UK users on Fictionwise.com....any hope?

grechzoo · 02-09-2010, 08:50 AM

its the best ebook store i have found. uk stores suck, and if i cant somehow get use of fictionwise then buying an e-reader makes zero sense for me.

i have a small collection of ebooks but to say they are full of mistakes and badly made would be an understatement, fictionwise has the perfect mix of professional ebooks at prices you expect considering its electronic (kindle store, esp in the UK makes books more expensive)

has anyone figured out a work around. i though topping up micropay might work but then i realised you only get a rebate if you use a credit card or paypal. so that makes the prices too hot to handle.

i dont have any family or friends in the US plus asking them everytime i want to buy a book would be a massive hassle. if there is simply nothing to be done then i guess the e-reading will have to wait a few years, when either the uk kindle comes over here and offer better ebook prices, or a UK ebook store in the same vein as fictionwise comes about.

anyway ill keep my fingers crossed if anyone knows anything that might help.

thanks

Crusader · 02-09-2010, 09:58 AM

There is an extremely easy way to make use of Fictionwise.

Set your account to US.
Inadvertently provide a valid US address for your billing address (do a search for a US hotel etc.)
Pay using your normal CC details.
Works 100% for me and you can get the 100% rebates without a problem.

In some rare cases you will get a geographic restriction check before you are able to download the book. In cases like these you will need to use a proxy (Hidemyass works nicely).
Change your password to a temporary password.
Log in using the proxy and your temp password.
Download the book.
Access Fictionwise normally and change your password back.

After the book is downloaded once you will be able to download it again without having to go through the additional steps. No CC info is ever used while accessing via the proxy so there's no risk.

Dr. Drib · 02-09-2010, 10:54 AM

Slightly OT:

Just don't make it the Bates Motel. If you inadvertently do so, NEVER walk up those stairs.

Don

Terisa de morgan · 02-09-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Slightly OT:

Just don't make it the Bates Motel. If you inadvertently do so, NEVER walk up those stairs.

Don

Nor Hotel California

ChristopherTD · 02-09-2010, 11:47 AM

Hi Crusader
I managed to use this method by setting my billing address in my Profile to a US address and then when checking out with credit card, supplying my UK address but leaving the country as USA (anything else caused a fail).
However, now when I try to buy something with Micropay I get an error saying my billing address doesn't match. Have you encountered this?

Crusader · 02-09-2010, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristopherTD

Hi Crusader
I managed to use this method by setting my billing address in my Profile to a US address and then when checking out with credit card, supplying my UK address but leaving the country as USA (anything else caused a fail).
However, now when I try to buy something with Micropay I get an error saying my billing address doesn't match. Have you encountered this?

You have to use the same US address in both cases. It should go through without any problems (at least it does for me).

grechzoo · 02-09-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

You have to use the same US address in both cases. It should go through without any problems (at least it does for me).

thanks for your help. i have one question though regarding your CC

i have updated my fictionwise profile with a valid US address. so basically i want to know what i do when i pay? do i just enter the CC information with real billing address etc. so the payment goes through yes?

and then after purchase when activating the sercure ereader book i use the US address in my profile as the CC billing address (as long as the CC numbers are correct and everything it should work yeah?)

basically im a bit confused because it seems fictionwise want to attach your cc to your purchases before download and im just wondering how you get away with putting a uk billing address.

sorry fi the post is all over the place, im just missing something at the moment, hope you can help.

Crusader · 02-09-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grechzoo

dont you need to put the right billing address in order for the creidt card to allow payment?

At the moment it doesn't seem to being a verification of billing address. That might change in the future, but I hope not!

grechzoo · 02-09-2010, 12:28 PM

thanks, sound good, hope it lasts for a while

asjogren · 02-09-2010, 02:14 PM

It looks like getting a US based PayPal account is easy. Has anyone tried this? Address, City, State, Postal, Telephone.

How about a US based pre-paid credit card?

ChristopherTD · 02-09-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

You have to use the same US address in both cases. It should go through without any problems (at least it does for me).

Hmm, something must be askew because I can't seem to make Micropay purchases work. I will continue to tinker with my address and see if success ensues...

Crusader · 02-09-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristopherTD

Hmm, something must be askew because I can't seem to make Micropay purchases work. I will continue to tinker with my address and see if success ensues...

What happens when you try to pay by Micropay?

