Where to buy Kobo?

[JJ Johnson]

Hi all. This is my first post to the forums. I just ordered a Libra H20 directly from Kobo. Ordered on Monday, the expected delivery date is this coming Tuesday.

I didn't realize that it would ship from Canada. Walmart was my other choice and it could have been had (according to their web site) in two days. I also don't relish returning something to Canada if it becomes necessary. Did I screw up?

[boomboxnation]

Maybe? I specifically ordered from Walmart just because the shipping information is so vague on the Kobo site. It took me a while to even figure out that I could order from Walmart.

I am pretty happy with my Libra though! I thought it would be better for one-handed reading, and it somewhat is. (I am recovering from a broken neck and left non-dominant wrist)

[petercreasey]

It would have been better probably to have bought it from Walmart; however, if it doesn't give you any trouble, where you bought it shouldn't matter.

[hobnail]

I didn't know anything about Walmart and Kobos and also ordered mine from Kobo in Canada. I didn't send it back but if I'd bought it from the local Walmart I would have taken it back. The buttons feel sort of mushy, and it has the uneven lighting along the right edge where the buttons are, fortunately I like the light turned down low so I don't see that.

[Alan_Bernardo]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

It would have been better probably to have bought it from Walmart; however, if it doesn't give you any trouble, where you bought it shouldn't matter.

It does when you buy from Walmart. I don't care that the item should be the same, coming from the same manufacturer. Stuff I've purchased from Walmart, there's always something wrong with it, or something is missing, or something doesn't work as advertised, or it's lacking instructions altogether. It's second-rate, as if they're selling refurbished items, three times over, and pawning them off as the real stuff, untouched.

I long ago stopped dealing with Walmart. They cater to the poor, and the poor are typically short-changed.

[binaryhermit]

Allegedly it's not unheard of for Walmart* to get a "special" (read as "inferior") model due to their insistence on cheap at all costs.

[JJ Johnson]

Highly unlikely for a product not being carried on their shelves and being sold at MSRP.

[JSWolf]

I ordered my H2O from Chapters in Canada and it arrived in 4 or 5 days.

[dordale]

Like John, I ordered from Chapters Indigo in Canada. (My Aura One was shipped to California). It took a little while to arrive, but I did order over Christmas, so that was expected. A major benefit of ordering from Chapters Indigo is that my Aura One ended up being quite a bit less expensive due to the exchange rate adjustment between CAD and USD.

[petercreasey]

Walmart's Kobos come fully packaged by Kobo. There is no way anyone could have deemed them to be of lesser quality than any other fully packaged ereaders.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Alan_Bernardo

It does when you buy from Walmart. I don't care that the item should be the same, coming from the same manufacturer. Stuff I've purchased from Walmart, there's always something wrong with it, or something is missing, or something doesn't work as advertised, or it's lacking instructions altogether. It's second-rate, as if they're selling refurbished items, three times over, and pawning them off as the real stuff, untouched.

I ordered my Clara HD from Walmart. Had it the next day and it's perfect (and early on, the Clara had a reputation for problem lighting regardless of where you bought it from).

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

Allegedly it's not unheard of for Walmart* to get a "special" (read as "inferior") model due to their insistence on cheap at all costs.

That is nonsense, at least as far as something from a company as small as Kobo. Now, Walmart is more likely to have the Aura 2 in store instead of the nicer and costlier Clara HD. But a Kobo you buy online from Walmart is identical to a Kobo ordered from anywhere else.

The only thing you have to be careful on is to make sure you are ordering from Walmart instead of a third party seller. Like Amazon, they may be sold out of an item, but still have it listed from a third party.

[hobnail]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

Walmart's Kobos come fully packaged by Kobo. There is no way anyone could have deemed them to be of lesser quality than any other fully packaged ereaders.

Plus, since they don't have them in stock from what people say, they're probably getting them directly from Kobo.

[BookishBiker]

Originally Posted by JJ Johnson

I also don't relish returning something to Canada if it becomes necessary. Did I screw up?

I got my Forma from Walmart, but went through Kobo when I had issues with the device. They had it shipped back to New Jersey (I think - it was definitely East Coast) and the replacement came from Canada. It was pretty painless and the whole thing took maybe 2 1/2 weeks.

[Scaledish]

Originally Posted by BookishBiker

I got my Forma from Walmart, but went through Kobo when I had issues with the device. They had it shipped back to New Jersey (I think - it was definitely East Coast) and the replacement came from Canada. It was pretty painless and the whole thing took maybe 2 1/2 weeks.

you were a lucky one

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by binaryhermit

Allegedly it's not unheard of for Walmart* to get a "special" (read as "inferior") model due to their insistence on cheap at all costs.

That sounds like an urban legend to me.