How are geographic restrictions affecting you? - Page 11

sabredog · 08-11-2010, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vzzzbx

Booksellers are increasingly rejecting foreign credit cards. What works for you today might not work next week.

Makes you wander about the much vaunted global economy. I tried to buy a Jetbook Lite from Newegg last month. They accepted my credit card payment fine, but voided the transaction when they found out it was an Australian issued Mastercard.

They do not accept international credit cards apparently.

Another company in the US was happy to do so, but only shipped to domestic addresses but were happy to ship to a freight redirector.

GERGE · 08-11-2010, 03:10 AM

Adding an U.S. address to the credit card usually solves this. They are checking the address, not the bank. As they are many foreign people living in U.S. or people using international banks or foreign banks, they can't decide whether to sell or not according to the bank you use.

There are always ways around everything. And ranting about how you can't buy books are quite meaningless if you know anything about international trade regulations. It can be done, like Amazon did to an extend, but it is impossible to remove them. In places like Turkey where there is no tax or customs on foreign books it is easy, but not every nation is like us. The problem exists because of how your county works, not because of Amazon or B&N.

Clytie · 08-11-2010, 05:11 AM

I've vented about geolims all over the place, so I won't repeat that here.

Basically, for me it comes down to discrimination against disabled people. I can only read electronic text. I can't read off a white background, and I have to adjust the font size/type on the fly.

So I can't read paper books. I am willing to spend thousands every year on ebooks. Fictionwise did very nicely out of me before the geolims were imposed. Since that, I've bought very few ebooks, because I'm not allowed to buy the books I want.

So, how are publishers responding to this accessibility issue?

On the one hand, we have Baen Books, who provide ebooks free to disabled readers. They also provide (for everyone) a Free Library, advance reading copies and NO DRM. Baen are the good guys.

On the other hand, we have the Agency 5, who refuse to allow me access to their ebooks. The Agency 5 are, obviously, idiots.

Vzzzbx · 08-11-2010, 06:10 AM

That's disgusting. Of all the reasons we've cited to do away with geographic restrictions, that'd have to be number one.

The greatest impairment I have is colour deficiency and I cop all sorts of ignorance almost every day, so I hate to think what you have to go through.

In the work I do, I'm required to create documents for hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and capabilities. Accesibility is constantly at the forefront of everything I and my team work on. We don't always get it right, but we never make an executive decision to discriminate against great swathes of people just because it might cut into someone's profits.

mysweety · 08-11-2010, 08:46 AM

I think that geographic restrictions and drm have an up-side. I try not to buy stuff with these restrictions. Hence if I really need the book I go to the used market and buy it cheap and save paper and no money for publishers, agents or authors.

Also I try to read new authors from sites that don't apply these restrictions so I help new authors and authors who balk at these practices.

Furthermore I believe the EU is looking into these restrictive practices(GLs) so those vendors who sell anywhere in Europe will have to sell in all EU countries.

Also these restrictions have increased the number of people reading the classics and reading in several languages. Incidentally the final irony must be publishers who insist on applying GLs to classics which are freely available in Gutenberg and any number of sites!

In the end the large publishers will loose market share to smaller outfits and the market will increase - a benefit for all of us.

neilmarr · 08-11-2010, 10:31 AM

***I go to the used market and buy it cheap and save paper and no money for publishers, agents or authors.***

You forget, Mysweety, that when you take this route you also deprive the author and publisher of any royalty income from what they created. Used book stores are wonderful places, but -- like libraries -- they represent an established and tradition form of piracy.

No offence and best wishes. Neil

ignis · 08-11-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GERGE

It is always very easy to bypass geographic restrictions. Just use an U.S. VPN.

http://www.hideipvpn.com/
http://www.ultravpn.fr/
http://proxpn.com/ (this is what I use with B&N, they have Locke Lamora)
http://thefreevpn.com/
http://www.anchorfree.com/downloads/hotspot-shield/

I can always buy paper books with their U.S. price in Turkey or have them imported within two weeks without paying for postage or tax (Turkey doesn't have any tax on books anyway). Everyone of them. It is kinda strange that you can't do that in a English-speaking country.

What good will it do me if I can't use B&N books in Stanza? I need to purchase books from FW as I have been doing for 3+ years now, but the goddamn shop just doesn't want to take my money. Even through a VPN it complains to me about geographic restrictions. And I don't have any USA bank cards I could use.

I am totally lost now.

ignis · 08-11-2010, 03:46 PM

Edit: BoB doesn't work either. And I won't even bother trying other sites.

geertm · 08-11-2010, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignis

What good will it do me if I can't use B&N books in Stanza? I need to purchase books from FW as I have been doing for 3+ years now, but the goddamn shop just doesn't want to take my money. Even through a VPN it complains to me about geographic restrictions. And I don't have any USA bank cards I could use.

I am totally lost now.

To buy books at Fictionwise you have to register your Fictionwise account with an US address, and you have to use that same address as billing address for your credit card.
You can use any valid address: Disneyland, Yankeestadium, just google something.
The billing address is not verified at your credit card company, so this will work fine.

If you get a credit card check on the Fictionwise bookshelf (happens only for a few books) use www.hidemyass.com or a VPN to download the books the first time. After downloading the books once, the check will be gone.

ignis · 08-11-2010, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geertm

To buy books at Fictionwise you have to register your Fictionwise account with an US address, and you have to use that same address as billing address for your credit card.
You can use any valid address: Disneyland, Yankeestadium, just google something.
The billing address is not verified at your credit card company, so this will work fine.

