Do I have to register a credit card with a Kindle Fire?

[lucyanna girl]

My husband has been trying to "buy" a free App on his new Fire. When you click the "purchase" button it tells you that no default payment method has been selected. He has a plus balance in Kindle gift cards and would like to use this as the default payment method. My husband is not the best at keeping up with things and would prefer not to register a credit card on the Fire.

Any help, please?

Penny

 

[WDWBarb]

My husband has been trying to "buy" a free App on his new Fire. When you click the "purchase" button it tells you that no default payment method has been selected. He has a plus balance in Kindle gift cards and would like to use this as the default payment method. My husband is not the best at keeping up with things and would prefer not to register a credit card on the Fire.

Any help, please?

Penny

Yes, I believe so. It's considered a purchase by Amazon, albeit a 0 dollar one.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Yep.

We had the same question Christmas morning because we didn't want to put a cc on our sons' accounts and had bought them gift cards to use.

The CS rep told us we had to put down a credit card.

 

[HonnyDipp]

if you have an Amazon.com account you could link it to that. My sister has a KF and she uses her Amazon account to load apps and books. If its anything like iTunes, you have to have a credit card to activate the account, even if the app is free.

You could use the gift cards, but I doubt it will allow you to use the gift cards as a default.

Would it make sense to add a few bucks on a pre-paid credit card and use that as a default?

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

My husband has been trying to "buy" a free App on his new Fire. When you click the "purchase" button it tells you that no default payment method has been selected. He has a plus balance in Kindle gift cards and would like to use this as the default payment method. My husband is not the best at keeping up with things and would prefer not to register a credit card on the Fire.

Any help, please?

Penny

It has to be registered to a valid Amazon account with a valid form of payment on file. I just bought 2 for my kids and had to have them both registered to my Amazon account. Even the free apps have to be "purchased" and you get a notification email about each flipping app download (times 2 kids UGH)

And be careful because you do not have to input a password each time you BUY an app free or purchased and Amazon does NOT refund accidental purchases, period, under any circumstances. So if you accidentally buy something, it is yours.

 

[lucyanna girl]

It has to be registered to a valid Amazon account with a valid form of payment on file. I just bought 2 for my kids and had to have them both registered to my Amazon account. Even the free apps have to be "purchased" and you get a notification email about each flipping app download (times 2 kids UGH)

And be careful because you do not have to input a password each time you BUY an app free or purchased and Amazon does NOT refund accidental purchases, period, under any circumstances. So if you accidentally buy something, it is yours.

That's what I'm afraid of, that or him leaving it somewhere. Looks like I'll end up buying a pre-paid card. That will work, right?

Penny

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

That's what I'm afraid of, that or him leaving it somewhere. Looks like I'll end up buying a pre-paid card. That will work, right?

Penny

Any type of debit card or credit card will work. If Amazon will accept it as a form of payment than you can use it.

However, you can use the parental controls on it and make it to where it requires a password to access the internet. You can only buy apps if you are connected to the internet. That way if he loses it or leaves it some where nobody can get on the internet with it but him.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Purchase a prepaid debit card, put a small amount on it and then fund the Amazon account with the gift cards. One-click automatically deducts from a gift card balance before using the card on file so if your DH makes sure to always have a GC balance he should be fine. If he forgets, though, he cant run up a huge balance with the prepaid debit card.

Amazon will refund an accidental book purchase but for some reason will not do the same with apps, music or video. I really wish they would inable password protection on purchases or at least make the purchase two step and give us a warning that we are purchasing something. They do this with music purchased on the computer so I don't know why they cant do it for the fire.

 

[Cantw8]

maybe I'm not understanding the question but here is my experience. I opened an Amazon account. I put in credit card information as a "back-up". I then applied an Amazon gift card to my account, whenever I make a Kindle book purchase, the cost comes out of my gift card balance. Also, I have ordered a book by mistake and had it cancelled with no problem whatsoever

 

[DeluxePrincess]

I don't know about the Fire, but you don't need a CC for the regular Kindle. We bought one for my mom and and just applied the giftcard to download books. They didn't ask for a CC.

 

[Coconut36]

if you have an Amazon.com account you could link it to that. My sister has a KF and she uses her Amazon account to load apps and books. If its anything like iTunes, you have to have a credit card to activate the account, even if the app is free.

You could use the gift cards, but I doubt it will allow you to use the gift cards as a default.

Would it make sense to add a few bucks on a pre-paid credit card and use that as a default?

I have an active Amazon account but this is what I did with mine. Yes they want a card but a low balance pre paid will take care of that issue and you don't have to worry about debt on the account or anything.

It can/will use your gift card but like most things wants the credit card as a "security" type thing even if it doesn't charge it.