Cannot buy a particular ebook in the UK

Heathside Boy · 10-19-2011, 03:06 PM

Hi,

This I'm sure, maybe answered already but I will ask anyway.

I live in the UK and I was after purchasing two ebooks by the same author. The author is Joseph D Pistone and his first book was "Donnie Brasco" (My Undercover Life in the Mafia).

For some reason (it may be copyright reasons), I cannot buy this ebook in the UK, yet I have seen it available in the German Amazon site and in the US of course.

At the same time, I managed to buy another book by the same author in e-book format that is titled "Unfinished Business" in the UK no problem. This book came out a little later than the former.

Does anybody know why one is allowed whereas; the other one is not in this case, available to buy in the UK?

If it is a copyright issue, do you think it will change in the future? The author and publisher stand to make a lot more money if their ebooks are open to other markets surely.

If anybody knows a way that I may be able to purchase this particular ebook from the UK, I will be extremely pleased.

Thanks in advance any answers.

HB

afa · 10-19-2011, 03:33 PM

Not copyright, per se, but rather distribution rights.

Whoever the author's publisher is for Donnie Brasco (is that the same one the Johnny Depp movie is based on?) likely does not have the rights to publish in UK. And for whatever reason, maybe the book has no official publisher in UK at all. It happens. Geo-restrictions are one of the more common realities that are coming to light with the growth of ebooks. They've always been there, of course, we just never noticed.

If you have exhausted other UK based ebookstores and still can't find it, then I would suggest getting your hands on a VPN that would mask your true location and give you an American IP (Hotspot Shield, for instance). Once enabled, whenever you browse Amazon, you will appear to be in US, and can therefore buy from the US store.

Of course, you will also need a valid US billing address for your account...

Apache · 10-19-2011, 04:42 PM

Yeah another example is Breakheart Pass by Alistair MacLean. It is not available as an ebook in North America.
Apache

Heathside Boy · 10-20-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afa

Not copyright, per se, but rather distribution rights.

Whoever the author's publisher is for Donnie Brasco (is that the same one the Johnny Depp movie is based on?)

Yep. Johnny Depp, Al Pacino and Michael Madsen. Have you seen it? Brilliant movie.

I have seen the movie and the extended version of the movie many times. I have heard that the movie is glamorised a bit in some places and not 100% accurate. I have also listened to the 'audio book' version that IS available to purchase in the UK. This is narrated by the author and is more authentic coming from him.

That's why I want to read this book because it was written by the real 'Donnie Brasco,' Joseph D Pistone. Apparently, the book is written from a different angle to that of the movie and audio book. It starts in the courtroom with many indictments being handed out to the gangsters. It's all true as well; this guy actually spent nearly 6 years undercover in the Mafia. Truly amazing!

Quote:

If you have exhausted other UK based ebookstores and still can't find it, then I would suggest getting your hands on a VPN that would mask your true location and give you an American IP (Hotspot Shield, for instance). Once enabled, whenever you browse Amazon, you will appear to be in US, and can therefore buy from the US store.
Of course, you will also need a valid US billing address for your account...

Can you tell me how I would achieve this? Where would I get a VPN and how do I get around not having a US billing address? Is there a way?

Thanks

HB

treadlightly · 10-20-2011, 02:14 PM

Are there any ebook stores that do not check the purchaser's home country? Many ebooks that I want to purchase are $7.99 on the Amazon US store, $10.24 once they know I am Canadian, and $8.99 in a Canadian ebook store. The same book is $6.99 at Books on Board. And the publisher supposedly sets the prices? I'm starting to doubt that.

Hellmark · 10-20-2011, 02:25 PM

I can state that I've been able to purchase from Waterstones (I know, not useful for the OP, since they're in the UK and need to buy in the US, opposite from my situation). With them, I put my normal address, with the only difference being I put the country as the UK instead of the US. The sale went through without an issue, and I even received snail mail from them afterwards. My guess is that when they did stuff on their end, they dropped the country because not much need to include that if they believe they're in the same country, and the rest of the info came up looking like a normal US mailing address when it came time to do the credit card stuff. It could be that something similar to that may help you.

treadlightly · 10-20-2011, 02:47 PM

I see this book as available from kobobooks.com for $8.99 Cdn. Are you able to purchase from them?

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Donni...sGw/page1.html

Heathside Boy · 10-20-2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treadlightly

Are there any ebook stores that do not check the purchaser's home country? Many ebooks that I want to purchase are $7.99 on the Amazon US store, $10.24 once they know I am Canadian, and $8.99 in a Canadian ebook store. The same book is $6.99 at Books on Board. And the publisher supposedly sets the prices? I'm starting to doubt that.

