Hello Everyone,

As you may or may not know, on Wednesday, April 4, 2008, Amazon.com announced that it will now allow people to shop and order products, via text message, on a wireless phone. 

I think this is ground breaking technology for both sighted and non sighted Smart Phone users, alike.  

I am happy to provide the following information to you. 

Enjoy,

Mark
AMAZON TEXT BUY IT MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Questions: 
What is Amazon TextBuyIt?

Answer:
Amazon TextBuyIt is a service that enables consumers to find and buy products sold by Amazon using text messaging. The service lets you search for an item using keywords, such as those in an Amazon web search, get pricing and then buy an item from the search results. You can also order by texting specific information like ISBN or UPC barcode. Visit http://amazonPayments.com to learn more about how to activate your mobile phone number. All of your purchases made with Amazon TextBuyIt can be found in the “Where’s My Stuff” section of the Amazon.com “Your Account” page.

Question:
Is there a fee for using Amazon TextBuyIt?

Answer:
No, there is no additional charge to use TextBuyIt. The item price and total order amount will be exactly the same as you would see on the Amazon.com website when viewing normal catalog items. However, certain items that are available as ‘Deal of the Day’ or have a ‘Gold Box Discount’ will not be discounted when purchased through Amazon TextBuyIt.

Question:
What can I order on Amazon.com using Amazon TextBuyIt?

Answer:
Any item sold by Amazon.com can be purchased through TextBuyIt. Items that are not in stock or unavailable for any other reason will not be included in your TextBuyIt search results.

Question:
Can I check Amazon.com prices without buying?

Answer:
Yes. Checking prices on items from Amazon.com is available to any mobile phone capable of sending and receiving text messages. While search results offer a way to reply and buy an item, you are not required to buy any item after using the Amazon TextBuyIt search feature to view prices.

Question:
How does Amazon TextBuyIt know where to ship my item and how I want to pay for my order?

Answer:
Amazon TextBuyIt uses your mobile phone number to find your Amazon.com 1-Click default settings for the shipping address and payment method when processing your order. You can manage your 1-Click default settings by going to Your Account on Amazon.com. You can use TextBuyIt regardless of whether you use 1-Click.

Question:
What commands can I send to AMAZON (262966) in a text message?

Answer:
You can send any of the following commands to AMAZON (262966)

Get Help:
Text “h” to “AMAZON” (262966) and the following help message will be sent to your mobile phone:  Reply with:
1 to buy item1, 2 to buy item2, 1d for item1 details, 2d for item2 details,
m for more search results.

Keywords:
Text one or more keywords. TextBuyIt will search for an item or items on Amazon.com that match your keywords and return results 2 at a time. Example: Text “kindle” to AMAZON (262966).

Reply to buy: You can reply to search results to buy an item from the search results: just reply with the number of the result to buy that item. Example: Reply with “1” to buy search result “1)Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device”

Get more details: Reply with a search result number followed by a “d” to get more details about that item before buying. Example: Reply with “1d” for more information on search result “1)Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device”.  Details are usually sent in two messages.
For example, the first message:  (1/2)Reply w/3 to buy, Duma Key: A Novel, (Stephen King), BOOK, Hardcover, Release Date: Jan 22, 2008, Prime Shipping, In Stock.  The second message:  (2/2) Reply w/3 to buy, 4.4 stars, $16.80, Web: http://amazon.com/dp/1416552510.

View more results: Reply to a search results message with “m” to get the next two results. You will receive 2 items at a time in another search results message. Example: Reply with “m” to see results 3 and 4.  TextBuyIt will return a total of up to 8 items for each search. If the item you are looking for is not in the results, please refine your search by including more keywords.   

Question:
Do I have to activate my mobile phone to make purchases using TextBuyIt?

Answer:
No, you are not required to activate your phone to use TextBuyIt. The first time you make a purchase using TextBuyIt, we will ask for your Amazon.com email and default shipping address zip code so that we can associate your Amazon.com account with your mobile phone. With this information, Amazon uses your default settings for payment method, shipping address and shipping speed. The confirmation call you receive will ask for the last 4 digits of the credit card set as your default payment method.

To enhance your TextBuyIt experience, we recommend that you register for TextBuyIt at http://www.amazonpayments.com  When you activate your mobile phone during registration, we will associate your mobile number with your amazon.com account and ask you to create a 4-digit PIN.

This custom PIN you set will become the new way to confirm TextBuyIt purchases. Your registration and mobile phone activation will also allow you to send money from your mobile device using TextPayMe.

Question:
Why does Amazon TextBuyIt call me on my mobile phone?

Answer:
Amazon TextBuyIt will call your mobile phone to confirm shipping and payment information with you before completing your order.

Question:
What if I am unable to answer the confirmation phone call for my order?

Answer:
Amazon TextBuyIt will call your mobile phone so that you can confirm your order. If you are unable to answer the phone call, your order will be cancelled and you will receive a text message notification of this cancellation. You can resend the text message at any time to buy the item and receive the phone call.

Question:
Are my Amazon TextBuyIt purchases treated differently than if I purchased directly on Amazon.com?

Answer:
No, Amazon TextBuyIt transactions are like any other purchase on Amazon.com. Your purchases are subject to Amazon’s standard terms, including the Conditions of Use, Privacy Notice and other applicable policies. Please visit http://www.amazon.com to learn more.

Question:
How do I set or reset my Amazon Payments PIN?

Answer:
If you are a registered user with Amazon Payments, you can visit AmazonPayments.com and click on the “Change my mobile pin” link on the Edit My Account Settings page after you have signed in. If you are not currently an Amazon Payments customer, you can create your own custom PIN code by activating your mobile phone number with Amazon Payments.

Question:
I’m a Prime customer; do I get my shipping benefits if I order from Amazon using my mobile phone?

Answer:
TextBuyIt will ship inform you on the confirmation call that we have selected Prime 2-day shipping if it is available for the item you have ordered. Prime 1-day shipping for $3.99 will be used if that has been selected as your default shipping option.

Question:
How do I cancel an order I placed on Amazon.com using my mobile device?

Answer:
To cancel orders made on your mobile phone, click on the “my account” link found at the bottom of the Amazon.com mobile home page. You will be required to sign in to your account to access your orders. If your phone does not have a mobile web browser, you can also cancel mobile orders by visiting Amazon.com from your PC and click “Your Account” at the top of the page. 

Question:
What type of phone works with Amazon.com?

Answer:
You need a wireless phone that has text messaging features. Many carriers also require you to register for their text messaging service. Contact your wireless carrier to see if your phone and service plan are text messaging capable. Your carrier may bill you an incremental fee for text messages.

Question:
What wireless carriers are supported by Amazon TextBuyIt?

Answer:
You can use the following carriers with Amazon TextBuyIt:
AT&T, Alltel, Boost, Midwest Wireless, Nextel Communications, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Virgin Mobile.

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