Questions re format, return policies

tm3 · 01-15-2011, 10:50 AM

whatever reader i get, i plan on using multiple sources for books including amazon, library, smashwords, borders, etc., so considering

purchase from amazon, convert to ePub

vs

purchase in ePub, convert to mobi

are these exactly the same as far as process and results, or does one typically work more seamlessly than the other?

the descriptions and reviews here are very helpful, but even more helpful would be a hands on trial. i've gone to the local BB but the display units were nonfunctioning. i did get to play with the nook in the local B&N.

kindle 3 has a 30 day return policy. it seems as though the nook has a 14 day return via B&N, correct? how about sony -- does any place selling sony offer a liberal return policy?

also, amazon has a 7 day return policy on ebooks. not sure that i would use it that much, as i have returned maybe 2 print books to amazon out of a hundred or so, but it is a nice feature nevertheless. do any other ebook vendors offer a return on ebooks?

thanks for the help!

HarryT · 01-15-2011, 10:52 AM

ePub is a "richer" format than Mobi, so Mobi to ePub conversions tend to work better than ePub to Mobi. You can have odd glitches with ePub to Mobi. Nothing major, but if the book uses drop caps, for example (a feature which ePub supports but Mobi doesn't), the cap will generally end up on its own line in the Mobi. For fiction, though, ePub to Mobi generally works very well.

wallcraft · 01-15-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tm3

also, amazon has a 7 day return policy on ebooks. not sure that i would use it that much, as i have returned maybe 2 print books to amazon out of a hundred or so, but it is a nice feature nevertheless. do any other ebook vendors offer a return on ebooks?

Most (all?) other ebook stores have an official "no refund" policy. Sometimes, they will refund if you are persistent and if the refund is because of flaws in the ebook.

The few Kindle refund rates I have seen (in various blog posts) are very low, much less than one percent. The exception is probably TOPAZ ebooks, because a) these often have terrible formatting, and b) they are harder to format shift to other ebook readers. So it is nice to have the refund option at the Kindle Store. Note that if Amazon refunds your money they will delete the ebook from your device or app.

Andrew H. · 01-15-2011, 11:23 AM

It's also nice to have a refund option if you accidentally order an e-book (buy hitting "buy" instead of "download sample." It's much better to have a button you can hit to return the book than it is to have to call someone and deal with the return that way.

tm3 · 01-15-2011, 11:54 AM

thanks for the info. i thought that i had read that there could be some "issues" with ePub to mobi, but i could not find the thread.

the return policy came in handy for me when a book i received just really was not what i thought it was going to be. having that flexibility has been an attraction for me to amazon as a print book customer.

hopefully someone will chime in with the return policy on the readers themselves i.e. the sony and the nook.

LaurieGator · 01-15-2011, 12:13 PM

From what I am hearing, Barnes and Noble has a NO return policy for any reason. I have been reading some disgruntled folks over on another board having problems with this, even when the book can't be read on the Nook...

Also, I am converting all sorts of files back and forth. I have found that converting from .amz over to ePub is really easy. I have a little more trouble with ePub to Mobi.

If you have Calibre you can find a plug-in that will work with Calibre to do this for you, but you need to use your Google-fu to find it. I found the plug ins work great for amazon to ePub but the drm remover didn't work for ePub to Mobi and I needed a different program to do this.

HarryT · 01-15-2011, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaurieGator

From what I am hearing, Barnes and Noble has a NO return policy for any reason. I have been reading some disgruntled folks over on another board having problems with this, even when the book can't be read on the Nook...

No returns also from Apple's iBookStore.

EowynCarter · 01-15-2011, 01:22 PM

I got a refund once, well, gift card actually, because a really badly edited book. That seams a minimum !

01-15-2011, 10:50 AM	#1
tm3 Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 56678 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Questions re format, return policies whatever reader i get, i plan on using multiple sources for books including amazon, library, smashwords, borders, etc., so considering purchase from amazon, convert to ePub vs purchase in ePub, convert to mobi are these exactly the same as far as process and results, or does one typically work more seamlessly than the other? the descriptions and reviews here are very helpful, but even more helpful would be a hands on trial. i've gone to the local BB but the display units were nonfunctioning. i did get to play with the nook in the local B&N. kindle 3 has a 30 day return policy. it seems as though the nook has a 14 day return via B&N, correct? how about sony -- does any place selling sony offer a liberal return policy? also, amazon has a 7 day return policy on ebooks. not sure that i would use it that much, as i have returned maybe 2 print books to amazon out of a hundred or so, but it is a nice feature nevertheless. do any other ebook vendors offer a return on ebooks? thanks for the help!

01-15-2011, 12:13 PM	#6
LaurieGator Crazy Cat Lady Posts: 96 Karma: 13662 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona Device: Kindle 2i, Nook Color (Rooted)	From what I am hearing, Barnes and Noble has a NO return policy for any reason. I have been reading some disgruntled folks over on another board having problems with this, even when the book can't be read on the Nook... Also, I am converting all sorts of files back and forth. I have found that converting from .amz over to ePub is really easy. I have a little more trouble with ePub to Mobi. If you have Calibre you can find a plug-in that will work with Calibre to do this for you, but you need to use your Google-fu to find it. I found the plug ins work great for amazon to ePub but the drm remover didn't work for ePub to Mobi and I needed a different program to do this. Last edited by LaurieGator; 01-15-2011 at 05:54 PM.

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01-15-2011, 10:52 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	ePub is a "richer" format than Mobi, so Mobi to ePub conversions tend to work better than ePub to Mobi. You can have odd glitches with ePub to Mobi. Nothing major, but if the book uses drop caps, for example (a feature which ePub supports but Mobi doesn't), the cap will generally end up on its own line in the Mobi. For fiction, though, ePub to Mobi generally works very well.

01-15-2011, 11:23 AM	#4
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	It's also nice to have a refund option if you accidentally order an e-book (buy hitting "buy" instead of "download sample." It's much better to have a button you can hit to return the book than it is to have to call someone and deal with the return that way.

01-15-2011, 11:54 AM	#5
tm3 Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 56678 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3	thanks for the info. i thought that i had read that there could be some "issues" with ePub to mobi, but i could not find the thread. the return policy came in handy for me when a book i received just really was not what i thought it was going to be. having that flexibility has been an attraction for me to amazon as a print book customer. hopefully someone will chime in with the return policy on the readers themselves i.e. the sony and the nook.

01-15-2011, 01:22 PM	#8
EowynCarter Wizard Posts: 4,332 Karma: 4000000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Paris Device: Cybooks; Sony PRS-T1	I got a refund once, well, gift card actually, because a really badly edited book. That seams a minimum !