Most US stores include Canada for e-book downloading but not the UK it seems. I have tried many websites to see if I can get this particular ebook in the UK, but to no avail yet.

I tried Books on Board from the UK section, no luck there.

Is there anywhere else I should look?

Thanks

HB

geertm · 10-20-2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heathside Boy

Most US stores include Canada for e-book downloading but not the UK it seems. I have tried many websites to see if I can get this particular ebook in the UK, but to no avail yet.

I tried Books on Board from the UK section, no luck there.

Is there anywhere else I should look?

Thanks

HB

In the case of Kobo just register your account with an US shipping and billing address (just Google a valid address). The billing address is not checked with the credit card company, so this will work fine.
I do not need to use a VPN from the Netherlands, so you should not need one in the UK.

This works for most US ebook stores. Although sometimes you will need to use an VPN like Hotspot Shield (free) to get an US IP-address.

Heathside Boy · 10-20-2011, 03:26 PM

treadlightly, I tried the Kobo book website. Nothing at all from my end. Thanks for the suggestions though and anymore will be most appreciated.

Hellmark, did that actually work? Perhaps I should try that from my country. Did you have to register with the site first? Then, when purchasing the book, did you give your credit card details? And, you are saying it all went through just by changing the country you are from?

Intriguing!

HB

Heathside Boy · 10-20-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geertm

In the case of Kobo just register your account with an US shipping and billing address (just Google a valid address). The billing address is not checked with the credit card company, so this will work fine.
I do not need to use a VPN from the Netherlands, so you should not need one in the UK.

This works for most US ebook stores. Although sometimes you will need to use an VPN like Hotspot Shield (free) to get an US IP-address.

geertm,

If I do this by registering with a US address, where will the e-book be downloaded to?

Just to let you know, I have the Kindle for PC and a Nook. I registered with Barnes & Noble (they serve the Nook and are U.S.-based) but they still would not accept my credit card for downloading the ebook which was on their website. Should I re-register using a US address and try again from Barnes & Noble?

Thanks

HB

geertm · 10-20-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heathside Boy

geertm,

If I do this by registering with a US address, where will the e-book be downloaded to?

Just to let you know, I have the Kindle for PC and a Nook. I registered with Barnes & Noble (they serve the Nook and are U.S.-based) but they still would not accept my credit card for downloading the ebook which was on their website. Should I re-register using a US address and try again from Barnes & Noble?

Thanks

HB

You can download the book from the Kobo website.

To buy the book from B&N register your account with an US shipping and billing adress, and use a VPN.
If your Nook has a Wifi connection just sync your Nook after buying the book, and it will be downloaded on your Nook.
This works fine. I have a Nook Touch and Nook Color myself, and buy all my books from B&N this way.

CommonReader · 10-21-2011, 05:36 AM

It' available from kobo for 5.58 € here in Germany. Perhaps you could try to register with a Continental address?

Heathside Boy · 10-22-2011, 11:38 AM

Quote:

You can download the book from the Kobo website.

geertm,

I do not have an e-reader device. I use my computer to read from so I have got 'Kindle for PC.' That means if I buy any ebooks from Amazon UK, they will be downloaded to my Kindle for PC application.

If I buy and download the book from the Kobo website as you suggest, where will the book be downloaded to? Do I need a Kobo application for the PC or something as mentioned above like the Kindle for PC?

Quote:

To buy the book from B&N register your account with an US shipping and billing adress, and use a VPN.

If your Nook has a Wifi connection just sync your Nook after buying the book, and it will be downloaded on your Nook.

This works fine. I have a Nook Touch and Nook Color myself, and buy all my books from B&N this way.

I have the Nook for PC that works the same way as the Kindle for PC. It's on my laptop which is Wi-Fi. If I buy the book from B&N, where would I get a US shipping and billing address from? Do you have to pay for it?

You also say use a VPN. I do not know what that means, could you enlighten me and tell me what a VPN is and how I use it please?

I have found the 'sync' button on the Nook for PC.

Cheers for any answers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommonReader

It' available from kobo for 5.58 € here in Germany. Perhaps you could try to register with a Continental address?

CommonReader,

yes, I know it is available in Germany as I mention in one of my earlier posts. Firstly, where would I get a German billing address from?

I already thought about trying to purchase it this way. The information I got regarding this is, if I started a brand-new account in Germany, I would have to have a bona fide German address. (Or have another address from there if I had residences in both Germany and the UK).

I was also informed that because I was a member of the U.K. site, by reregistering on the German site and then downloading the book from here, I would lose all my original books in my UK library.

