Book available on amazon but not kobo

ballfresno · 10-12-2015, 03:29 PM

I'm running into this more and more often: a book is available on Amazon in the UK but Kobo tells me that book is not available in the UK (although available elsewhere). Latest is The Darwin Elevator by Jason M Hough.

Very annoying. I'd rather buy from Kobo than Amazon.

Actually, I'd rather buy from anywhere that would sell me a DRM-free version... but that's another story.

Rant over. Back to your regular programming.

Actually: ignore all of the above. The Kobo store website gives different results depending on how you get to it. If I start from scratch, the book is available after all. Sigh.

Ripplinger · 10-12-2015, 03:53 PM

I buy wherever it's cheaper, even if it's Amazon. Thanks to Alf, that's not a problem for epub readers.

EndlessWaves · 10-12-2015, 05:17 PM

All you can go is pester the author or publisher. If they want to make a book exclusive to one store that only works with one brand of eReader then that's their right and all we can do is point that out and ask politely for it to be made available more widely.

jackastor · 10-12-2015, 06:12 PM

Its got nothing to do with Kobo, its the Publisher who decides who they provide the book to. If they don't want to go with Amazon or Kobo or any other seller they don't. The drawback though is peeved off customers who are frustrated because they can not get the book from the vendor of their choice.

Sucks to be us the end consumer we are the ones who suffer the loss, apparently the profit potential is not enough to entice the publisher.

regards

Jack

davidfor · 10-12-2015, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballfresno

Actually: ignore all of the above. The Kobo store website gives different results depending on how you get to it. If I start from scratch, the book is available after all. Sigh.

It looks like you are hitting an edition problem. If there is a US and a UK edition and someone from the US gave you a link to the book in the Kobo store, it will probably be the US edition. Kobo will let you see it, but will tell you it isn't available to you. But, a search will only show editions you can buy.

I just tried clicking the link from the authors site, and had the "not available in Australia" message. The publisher is Random House. When I searched, I found it with the publisher Titan Books.

Now, the real question: Is it any good? I have to say the covers for the two editions don't do anything for me. One makes it look like a rogue cop or soldier story (I'm seeing a Stalone as the star of the movie). The other makes it look like an "Independence Day" rip-off.

GERGE · 10-13-2015, 03:05 AM

It is $1 on Google, from Turkey. Google usually gives me the cheapest books so I buy from them.

soulfuldog · 10-13-2015, 11:07 AM

Just FYI in the UK the various prices are currently:

Amazon - £0.99
Google - £2.39
Nook - £2.40
Sainsburys - £2.99
Kobo - £3.47
Apple - £3.99

Ripplinger's practise of buying from wherever is cheaper, even if it is Amazon, is one I follow too. Except Amazon is my first port of call, so I'll buy from elsewhere IF its cheaper than Amazon, it just doesn't happen all that often.

GERGE · 10-13-2015, 01:03 PM

The book is this, right?

It seems Google also changes prices greatly depending on regions. The book seems interesting, very cheap too. I am buying it now.

GeoffR · 10-15-2015, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GERGE

The book is this, right?

That is the US edition which is $0.99 at all US retailers including Kobo, it is a publisher set price (Del Rey)

(But if you bought at Kobo you would earn a few super points too.)

GERGE · 10-15-2015, 12:54 PM

Well, it is weird that Google uses US editions for Turkey. We usually deal with euros and UK&EU versions while shopping online.

hanvyj · 10-21-2015, 05:46 AM

What frustrates me is I can't use the location syncing with the Kobo phone app with non-kobo books. So I'll maybe consider spending a little more to get it from Kobo (and to save the hassle of side-loading it).

But if it's a good sized book, or a collection, I'll often buy elswhere. I have also found searching the Kobo store is often difficult, coming up with no results for super famous books that I know it has.

anacreon · 10-22-2015, 03:41 PM

When searching for a book directly on the kobo site gives no results, I try from calibre - which also give an idea of relative pricing, to be always checked from each site: in feedbook the price is usually that of the sample (free), and in others it can be higher (taxes I suppose), or lower (price wars ongoing I suppose) than what calibre knows.

I gravitate towards the cheapest versions, often amazon, but it can be dangerous: I am cautious for poetry because converting might destroy specific formatting, and I recently had to ask for a refund for a book which arrived as htmlz in calibre - I'm told this was Topaze, whatever it is - and notes were not hyperlinked.

