Kobo Discounts: Coupon Codes + Discussion

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by Crusader

I don't think that comparing Kobo pricing to Kindle daily deals are all that fair. 99% of those deals are limited to the US in any case.

I have to agree with Billingsgate. I'm in the same situation with that $2 surcharge, hence the reason I don't use a Kindle. I actually did a price comparison for a bundle of books (prices are converted to my local currency but you'd get the idea). Aside from 1 title Kobo was the cheapest on all the books. On average Amazon was 20% more expensive than Kobo. This also didn't take any coupon codes into account which would put Kobo in the lead by a far larger margin.

Something interesting I spotted was that Amazon only seemed competitively priced on new releases, on backlist titles they were considerably more expensive.

Most of the alternative stores selling epubs don't cater to my region so didn't include them in the comparison.

Oh, I should explain, the reason why I use the Amazon site is because whilst they geo restrict as badly as all the other ebook providers, they seem to give Australians more title and author choice than Kobo does.

With Kobo I more often than not have to purchase via the US site than the Aus site because of the geo restrictions, and that is to my disadvantage irrespective of where I buy the ebook from because I cop the exchange rate charge - yucko!!

RE the Kindle Daily Deal - nah they're not the ebooks that I generally refer to, although in this case I did because I realised how my general observation of Kobo's prices having increased over the last few months seems to be obvious with the book I quoted across the various ebook sellers.

Of course, it all depends on what authors/titles one is interested in and their price fluctuations that one can share their findings on.

[spersephone]

I'm charged a price in AUD plus a foreign transaction fee of 2.5%, so I know exactly how much I will be charged, in Australian currency.

This is using Kobo with the sub address of /en-au.

Using Amazon's site, you can also view it in AUD, and if your bank charges foreign transaction fees, the same thing applies, so it's a little more transparent.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

Of course, it all depends on what authors/titles one is interested in and their price fluctuations that one can share their findings on.

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that ebook prices are derived from the mumblings of people in an asylum. Some books at Kobo are 10 to 13 times more expensive compared to US or local version of the site. Might be special promotions or such. In other cases the local Kobo site is far cheaper than the US one. Insanity!

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by spersephone

I'm charged a price in AUD plus a foreign transaction fee of 2.5%, so I know exactly how much I will be charged, in Australian currency.

This is using Kobo with the sub address of /en-au.

Using Amazon's site, you can also view it in AUD, and if your bank charges foreign transaction fees, the same thing applies, so it's a little more transparent.

That's interesting because I've just checked on my credit card statements and can see for example an Amazon purchase of 99c USD (as written on the statement as per transaction details .... and then in the Amount column it's 1.13 (which includes the Aus 0.03 overseas tax fee).

With Kobo when I buy using my Aus address then I obviously pay Kobo in AUD + the Aus overseas tax fee.

With Kobo US purchases my credit card statement shows only the amount Kobo charged me in AUD (so they did the conversion) + the overseas tax fee.

I've got no probs with Kobo because using the Aus Kobo site you know that all the prices are in AUD.

With Amazon - we are logged in as Aus but only get shown the USD pricing - that sucks!!

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by Crusader

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that ebook prices are derived from the mumblings of people in an asylum. Some books at Kobo are 10 to 13 times more expensive compared to US or local version of the site. Might be special promotions or such. In other cases the local Kobo site is far cheaper than the US one. Insanity!

Lol, I can picture that conclusion

[spersephone]

I think it might be in your Amazon account settings that you can set your default currency, but often if I'm browsing it pops up with a message asking me if I want to view it in AUD.

[Lynx-lynx]

Spersephone can you link me where to go for the Amazon account settings that you mention, because I can't find where they might be (I know it's probably me, I find it quite easy to overlook stuff on their very busy site, lol)

[spersephone]

Taken from Amazon:

Select Local Currency or U.S. Dollars (USD)
Toggle between U.S. Dollars (USD) or your local currency.

To toggle between your local currency and U.S. Dollars:
Select the items you'd like to purchase and proceed to checkout.
On the final checkout page before paying for your order, click Switch Currency.
Note:

The Amazon Currency Converter uses several pieces of information, such as the country your card was issued in, to determine your local currency.
If the wrong currency type is being identified, you should pay for your order in U.S. Dollars (USD).

But I know it was showing me stuff in AUD for ages, maybe once I used this at checkout? I haven't bought anything for a while, so I'm hazy.

[apesmom]

I just noticed that HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and Macmillan are also no longer couponable in the US. Very sad

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I just noticed that HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and Macmillan are also no longer couponable in the US. Very sad

That stinks. I wonder if Kobo decided that the 50% off unlimited coupon and all these books being couponable was hurting their bottom line.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I just noticed that HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette and Macmillan are also no longer couponable in the US. Very sad

Certainly means I'll be getting a lot less books from Kobo as their prices without coupons suck on most things I've checked.

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by hwlester

That stinks. I wonder if Kobo decided that the 50% off unlimited coupon and all these books being couponable was hurting their bottom line.

This is purely speculation on my part, but I recall that part of the terms of the agency settlement was that the retailer must not show an overall loss on sales for those former-agency publishers. I would think the unlimited use 50% codes may have quickly tipped them into the red.

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by apesmom

This is purely speculation on my part, but I recall that part of the terms of the agency settlement was that the retailer must not show an overall loss on sales for those former-agency publishers. I would think the unlimited use 50% codes may have quickly tipped them into the red.

Yeah, I think I bought MOSTLY former agency books with it (Tor and Random House). Those were the ones on my wish list that I was holding off buying until I could find a good price...

[apesmom]

Originally Posted by hwlester

Yeah, I think I bought MOSTLY former agency books with it (Tor and Random House). Those were the ones on my wish list that I was holding off buying until I could find a good price...

Yup, you and a bazillion other people

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by apesmom

This is purely speculation on my part, but I recall that part of the terms of the agency settlement was that the retailer must not show an overall loss on sales for those former-agency publishers. I would think the unlimited use 50% codes may have quickly tipped them into the red.

Yes, I was wondering about that. I actually wondered about it when they first started accepting coupons on them. I mean Kobo's not like Sony who has the very occasional coupon, they have them all the time.