Please tell me what to do and I will be ready to give it a go.

Thanks

HB

DMB · 10-22-2011, 12:08 PM

I suggest a little patience. The ebook market is changing rapidly. When I got my K3 just over a year ago, about 50% of the books I wanted were unavailable. Now it's perhaps 15%.

If you're very keen, you could find out who publishes the dead-tree version in the UK and write and ask when they're going to make it available as an ebook.

10-19-2011, 03:06 PM	#1
Heathside Boy HB Posts: 120 Karma: 38 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Nook for PC / Calibre	Cannot buy a particular ebook in the UK Hi, This I'm sure, maybe answered already but I will ask anyway. I live in the UK and I was after purchasing two ebooks by the same author. The author is Joseph D Pistone and his first book was "Donnie Brasco" (My Undercover Life in the Mafia). For some reason (it may be copyright reasons), I cannot buy this ebook in the UK, yet I have seen it available in the German Amazon site and in the US of course. At the same time, I managed to buy another book by the same author in e-book format that is titled "Unfinished Business" in the UK no problem. This book came out a little later than the former. Does anybody know why one is allowed whereas; the other one is not in this case, available to buy in the UK? If it is a copyright issue, do you think it will change in the future? The author and publisher stand to make a lot more money if their ebooks are open to other markets surely. If anybody knows a way that I may be able to purchase this particular ebook from the UK, I will be extremely pleased. Thanks in advance any answers. HB

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10-19-2011, 03:33 PM	#2
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Not copyright, per se, but rather distribution rights. Whoever the author's publisher is for Donnie Brasco (is that the same one the Johnny Depp movie is based on?) likely does not have the rights to publish in UK. And for whatever reason, maybe the book has no official publisher in UK at all. It happens. Geo-restrictions are one of the more common realities that are coming to light with the growth of ebooks. They've always been there, of course, we just never noticed. If you have exhausted other UK based ebookstores and still can't find it, then I would suggest getting your hands on a VPN that would mask your true location and give you an American IP (Hotspot Shield, for instance). Once enabled, whenever you browse Amazon, you will appear to be in US, and can therefore buy from the US store. Of course, you will also need a valid US billing address for your account...

10-19-2011, 04:42 PM	#3
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Yeah another example is Breakheart Pass by Alistair MacLean. It is not available as an ebook in North America. Apache

10-20-2011, 02:14 PM	#5
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	Are there any ebook stores that do not check the purchaser's home country? Many ebooks that I want to purchase are $7.99 on the Amazon US store, $10.24 once they know I am Canadian, and $8.99 in a Canadian ebook store. The same book is $6.99 at Books on Board. And the publisher supposedly sets the prices? I'm starting to doubt that.

10-20-2011, 02:25 PM	#6
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I can state that I've been able to purchase from Waterstones (I know, not useful for the OP, since they're in the UK and need to buy in the US, opposite from my situation). With them, I put my normal address, with the only difference being I put the country as the UK instead of the US. The sale went through without an issue, and I even received snail mail from them afterwards. My guess is that when they did stuff on their end, they dropped the country because not much need to include that if they believe they're in the same country, and the rest of the info came up looking like a normal US mailing address when it came time to do the credit card stuff. It could be that something similar to that may help you.

10-20-2011, 02:47 PM	#7
treadlightly Wizard Posts: 1,370 Karma: 6957792 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa, ON Device: Kobo H2O	I see this book as available from kobobooks.com for $8.99 Cdn. Are you able to purchase from them? http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Donni...sGw/page1.html

10-20-2011, 03:26 PM	#10
Heathside Boy HB Posts: 120 Karma: 38 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Nook for PC / Calibre	treadlightly, I tried the Kobo book website. Nothing at all from my end. Thanks for the suggestions though and anymore will be most appreciated. Hellmark, did that actually work? Perhaps I should try that from my country. Did you have to register with the site first? Then, when purchasing the book, did you give your credit card details? And, you are saying it all went through just by changing the country you are from? Intriguing! HB

10-21-2011, 05:36 AM	#13
CommonReader Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 2530000 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony PRS-T3, PRS-650, Vaio Tap 11, iPad Mini	It' available from kobo for 5.58 € here in Germany. Perhaps you could try to register with a Continental address?

10-22-2011, 12:08 PM	#15
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	I suggest a little patience. The ebook market is changing rapidly. When I got my K3 just over a year ago, about 50% of the books I wanted were unavailable. Now it's perhaps 15%. If you're very keen, you could find out who publishes the dead-tree version in the UK and write and ask when they're going to make it available as an ebook.

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