If you get a credit card check on the Fictionwise bookshelf (happens only for a few books) use www.hidemyass.com or a VPN to download the books the first time. After downloading the books once, the check will be gone.

You, sir, are a lifesaver! Instead of entering my Norwegian billing address, I have entered a random one in NY and it worked like a charm!

geertm · 08-11-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ignis

You, sir, are a lifesaver! Instead of entering my Norwegian billing address, I have entered a random one in NY and it worked like a charm!

Happy reading!!!

neilmarr · 08-12-2010, 04:22 AM

Sad, though, Geertm, that honest folks have to play such games to cheat a dishonest system. Best wishes. Neil

Stitchawl · 08-12-2010, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Sad, though, Geertm, that honest folks have to play such games to cheat a dishonest system. Best wishes. Neil

Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God?

Stitchawl

Sweetpea · 08-12-2010, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geertm

If you get a credit card check on the Fictionwise bookshelf (happens only for a few books) use www.hidemyass.com or a VPN to download the books the first time. After downloading the books once, the check will be gone.

I have no idea where that idea comes from: I have a few books that I can only download after a valid credit card check. I have downloaded those books already (using a VPN), but I still get that credit card check...

mysweety · 08-12-2010, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

***I go to the used market and buy it cheap and save paper and no money for publishers, agents or authors.***

You forget, Mysweety, that when you take this route you also deprive the author and publisher of any royalty income from what they created. Used book stores are wonderful places, but -- like libraries -- they represent an established and tradition form of piracy.

No offence and best wishes. Neil

Quite right, however traditionally authors rights cover the used market. Also I don't want authors to get my money if they publish with those that apply these restrictions. I guess i can live without them and they without me. But if there are enough of me maybe they'll come to great sites like yours to get published.

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08-11-2010, 03:10 AM	#152
GERGE Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Adding an U.S. address to the credit card usually solves this. They are checking the address, not the bank. As they are many foreign people living in U.S. or people using international banks or foreign banks, they can't decide whether to sell or not according to the bank you use. There are always ways around everything. And ranting about how you can't buy books are quite meaningless if you know anything about international trade regulations. It can be done, like Amazon did to an extend, but it is impossible to remove them. In places like Turkey where there is no tax or customs on foreign books it is easy, but not every nation is like us. The problem exists because of how your county works, not because of Amazon or B&N.

08-11-2010, 05:11 AM	#153
Clytie Bookworm Posts: 62 Karma: 2200 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Australia Device: iPad2	I've vented about geolims all over the place, so I won't repeat that here. Basically, for me it comes down to discrimination against disabled people. I can only read electronic text. I can't read off a white background, and I have to adjust the font size/type on the fly. So I can't read paper books. I am willing to spend thousands every year on ebooks. Fictionwise did very nicely out of me before the geolims were imposed. Since that, I've bought very few ebooks, because I'm not allowed to buy the books I want. So, how are publishers responding to this accessibility issue? On the one hand, we have Baen Books, who provide ebooks free to disabled readers. They also provide (for everyone) a Free Library, advance reading copies and NO DRM. Baen are the good guys. On the other hand, we have the Agency 5, who refuse to allow me access to their ebooks. The Agency 5 are, obviously, idiots.

08-11-2010, 06:10 AM	#154
Vzzzbx Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 30 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: Kindle 3	That's disgusting. Of all the reasons we've cited to do away with geographic restrictions, that'd have to be number one. The greatest impairment I have is colour deficiency and I cop all sorts of ignorance almost every day, so I hate to think what you have to go through. In the work I do, I'm required to create documents for hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and capabilities. Accesibility is constantly at the forefront of everything I and my team work on. We don't always get it right, but we never make an executive decision to discriminate against great swathes of people just because it might cut into someone's profits.

08-11-2010, 08:46 AM	#155
mysweety Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 7104 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Hanlin V3, PB360	I think that geographic restrictions and drm have an up-side. I try not to buy stuff with these restrictions. Hence if I really need the book I go to the used market and buy it cheap and save paper and no money for publishers, agents or authors. Also I try to read new authors from sites that don't apply these restrictions so I help new authors and authors who balk at these practices. Furthermore I believe the EU is looking into these restrictive practices(GLs) so those vendors who sell anywhere in Europe will have to sell in all EU countries. Also these restrictions have increased the number of people reading the classics and reading in several languages. Incidentally the final irony must be publishers who insist on applying GLs to classics which are freely available in Gutenberg and any number of sites! In the end the large publishers will loose market share to smaller outfits and the market will increase - a benefit for all of us.

08-11-2010, 10:31 AM	#156
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	*I go to the used market and buy it cheap and save paper and no money for publishers, agents or authors.* You forget, Mysweety, that when you take this route you also deprive the author and publisher of any royalty income from what they created. Used book stores are wonderful places, but -- like libraries -- they represent an established and tradition form of piracy. No offence and best wishes. Neil

08-11-2010, 03:46 PM	#158
ignis Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle 3	Edit: BoB doesn't work either. And I won't even bother trying other sites.

08-12-2010, 04:22 AM	#162
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Sad, though, Geertm, that honest folks have to play such games to cheat a dishonest system. Best wishes. Neil