AFK_Matrix · 02-09-2010, 03:47 PM

Hi grechzoo,

I feel your pain mate, I was looking for a series of books and I could get them all apart from one which was restricted to the US wtf!!! Most annoying, so gonna try this fictionwise thing.

As a side note have you tried whsmiths or waterstones? They haven't got everything but they do have quite a few ebooks.

ChristopherTD · 02-09-2010, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

What happens when you try to pay by Micropay?

I got a message saying that my purchase location did not match my actual location. HideMyAss.com put a stop to their merry capers!

Thanks for your help

grechzoo · 02-09-2010, 03:50 PM

i have checked them, and the price are really just stupid.

with the exchange rate and the rebates fictionwise offer, they really beat any prices here in the uk, and by a long way too. its how it should be too considering its electronic.

i dont really want to invest in a £200 device only to find ebooks are just as expensive as paperbacks.

02-09-2010, 08:50 AM	#1
grechzoo Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 485252 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindle 2 or Sony PRS	UK users on Fictionwise.com....any hope? its the best ebook store i have found. uk stores suck, and if i cant somehow get use of fictionwise then buying an e-reader makes zero sense for me. i have a small collection of ebooks but to say they are full of mistakes and badly made would be an understatement, fictionwise has the perfect mix of professional ebooks at prices you expect considering its electronic (kindle store, esp in the UK makes books more expensive) has anyone figured out a work around. i though topping up micropay might work but then i realised you only get a rebate if you use a credit card or paypal. so that makes the prices too hot to handle. i dont have any family or friends in the US plus asking them everytime i want to buy a book would be a massive hassle. if there is simply nothing to be done then i guess the e-reading will have to wait a few years, when either the uk kindle comes over here and offer better ebook prices, or a UK ebook store in the same vein as fictionwise comes about. anyway ill keep my fingers crossed if anyone knows anything that might help. thanks

02-09-2010, 09:58 AM	#2
Crusader Space Cadet Posts: 1,180 Karma: 4030536 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Africa Device: Sony PRS-T1, Cybook Opus, Kobo Glo	There is an extremely easy way to make use of Fictionwise. Set your account to US. Inadvertently provide a valid US address for your billing address (do a search for a US hotel etc.) Pay using your normal CC details. Works 100% for me and you can get the 100% rebates without a problem. In some rare cases you will get a geographic restriction check before you are able to download the book. In cases like these you will need to use a proxy (Hidemyass works nicely). Change your password to a temporary password. Log in using the proxy and your temp password. Download the book. Access Fictionwise normally and change your password back. After the book is downloaded once you will be able to download it again without having to go through the additional steps. No CC info is ever used while accessing via the proxy so there's no risk. Last edited by Crusader; 02-09-2010 at 10:02 AM.

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02-09-2010, 10:54 AM	#3
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,358 Karma: 59451559 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	Slightly OT: Just don't make it the Bates Motel. If you inadvertently do so, NEVER walk up those stairs. Don

02-09-2010, 11:47 AM	#5
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	Hi Crusader I managed to use this method by setting my billing address in my Profile to a US address and then when checking out with credit card, supplying my UK address but leaving the country as USA (anything else caused a fail). However, now when I try to buy something with Micropay I get an error saying my billing address doesn't match. Have you encountered this?

02-09-2010, 12:28 PM	#9
grechzoo Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 485252 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindle 2 or Sony PRS	thanks, sound good, hope it lasts for a while

02-09-2010, 02:14 PM	#10
asjogren Addict Posts: 266 Karma: 1378 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Seattle / San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Device: Kindle & WiFi Nook & PocketBook IQ	It looks like getting a US based PayPal account is easy. Has anyone tried this? Address, City, State, Postal, Telephone. How about a US based pre-paid credit card?

02-09-2010, 03:47 PM	#13
AFK_Matrix Sci Fi Addict :) Posts: 108 Karma: 112 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Crawley, UK Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi	Hi grechzoo, I feel your pain mate, I was looking for a series of books and I could get them all apart from one which was restricted to the US wtf!!! Most annoying, so gonna try this fictionwise thing. As a side note have you tried whsmiths or waterstones? They haven't got everything but they do have quite a few ebooks.

02-09-2010, 03:50 PM	#15
grechzoo Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 485252 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kindle 2 or Sony PRS	i have checked them, and the price are really just stupid. with the exchange rate and the rebates fictionwise offer, they really beat any prices here in the uk, and by a long way too. its how it should be too considering its electronic. i dont really want to invest in a £200 device only to find ebooks are just as expensive as paperbacks.

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