Kobo Discounts: Coupon Codes + Discussion

[Chapter One]

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[waslosmann]

Different question. Is this the page where you can win codes?

contest.kobo.com

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by crumpet

One more question, sorry! Is there a reason when I try the NZ site, it tries to charge me in HKD? It works out to the same amount, maybe a little less, but it seems odd..

I once was charged in euro instead of NZ dollars for a NZ purchase for some reason, but after conversion the price worked out the same. It hasn't happened lately, and it only happened once in well over 100 purchases.

You can always buy yourself an eGift card before you leave for another country, that should be charged in your home currency and your store credit will show in that currency, it is automatically converted to local currency during the checkout process when you are in another country.

My own recent experience with this was that Kobo's exchange rate is much better than PayPal's, but not quite as good as my bank's.

Edit: When I say I was charged in euro, I mean that the charge on my credit card was in euro. My reciept from Kobo was still in NZ dollars.

[murg]

Originally Posted by taming

Most interesting (to me at least) is that publishers have decided to price books so differently from country to country. I would guess that they don't lose money any place (though Kobo may when they discount). IMO, this probably speaks to Kobo wanting to show sales figures outside of North America and publishers gouging people in places like Canada.

The ebooks are priced in relationship to the physical book prices in the country of sale.

This is why ebooks purchased in Australia are more expensive than the same book purchased in the US.

India has a much lower base physical book price, so the ebook prices are lower.

In my investigations, I've found that India, Japan, and the Philipines tend to be the cheapest sites, when factored in Australian dollars. Norfolk Island, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore tend to be the next cheapest (and all at the same price, mostly).

What is weird is that among the sites with the same books available, some books are not available.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by waslosmann

Different question. Is this the page where you can win codes?

contest.kobo.com

Looking at that web site I would say yes.

They've had a few competitions in recent times, so perhaps the next one is not too far away.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by murg

The ebooks are priced in relationship to the physical book prices in the country of sale.

This is why ebooks purchased in Australia are more expensive than the same book purchased in the US.

India has a much lower base physical book price, so the ebook prices are lower.

In my investigations, I've found that India, Japan, and the Philipines tend to be the cheapest sites, when factored in Australian dollars. Norfolk Island, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore tend to be the next cheapest (and all at the same price, mostly).

What is weird is that among the sites with the same books available, some books are not available.

Thanks for doing that spot of homework Murg, I hadn't thought to look at Kobo Japan even though my Books on Board account was Japan.

Now that our dollar is quite down on the USD I won't be buying from USD related sites, so I've looked at some exchange rate advantage alternatives (like India)

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

Here in New Zealand, I have been getting charged in Hong Kong dollars for a few weeks now, even with an account that has never been used in any country other than New Zealand. I did email Kobo about it but they never answered me.

You seem to have all the luck

[samhy]

Originally Posted by waslosmann

Different question. Is this the page where you can win codes?

contest.kobo.com

That's always what I write in the address bar when I want to take a look at a contest

[Chapter One]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

You seem to have all the luck

I know..lucky me
I have emailed them again so maybe it'll be second time lucky

[murg]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

Thanks for doing that spot of homework Murg, I hadn't thought to look at Kobo Japan even though my Books on Board account was Japan.

Now that our dollar is quite down on the USD I won't be buying from USD related sites, so I've looked at some exchange rate advantage alternatives (like India)

Kobo Japan will also issue you a 500 yen coupon when you open an account (by email, a few days later). That's AU$5.36 (as at today).

Don't shun the US sites. The base prices of books in the US is a lot less than the same books in Australia.

[siws1]

Was just wondering where are you all getting these codes from? Many thanks

[Chapter One]

The codes come from competitions that Kobo run from time to time.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

...I have finally had a response to my second email about being charged in Hong Kong dollars...

...I have forwarded them the email receipts from PayPal that clearly state the payment was made in HKD. My bank account doesnt show HKD, as the amount has already been converted when it gets taken from my account...

I use a credit card and always see during the transaction in the store and am charged in NZD; the email receipt, which in my credit card case comes from kobo.com, shows the same.

If the end cost of the transaction as shown on your bank statement is the same as the NZD price in the store for which you have authorised payment (you have not said otherwise and indeed say that you do not even see HKD on your bank statements) then you have, in fact, been charged correctly in NZD.

If it is so then only issue is that you get an email receipt from PayPal that is in HKD, not that you have been incorrectly charged. For myself that is something that I wouldn't lose any sleep over. Perhaps, if it is of concern to you, try using a credit card?

If it is the case that the price you end up paying, as comes through on your bank account, differs from the NZD price you authorised when making the purchase then in my view that is the issue that you need to sort out with Kobo and PayPal.

[Chapter One]

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[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

Which is exactly what I am doing. I mentioned it here again as someone else posted that it also happens to them.
I wouldnt have an issue with it if it wasnt for the fact that amount I end up paying is more as I get charged a currency conversion fee.

But you said that there are no HKD shown on your bank statement . What is on your statement is what you are charged.

So your actual grouch is that you are being charged more (I assume more) than the NZD price you authorised (which you have not mentioned until now), not with the emails. The emails may or may not be just a symptom, it does happen that in some international transactions a third party currency is used but it should resolve to a correct charge in the purchaser's currency.

So the solution seems easy, you just have to send Kobo the evidence of what you actually ended up paying by sending them the copies of your bank statements as they have cooperatively asked you to do. It seems to me they have asked you to do what any good seller will do when there seems to be a problem. And don't be in a hurry for a resolution, if they feel that they need to investigate rather than just pay out on your word, it is not an instantaneous matter to resolve international clearances.

Unless there has been some error on your part causing either Kobo or PayPal to believe that you want transactions initiated in HKD then you actually have nothing to whine about unless in the end they do not fix it. And your doing so seems to me to be way off the topic of this Kobo discount code thread.