On the other hand, "memory in the real world" was $26.77 in amazon, 59.17€ in kobo, and the notes and everything are fine after conversion from azw3 to epub, then transfer to the kobo as a kepub. Apparently kobo priced from the hardback version ($60 according to amazon) and amazon from the paperback ($39.95). Since in France prices are determined by the editors, I doubt kobo has much choice.

10-12-2015, 03:29 PM	#1
ballfresno Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 5774804 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: UK Device: Kobo (Sage, Aura One, Aura HD, & Touch); reMarkable tablet.	Book available on amazon but not kobo I'm running into this more and more often: a book is available on Amazon in the UK but Kobo tells me that book is not available in the UK (although available elsewhere). Latest is The Darwin Elevator by Jason M Hough. Very annoying. I'd rather buy from Kobo than Amazon. Actually, I'd rather buy from anywhere that would sell me a DRM-free version... but that's another story. Rant over. Back to your regular programming. Actually: ignore all of the above. The Kobo store website gives different results depending on how you get to it. If I start from scratch, the book is available after all. Sigh. Last edited by ballfresno; 10-12-2015 at 03:34 PM. Reason: I realised the problem is elsewhere! :-)

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10-12-2015, 03:53 PM	#2
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,587 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	I buy wherever it's cheaper, even if it's Amazon. Thanks to Alf, that's not a problem for epub readers.

10-12-2015, 05:17 PM	#3
EndlessWaves Zealot Posts: 119 Karma: 38158 Join Date: Jan 2014 Device: Kobo Aura HD	All you can go is pester the author or publisher. If they want to make a book exclusive to one store that only works with one brand of eReader then that's their right and all we can do is point that out and ask politely for it to be made available more widely.

10-12-2015, 06:12 PM	#4
jackastor Wizard Posts: 1,847 Karma: 3212428 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iphone stanza, kobo touch,ASUS TF300,KOBO GLO, Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Mini	Its got nothing to do with Kobo, its the Publisher who decides who they provide the book to. If they don't want to go with Amazon or Kobo or any other seller they don't. The drawback though is peeved off customers who are frustrated because they can not get the book from the vendor of their choice. Sucks to be us the end consumer we are the ones who suffer the loss, apparently the profit potential is not enough to entice the publisher. regards Jack

10-13-2015, 03:05 AM	#6
GERGE Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	It is $1 on Google, from Turkey. Google usually gives me the cheapest books so I buy from them.

10-13-2015, 11:07 AM	#7
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	Just FYI in the UK the various prices are currently: Amazon - £0.99 Google - £2.39 Nook - £2.40 Sainsburys - £2.99 Kobo - £3.47 Apple - £3.99 Ripplinger's practise of buying from wherever is cheaper, even if it is Amazon, is one I follow too. Except Amazon is my first port of call, so I'll buy from elsewhere IF its cheaper than Amazon, it just doesn't happen all that often.

10-13-2015, 01:03 PM	#8
GERGE Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	The book is this, right? It seems Google also changes prices greatly depending on regions. The book seems interesting, very cheap too. I am buying it now.

10-15-2015, 12:54 PM	#10
GERGE Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Well, it is weird that Google uses US editions for Turkey. We usually deal with euros and UK&EU versions while shopping online.

10-21-2015, 05:46 AM	#11
hanvyj Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2015 Device: Kobo H20	What frustrates me is I can't use the location syncing with the Kobo phone app with non-kobo books. So I'll maybe consider spending a little more to get it from Kobo (and to save the hassle of side-loading it). But if it's a good sized book, or a collection, I'll often buy elswhere. I have also found searching the Kobo store is often difficult, coming up with no results for super famous books that I know it has.

10-22-2015, 03:41 PM	#12
anacreon Guru Posts: 978 Karma: 3475832 Join Date: May 2012 Location: France Device: Elipsa, Sage, Libra 2	When searching for a book directly on the kobo site gives no results, I try from calibre - which also give an idea of relative pricing, to be always checked from each site: in feedbook the price is usually that of the sample (free), and in others it can be higher (taxes I suppose), or lower (price wars ongoing I suppose) than what calibre knows. I gravitate towards the cheapest versions, often amazon, but it can be dangerous: I am cautious for poetry because converting might destroy specific formatting, and I recently had to ask for a refund for a book which arrived as htmlz in calibre - I'm told this was Topaze, whatever it is - and notes were not hyperlinked. On the other hand, "memory in the real world" was $26.77 in amazon, 59.17€ in kobo, and the notes and everything are fine after conversion from azw3 to epub, then transfer to the kobo as a kepub. Apparently kobo priced from the hardback version ($60 according to amazon) and amazon from the paperback ($39.95). Since in France prices are determined by the editors, I doubt kobo has much choice.

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