geographic restrictions at Fictionwise

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by Margrete

I'll try that, thanks

Can you let us know if that works, the Micropay trick?

Thanks,

bt

[Xenophon]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Different things for different formats is crazy, because going by the latter, they shouldn't send you a dead tree book, either.

'Arbitrage' by buying the cheaper version is done in paper, as well, so strange. If we pay money to postage companies we have less money for books, so even nuttier.

The difference may indeed be crazy. But for dead tree versions, it all turns on the combination of the legal definition of where the sale takes place -- the "locus" of the sale, in legalese -- and the concept of the "first sale" rule. I don't pretend to understand how the locus of a sale is determined, but I observe that for physical stuff it generally appears to be the location of the store-front (for in-person sales in a shop) or the warehouse (for catalog/internet sales).

After that sale has taken place, the "first sale" rule comes into play. A very brief (and probably over-simplified) version of this rule is that although a seller may choose to use relatively arbitrary conditions when deciding whether or not to sell to you, they cannot impose restrictions on your use of the product after the sale. Thus, they can sell only in a limited geographic region, but they cannot restrict you from shipping elsewhere post-sale.

So, with dead-tree books the locus of the sale is the warehouse. As long as the warehouse is in the correct geographic region, the geographic conditions have been met. Shipping after that is beyond the control of the publisher (or author/agent/copyright-owner/whatever).

The thing that strikes me as being weird is the idea that the locus of sale for an internet transaction is the customer's computer/device!

Xenophon

[Idoine]

Well, with the 30% rebate on Fantasy books, it bothered me today !
I made a filter on Fantasy books, and went along the list, and 75% of my choices were geographically restricted !
I finished with the purchase of n°2 of a trilogy, and went to Mobipocket site to purchase n°1 and 3 (of course more expensive on this site, but all 3 were in proportion !)
I did this for one series, I won't for more !
So these restrictions, for a impulsive/compulsive like me, are a good one for my purse, but a bad one for Fictionwise !

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

The thing that strikes me as being weird is the idea that the locus of sale for an internet transaction is the customer's computer/device!

Not even that. It seems it's the bank that issued the credit card (!). From what I've read here, if I'm Spanish, have a French credit card, live in the UK and try to buy from a US e-store, they'll assume they are selling in France.

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

The thing that strikes me as being weird is the idea that the locus of sale for an internet transaction is the customer's computer/device!

Xenophon

Yep, that's stupid, because the same logic means that the sale happens at your house, or wherever you have a book sent to, if mail ordering.

If media companies want to fall on their swords, fine by me, though.

[T3_reader]

65% of the books on my eReader wishlist are no longer available to me. Any suggestions on companies that offer ebooks without such restrictions, with a reader available for Palm?

I really hope Fictionwise can set up additional storefronts to circumvent the restrictions and still offer competitive prices.

[Margrete]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Can you let us know if that works, the Micropay trick?

Thanks,

bt

yes, it worked I changed my profile address country at fictionwise to US and bought books with micropay after buying micropay dollars

I hope the address change at fictionwise works for using paypal as well so I can get the 100% rebate thing for the lord of the rings trilogy. Only being able to use micropay is going to make me use more money if I'm not careful

[pdurrant]

I haven't had any problems buying from fictionwise with paypal.

Originally Posted by Margrete

yes, it worked I changed my profile address country at fictionwise to US and bought books with micropay after buying micropay dollars

I hope the address change at fictionwise works for using paypal as well so I can get the 100% rebate thing for the lord of the rings trilogy. Only being able to use micropay is going to make me use more money if I'm not careful

[RWood]

Revise your Fictionwise address to a US address and pay with PayPal. You can fund your PayPal from your credit card. I have a friend that uses this method and she has had no problems to date.

[Margrete]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I haven't had any problems buying from fictionwise with paypal.

Originally Posted by RWood

Revise your Fictionwise address to a US address and pay with PayPal. You can fund your PayPal from your credit card. I have a friend that uses this method and she has had no problems to date.

Thanks, that makes me relieved

[Blue Tyson]

Thanks.

[Robotech_Master]

Steve Pendergrast writes, over on TeleRead,

This has nothing to do with the B&N acquisition, it has been in the works for months. This is being enforced at the aggregator level. All retailers are theoretically doing this now. If not, they may find themselves cut off from their source of ebooks soon.

The publishers are not to blame here, the rights are carved up geographically and if the publishers in the USA don’t enforce the restriction they are potentially infringing contracts of publishers in other countries.

This does not affect any multiformat titles. It affects about 1/3 of the encrypted titles.

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by Robotech_Master

Steve Pendergrast writes, over on TeleRead,

Right. So it has nothing to do with bookshops, authors, or publishers.

Want to buy some prime Florida island real estate, do you? Or sell Missouri riverland flood insurance?





If he is implying there is stuff in copyright acts that says 'you may not sell ebooks to people in other countries', I've read ours, that is complete crap.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Right. So it has nothing to do with bookshops, authors, or publishers.

Please read what he said again. It's the PUBLISHER who requires that the retailer does this.

If he is implying there is stuff in copyright acts that says 'you may not sell ebooks to people in other countries', I've read ours, that is complete crap.

It has NOTHING TO DO with copyright law. It's a matter of the distribution contract that the publisher has with the author, which often contains geographical restrictions. Eg, many books have different UK and US publishers.

[araj]

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Can you let us know if that works, the Micropay trick?

It doesn't work for me :-( They look at my credit card billing address (Sri Lanka) whether or not I'm using it. Has anyone had any success buying via PayPal?

Blithering idiots. Just for that, so annoyed am I, the $100 that was going their way is now headed right at Baen.