W H Smith fights back — 66% of top 100 ebooks - Page 3

ProfCrash · 08-23-2010, 04:36 PM

Just curious: Can US readers buy books from UK booksellers? I have read that you can from some but not all.

bitemeok · 08-23-2010, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Just curious: Can US readers buy books from UK booksellers? I have read that you can from some but not all.

I'm in the US & tried to buy 3 books from WH Smith, and was only allowed to buy one of the 3. Someone suggested Waterstones for the title I wanted the most, but the price there is about 60% higher--still I'll try it. So I guess, it depends on the book and the seller.

ProfCrash · 08-23-2010, 05:10 PM

Good to know. It is helpful to have that info just incase there is another instance of Amazon and Publisher X facing off and not making books available when they are released.

AnemicOak · 08-23-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Just curious: Can US readers buy books from UK booksellers? I have read that you can from some but not all.

You'll have much better luck avoiding geo restrictions at Waterstones than WH Smith.

kjk · 08-23-2010, 05:35 PM

I've bought books from Amazon.uk with no problem, using my US Amazon account. One of my favorite things about Amazon actually-wish other companies *cough Apple cough* allowed more cross-country purchasing.

eric11210 · 08-23-2010, 06:07 PM

At W.H. Smith, I have found that different books will actually have a little tag that says "Available Everywhere" or "Limited Availability." Not sure if they just started doing that or if they always did (I had been connecting with my British VPN account and didn't see it at first, so it's possible it was just added, or it's possible Brits don't see it since ostensibly everything is available.). I haven't been on there recently because I'm trying to force myself not spend even more money buying more books (I already spent around £80 there and can't afford more, but I'm sure if I keep looking I'll find more want).

Eric

eric11210 · 08-23-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjk

I've bought books from Amazon.uk with no problem, using my US Amazon account. One of my favorite things about Amazon actually-wish other companies *cough Apple cough* allowed more cross-country purchasing.

Actually, they have the same restrictions that W.H. Smith does. However, since they also have an American store, they can often simply sell you books at the American price and let you get American books. It's not really up to them -- the publishers set these rules out.

Eric

Sweetpea · 08-24-2010, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric11210

At W.H. Smith, I have found that different books will actually have a little tag that says "Available Everywhere" or "Limited Availability." Not sure if they just started doing that or if they always did (I had been connecting with my British VPN account and didn't see it at first, so it's possible it was just added, or it's possible Brits don't see it since ostensibly everything is available.). I haven't been on there recently because I'm trying to force myself not spend even more money buying more books (I already spent around £80 there and can't afford more, but I'm sure if I keep looking I'll find more want).

Eric

Can you circumvent the GR at WHS easily, using a VPN? Do they only check IP address or also CC address?

geertm · 08-24-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Can you circumvent the GR at WHS easily, using a VPN? Do they only check IP address or also CC address?

I have not yet succeeded in circumventing geo-restrictions at WHS.
1. They check your ip-address. I have found a good, free UK VPN:
securityKISS.
2. They check the address of your account: just put in any UK address.
3. This is the difficult one. They check the billing address of your credit card at your credit card company. So you cannot use a UK address with your non-UK credit card. Even my Entropay card was not accepted.
4. You cannot buy gift vouchers with a non-UK credit card (also not with my Entropay card). So you cannot buy gift vouchers to circumvent the credit card check.

I think that the only way to circumvent the geo-restrictions would be to use gift vouchers bought by someone in the UK. Perhaps someone will start selling e-book WHS vouchers on Ebay?

Angst · 08-24-2010, 06:23 PM

Do the add VAT to the purchase price? That would significantly reduce the savings.

reader22 · 08-24-2010, 06:54 PM

No. The prices include VAT. Legally I don't think you can sell to consumers without including VAT in the price. It's different for selling to businesses and I think there are some exemptions.

reader22 · 08-24-2010, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geertm

I think that the only way to circumvent the geo-restrictions would be to use gift vouchers bought by someone in the UK. Perhaps someone will start selling e-book WHS vouchers on Ebay?

You might want to investigate National Book Tokens. They are taken by most bookshops in store. I don't know if Whsmith online accepts them.
http://www.nationalbooktokens.com/

bitemeok · 08-24-2010, 09:38 PM

Just out of curiosity, are the geo-restrictions a 2-way street, in the sense that there are ebooks available in the US that can't be purchased in the UK?

Sweetpea · 08-25-2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitemeok

Just out of curiosity, are the geo-restrictions a 2-way street, in the sense that there are ebooks available in the US that can't be purchased in the UK?

Plenty...

bitemeok · 08-25-2010, 09:47 AM

Then if there is anyone in the UK interested in exchanging UK books for US books, drop me a line.

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08-23-2010, 04:36 PM	#31
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Just curious: Can US readers buy books from UK booksellers? I have read that you can from some but not all.

08-23-2010, 05:10 PM	#33
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Good to know. It is helpful to have that info just incase there is another instance of Amazon and Publisher X facing off and not making books available when they are released.

08-23-2010, 05:35 PM	#35
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	I've bought books from Amazon.uk with no problem, using my US Amazon account. One of my favorite things about Amazon actually-wish other companies cough Apple cough allowed more cross-country purchasing.

08-23-2010, 06:07 PM	#36
eric11210 Addict Posts: 295 Karma: 400001 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony Reader PRS-600	At W.H. Smith, I have found that different books will actually have a little tag that says "Available Everywhere" or "Limited Availability." Not sure if they just started doing that or if they always did (I had been connecting with my British VPN account and didn't see it at first, so it's possible it was just added, or it's possible Brits don't see it since ostensibly everything is available.). I haven't been on there recently because I'm trying to force myself not spend even more money buying more books (I already spent around £80 there and can't afford more, but I'm sure if I keep looking I'll find more want). Eric

08-24-2010, 06:23 PM	#40
Angst Cannon Fodder Posts: 2,878 Karma: 52253556 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Probably a library Device: PRS-350, Kindle DX, Kindle Paperwhite	Do the add VAT to the purchase price? That would significantly reduce the savings.

08-24-2010, 06:54 PM	#41
reader22 Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 145086 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: none	No. The prices include VAT. Legally I don't think you can sell to consumers without including VAT in the price. It's different for selling to businesses and I think there are some exemptions.

08-24-2010, 09:38 PM	#43
bitemeok Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 42 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Silver Spring, MD Device: Sony PRS-300	Just out of curiosity, are the geo-restrictions a 2-way street, in the sense that there are ebooks available in the US that can't be purchased in the UK?

08-25-2010, 09:47 AM	#45
bitemeok Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 42 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Silver Spring, MD Device: Sony PRS-300	Then if there is anyone in the UK interested in exchanging UK books for US books, drop me a line.