a refund, the chatbot ultimately freezes and stops working. I tried requesting a refund at least five or six times via the chatbot and it did the same thing. After the chatbot failed, I tried contacting the company via ****@*********.com, which was listed as a way of getting in touch. I've emailed them four times over the span of nine days and received no response. Here's what I want: - A full refund on my purchase - Clarification on the requirement that a Kobo app is required to read the ebook on the purchase page - Clarification on the company's return policy on the purchase page - A responsive chatbot that doesn't just take you to a dead-end and leave you there - A responsive help email address that doesn't just take you to dead-end and leave you there This is really poor performance for an online company and bad business practice. Any assistance in resolving this issue is appreciated. Thanks, --*****

  Business response

  21/03/2023

  Hello,

  I’m contacting you from the Rakuten Kobo’s Executive Customer Care team in regard to your refund request.

  First and foremost, we would like to apologize for the issues you experienced while attempting to obtain a refund for your eBook purchase.
  We strive to provide a seamless experience on our platforms, and we are sorry that we fell short of your expectations on this occasion.

  
  I can confirm that your refund has been successfully processed, and the full amount of $21.83$ has been refunded to your original payment method. Please allow a few business days for the refund to reflect on your account.

  Furthermore, we regret to inform you that we experienced an outage on the day you requested a refund, which prevented our bot, Minerva, from successfully processing your request. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

  
  In regard to your concerns about the requirement to download the Kobo app to read the ebook, I would like to inform you that the information on how to read the content purchased from Kobo can be found here: https:/***********************************************************************************************

  We appreciate your feedback, and we will pass it along to the relevant department to ensure that this information is made more apparent before the checkout is complete.
  
  Please note that the email ****@****.com is no longer in service and for this reason, we did not receive it.
  
  Should you require further assistance, our customer service team can be reached via chat, phone, or social media by clicking on ''contact us'' via our help page: https://********************** and is available 24/7. We’re always happy to help! 
  
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

  Sincerely,

  the Rakuten Kobo's Executive Customer Care Team

• Initial Complaint

  14/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I registered with Kobo Writing Life on July 23, 2021 and published my own book, for which I have all the rights, on July 24. I had no issues and made quite a few sales. During this process, I also published public domain books after revising them, but they were later removed from the platform for certain reasons. However, I had no problems with my own book and received my first payment of around $44 (********** *) . Due to a problem with my own bank during the withdrawal process, I requested that no further payments be made until I could resolve the issue, and I received a positive response (********** * **** ******** ****). During this time, my account accumulated approximately $160. On November 25, I received an email (********** *) stating that my book had been removed from the platform due to inappropriate content (general policy violation). After that date, I did not receive any further emails. When I attempted to log into my account in February 2023, I discovered that it had been deactivated. I contacted support and was told that my account had been closed because my published book violated the platform's terms and conditions. When I requested to withdraw the remaining balance in my account, I received the same response (********** *) I do not accept the removal of my book from the platform and the confiscation of my money after it had been available for months. As someone who lives outside of the United States and Canada, I do not have many options to pursue legal action. I hope that this mistake can be rectified and that I can receive my payment. **** **** ******** ***** ***************************************************************************************************************

  Business response

  23/03/2023

  Hello, I’m contacting you from the Rakuten Kobo’s Executive Customer Care team regarding your complaint.
  
  This is a business-to-business contractual dispute, it was determined that the content you are uploading put you in direct violation of terms Section 5.1 and the account was terminated and all titles deleted and removed from sale, as per section 3 of
  the agreement.
  
  Due to the sensitivity of this nature, the case is pending resolution.

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a Kobo Clara HD for Christmas last year (2021) and it worked great until October 2022 when the screen froze and no attempts to reset it worked. I first went back to ******, where my husband purchased it, to see if I could get a replacement through them but since it was beyond their store refund policy they told me I needed to contact Rakuten Kobo directly. I contacted Kobo and they confirmed that I was eligible for a replacement under warranty and they emailed me the postage slip so I could send my broken Kobo back and assured me that they would send out my replacement once they received my Kobo. I could see via tracking that they received my Kobo November 7, 2022 and yet they never sent me a replacement. After more than a month of waiting and multiple calls to customer service I requested a refund instead of a replacement so I could purchase a new Kobo myself. I figured that would be quicker. I was then told by multiple customer service reps that my refund had been approved and that I would be notified via email when it was sent and that I just needed to keep waiting. Again weeks passed and I kept contacting customer service inquiring about when my refund was coming. I have now been told that I am not eligible for a refund since I didn't purchase my Kobo directly from their online store and it isn't within 30 days, things that the customer service reps knew when I was told my refund was approved anyway. I have told Kobo that I will no longer accept a replacement as when I was told I would be getting a refund I went out and purchased a new Kobo at an ****** store. They have now simply credited me $20 for the Kobo estore and are expecting that to be enough for my broken Kobo and months of frustrating back and forth with them.. I just want a refund for the cost of a Kobo Clara HD when it was purchased or even the current cost of a refurbished one.

  Business response

  11/01/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo.
  We apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced, this is not the experience we wanted you to have.
  Upon reviewing this request we had initiated a Replacement request on 21/10/2022 with Ticket Reference *******.
  Due to a delay at our warehouse,  you have requested a refund for the device on 04/12/2022 with ticket reference *******.
  Unfortunately, we were not able to process this request as the device was purchased at a third-party website.
  We reached out to you on 06/01/2023 to offer an alternative solution (Ticket reference *******), which was accepted.
  According to the tracking details of this request, a replacement was delivered to you on January 10, 2023 and thus this request has been resolved.
  If you have any questions, please contact us at *************.
  Sincerely,
  Rakuten Kobo Team

  Customer response

  11/01/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  19/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a Kobo in June 2022. It is defective, the screen cannot be turned on. Therefore, it is unusable. I spent 2 months following kobo's website info for troubleshooting, etc. I did online chats, etc. I thought that I was just ignorant about how to use it. After 2 months I gave up. An electronics store confirmed that it is unusable junk. I contacted Kobo multiple times. KOBO REFUSES TO EXCHANGE OR REPAIR the reader. THEY KEEP SAYING TOUGH LUCK. When I threatened to write reviews on social media, they offered an exchange for an old refurbished kobo. Unacceptable. But I agreed, it was that or nothing. And they still have done nothing, haven't contacted me. They just want me to go away. Customer service is nil. ** *** *** * ***** ** ***** ****** ***** *** **** ** ******** **** ***** ** ****** ** *** **** **** **** ******* *** ********* 

  Business response

  27/09/2022

  Hello *******,

  Thank you for contacting Rakuten Kobo.

  We apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced with your new Kobo eReader and the support that you have received regarding the replacement.

  Upon reviewing this request, we have contacted you on September 20th  to inform you that we have shipped you a new replacement device and have made an exception to have it shipped before receiving the damaged device back.

   According to the tracking details of this request, the new device was delivered to you today (27/09/2022) and and thus this request has been resolved.

   If you have any questions, please contact us at kobo.com/help.

  Sincerely,

   Rakuten Kobo Team

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