The little white lies Amazon tells...

[DiapDealer]

Books are special snowflakes, and as such, should only be sold in austere, solemn (and non-qualified) transactions.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Books are special snowflakes

Hey, just like me!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Books are special snowflakes, and as such, should only be sold in austere, solemn (and non-qualified) transactions.

I'd go one step further, though -- they should only be sold TO trustworthy individuals, lest they become debased by association with the mundane.

You need to be a responsible person to get a gun license qualifying you to own a gun; I don't see what is so unreasonable about holding books to the same standard.

If only books had been a regulated industry before, we wouldn't have this problem. You and I both know Amazon doesn't have a special snowflake's chance in hell of getting a license, the illiterate, anti-book, commercialist scumbags.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

There is your problem: it is not a bundle.
A BAEN webscription is a bundle, a six pack of beer is a bundle--a BOGO is a qualified offer. Different creature.

A bundle is integral: you get both in one transaction. Mandatory. In some cases, bundling is even illegal.

A qualified offer is two linked transactions. You don't *have* to accept the second part, though the retailer usually wants you to. In this case, having carried out the first transaction, you qualify for the second deal--which you can either accept or deny and the purchase of the ebook is not contingent on buying the audio book; just the converse.

With Amazon, you can still go back and get the audio book. With a classic BOGO, the qualified offer expires at the checkout when you accept or decline the second item. Most folks accept the second item but they are not forced to. And, infact, with BOGOHO deals many shoppers decline the second item.

If you ever bought print books at Amazon, you can go to their Matchbook page, mentioned above, and see which (if any) of those purchases qualify you for a discount on the ebook version. Prices vary so some offers are worth accepting while others aren't. Your choice. It's not tied together, like a bundle, merely linked.

Excellent explanation.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You need to be a responsible person to get a gun license qualifying you to own a gun

This is the US we're talking about, right?

[QuantumIguana]

"Buy one and get one free" is identical to "buy two at 50% off". It's true that you can by two at 50% off, but it is also true that you can buy one and get one free. Not liking it doesn't make it a lie. That which is merely a matter of perspective is not a lie.

"Buy one and get one free" is clear while "Buy two at 50% off" is clumsy. With the latter, it's not quite clear whether you have to two to get the discount, or whether you can get the discount if you buy only one. Grocery stores often will price things at two for $5.00, but it's not at all clear if you have to buy two to get that price or if you can buy one for $2.50. Sometimes it is one way, sometimes it is another.

Amazon offers the audiobook at a discount to people who purchased the e-book. That you have to purchase the e-book to get the discount on the audiobook doesn't alter that fact that you're being offered a discount. If it is worthwhile to you at that discounted price, buy it, otherwise don't, but you clearly haven't been lied to.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

This is the US we're talking about, right?

Yes, but only at the moment. I remain firmly convinced that all other countries will see the light and emulate our sterling example. For guns as well as, hopefully, the new book laws.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by samhy

First, remember that I agree with you. It's only on stretching things a bit that I get what the OP has expressed in the second post (or at least what I think was expressed).

But if I follow you're "buy one, get one free" example, I end up with a 50% discount, not a 100% one. Am I the only one here?

You will indeed end up with a total discount of 50%, but you DO get a discount of 100% on the second item.

[pidgeon92]

The problem with BOGO is that it usually doesn't mean exactly that, that you purchase one and get one free. If you look at the ad, it generally means Buy One Get One Half-Off.

Way way back when, when I worked in retail, it really bothered me that our ads were like that. I suggested that perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a BOGOHO, but that suggestion went over like a lead balloon. So, be careful when you see a BOGO sale, and read the small print.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

The problem with BOGO is that it usually doesn't mean exactly that, that you purchase one and get one free. If you look at the ad, it generally means Buy One Get One Half-Off.

Strictly speaking "Buy one, get one" means you get the second one free, and if they put only "BOGO" on an add, they had better mean free or face false advertising suits.
It is true, however, that it is becoming common to say "BOGO Half Off" and to put the BOGO part in big print and the half off part in much smaller print. I hate that.
But I don't hate that NEARLY as much as I hate companies sending out "Gift Cards" that are just coupons.

Note to merchants:
A GIFT CARD WORKS LIKE CASH!
$10 off a $50 purchase is a COUPON, NOT a GIFT CARD.

LIE TO ME AT YOUR PERIL!!!

Hi folks, welcome to the deceptive advertising rant thread.

ApK

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Vmurph

I don't mean to change the subject, but I didn't even know Amazon was offering discounts for bundles. Are the audiobook versions always that low? And if so, are they available for a lot of titles, or just certain ones?

Also, how does that work? Do you make the purchase from Amazon's site, during checkout, and then download it from Audible?

FYI - this also works for Kindle ebooks borrowed from Overdrive. The Whispersync price for the Audible audibook, if there is one, will become available to you.

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by Graham

To extend the supermarket analogy: if you were given a "50% off your next purchase" voucher on checkout, you wouldn't consider that 50% off items in the basket you've just bought.

^ THIS ^

You need to stop thinking of it as a BUNDLE. It's not. The audiobook is a SEPARATE purchase. As Graham said, like getting an 87% off voucher to use on your next purchase.

[Vmurph]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

FYI - this also works for Kindle ebooks borrowed from Overdrive. The Whispersync price for the Audible audibook, if there is one, will become available to you.

REALLY? Even for borrowed books? That's awesome. I'll definitely have to check that out.

Actually, that proves our point even further. No purchase is even necessary, and the audiobook would still be 87% off.

As a matter of fact, Amazon's public domain ebooks have the same offer, and those are completely free, so the audiobook "you save" amount is not a lie.

Last night I grabbed UNCLE TOM'S CABIN for free and got the $29.99 audiobook for only 99 cents! A whopping 97% savings, so "You Save" wasn't lying

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Vmurph

REALLY? Even for borrowed books? That's awesome. I'll definitely have to check that out.

It definitely works. I've heard tell that it also works for public library Kindle ebooks that were borrowed in the past (and have since expired). In my experience, this has worked for some previously borrowed Kindle ebooks, and not for others.

[Vmurph]

That's great! I wish it worked with Amazon's Lending Library books, too.