Amazon Wish List changes its shipping policy — and some are worried
Amazon just announced a change to its wish list policies: on March 25, the retailer will remove the option to restrict purchases from third-party sellers for items on the list. Gift buyers will be able to purchase items sold by third parties on people’s lists, and their addresses will be shared with the seller for processing.
Creators like Zach Bussey shared a screenshot of Amazon’s email on X.
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“When gifts are purchased from your shared or public lists, Amazon must provide your shipping address to sellers and delivery partners to fulfill these orders,” the email notes. “During the delivery process, your address may become visible to gift buyers through delivery updates and tracking information.”
Crushable speed of light
This is not new. If a customer has a public list and associates an address with their list in Settings, gift buyers may receive the customer’s address through the seller and delivery partners who fulfill those orders when they share delivery updates and tracking information. The change is that customers will no longer have the ability to restrict purchases from third-party sellers on their lists starting March 25.
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How to take precautions
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Amazon recommends using a PO Box or non-residential addresses for listings shared with the public.
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You can also set the privacy of your list to Private or Shared (the latter option specifies who can see the lists) to limit who has access to it.
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You can also remove your shipping address by tapping the “Shipping Address” field and selecting “None.” Apparently, the gift buyer will then need to contact the wish list owner directly for shipping information.
Creators of all kinds, from Twitch streamers to sex workers, use Amazon wishlists to receive gifts from their fans. At least one “public service announcement” recommends that creators “don’t get doxxed” and move their lists to Throne, a wishlist platform. On Throne’s homepage it states that “All creator and fan information remains private and is not shared between parties.”
