Classic Why I Didn't Preorder the Nook

[rhadin]

I thought about it. And this morning I received an e-mail from B&N encouraging me to preorder. I even went to the website and put one in the cart. But then I removed it and moved on.

Other than getting free overnight shipping and being first in the neighborhood, what's the advantage to preordering? None that I can see.

I'm a member of the B&N discount club -- have been for years -- and I buy several thousand dollars worth of hardcovers every year. But the discount is not applicable to the Nook. So no price reason to preorder.

Well perhaps I could save on accessories, like buying a missing cover or getting an extended warranty. Nope -- discount membership doesn't work there either.

Well it would be nice to get the Nook early as I like to shop at B&N. But what if I get it and find that my Sony 505 is far better for me or that I really should buy the iRex 800 or the Sony Daily Edition? Yes, I can return the Nook within 14 days (even Amazon gives you 30 days) but it will cost me at least $38.85 (15%) in restocking fee and B&N reserves the right to charge me for the "free" overnight shipping. And what about the cover -- I'm afraid to ask. I'm not willing to pay $40+ to see whether I like the device just so I can be first in the neighborhood.

So no preorder. I'll wait to see the unit in the store and if i like it, I'll buy one then. The price will be the same (maybe B&N will change its mind about the discount) so there is nothing to lose by waiting.

B&N should have made it better for club members.

[DaleDe]

I think they include a free eBook for pre-orders.

Dale

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I think they include a free eBook for pre-orders.

Dale

yeah.

whoopee

[badgoodDeb]

They should at least make it a free ebook of the purchaser's choice, not an arbitrary ebook that I may not be interested in reading.

[Abulia]

Why pre-order? To ensure that you get one, that's all. Obviously B&N is going to fill pre-orders first and available stock will likely be divvied up between their B&M locations. That could be 100 per store or 50 per store...or 2 per store. Or, worse yet, none in physical stores (beyond demo units) at launch.

So without knowing how many B&N stores are around you in Poughkeepsie, you might not be able to get one at launch.

Your comments are all fair points but it really sounds like you're seeking validation for your decision or rationalizing it out loud.

[brad72la]

Having a dictionary and able to select the word through touch screen for dictionary look-up is an important feature to me. So, no pre-order for Nook.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by brad72la

Having a dictionary and able to select the word through touch screen for dictionary look-up is an important feature to me. So, no pre-order for Nook.

why not? A dictionary is included.

Dale

[Daithi]

I ordered one, but I'm having second thoughts on if I should have ordered it.

I already have a Kindle 1 and a Kindle DX -- the Kindle 1 is gathering dust. The B&N book site also seems to be more expensive than the Amazon site, so I'm not sure how many B&N books I'll actually be buying.

The Nook definitely has some things I like. Support of the ePub format and support of an SD card are probably the top two. However, I'm starting to think that I probably should have waited for the B&N/Plastic Logic device that is supposed to be out in a few months. If I'm going to have one device from B&N, I think I'd rather have a large screen device that supports ePub instead of the Nook.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by brad72la

Having a dictionary and able to select the word through touch screen for dictionary look-up is an important feature to me. So, no pre-order for Nook.

Deleted.

[pking36330]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I'd say that if dictionary look up is that important to you then you should probably be heading back to school.

Seriously, if you really enjoy reading enough to consider shelling out serious money on a dedicated reading device then I would expect you would have read enough to not be stumped by words often enough to justify needing a dictionary by your side.

Definitely a pulp fiction reader! They never put hard words in those.

I enjoy reading fiction and non-fiction about regions and topics that I have no previous exposure and thus I consider a dictionary an essential element of my ebook reader purchase. And that's why they make Fords and Chevys (or Rolls and Bentleys).

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by pking36330

Definitely a pulp fiction reader! They never put hard words in those.

I enjoy reading fiction and non-fiction about regions and topics that I have no previous exposure and thus I consider a dictionary an essential element of my ebook reader purchase. And that's why they make Fords and Chevys (or Rolls and Bentleys).

I've got to agree with Bilbo here. I was reading at a college graduate reading level in the 6th grade. while it does happen that I need to look up words occasionally, it is certainly not something that would ever be a make or break deal for me. besides, as automated as our world is today, getting out of my chair to find a real dictionary, or even turn the computer on, helps keep the circulation flowing.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I'd say that if dictionary look up is that important to you then you should probably be heading back to school.

Seriously, if you really enjoy reading enough to consider shelling out serious money on a dedicated reading device then I would expect you would have read enough to not be stumped by words often enough to justify needing a dictionary by your side.

Rather arrogant, that remark.

I wasn't impressed by the Kindles built in dictionary until I started reading more. Thought I knew just about every word or could infer their meanings by use in a sentence.

Read many pd books lately? From Doyle to Christie to Wells, there are many words that haven't been used for decades. Even before my time.

Even in contemporary reading, most of us occasionally run across words we aren't familiar with.

Instead of just ignoring them, we like to know their meanings.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by pking36330

Definitely a pulp fiction reader! They never put hard words in those.

I enjoy reading fiction and non-fiction about regions and topics that I have no previous exposure and thus I consider a dictionary an essential element of my ebook reader purchase. And that's why they make Fords and Chevys.

Deleted

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Abulia

So without knowing how many B&N stores are around you in Poughkeepsie, you might not be able to get one at launch.

But that's my point. I don't need one at launch just to be able to say I've got one. I'd rather check it out before spending money on it. If the return wasn't so costly if I didn't like it, it would be a different story, but to be charged $40 to restock it plus the cost of the overnight shipping (which will probably be another $20) plus the cost to me to ship it back, seems a high price to pay for something that I don't need to have the first day it is available.

Originally Posted by Abulia

Your comments are all fair points but it really sounds like you're seeking validation for your decision or rationalizing it out loud.

No, I was simply enumerating some reasons why it might not be a good idea to preorder the Nook as opposed to checking it out first in the store. Some other MR members might not have been aware of the restocking fee, of the 14-day return limit, and the possibility of having to reimburse B&N for the expedited shipping. Although I have never ordered a Kindle, my understanding is that Amazon doesn't charge any of these fees and has a 30-day return policy, so other MRers might mistakenly assume that B&N has similar terms.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Rather arrogant, that remark.

I wasn't impressed by the Kindles built in dictionary until I started reading more. Thought I knew just about every word or could infer their meanings by use in a sentence.

Read many pd books lately? From Doyle to Christie to Wells, there are many words that haven't been used for decades. Even before my time.

Even in contemporary reading, most of us occasionally run across words we aren't familiar with.

Instead of just ignoring them, we like to know their meanings.

Deleted