Fictionwise and Micropay

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Dunno about Fictionwise, but at BoB I had a credit of almost $5. I bout a more expensive eBook and was able to use my credit towards it. Then I got a 2% discount on what I had left to pay for using Google checkout. All in all, that worked well. I hope FW would allow a partial credit to be used.

Nope, you must pay for your whole purchase with micropay... or not at all. You can't apply micropay to your purchase then pay the balance with CC/Paypal. Many have mentioned this little niggle.

BOb

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Nope, you must pay for your whole purchase with micropay... or not at all. You can't apply micropay to your purchase then pay the balance with CC/Paypal. Many have mentioned this little niggle.

BOb

I would much prefer if the partial credit could be applied. That would solve the problem.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would much prefer if the partial credit could be applied. That would solve the problem.

Not fully. Since you only get the 50% discount of ebooks you buy with cash. So, with a 50% microcredit rebate you don't get that rebate if you buy with microcredit. So, as I said, your cash buys 50% more, not 100% more.

But, I still think it is a good deal. You get $1.50 worth of purchasing power for each $1 of cash out of your pocket. Actually a bit more than that because you do still get a small credit, up to 30% I think when you buy with microcredit.

BOb

[Lemurion]

I look at 50% Micropay as "Buy 2, get 1 Free," and there's nothing wrong with that deal. The 30% rebate you can get by paying with Micropay isn't bad either.

Look at this scenario: buy six books with 50% rebate, then use the rebate to buy three more - that gives you almost enough to buy a fourth book on the rebate from the three (and more than enough if you were buying ereader format.) Do it right and you get 10 books for the price of 6 - which works out to 40% off overall. Don't forget there are 100% rebate books to throw into the mix as well.

The system isn't perfect, but it's easy enough to use and can provide solid savings if you let it. Sure, sometimes it's a little tricky to figure out, but it's easy to use. They tell you the real numbers every step of the way.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would much prefer if the partial credit could be applied. That would solve the problem.

But that defeats the whole philosophy of micropay. the premise of Micropay is a saving based on the fact that fictionwise will not have to pay the fee charged by credit card or paypal. Allowing you to mix means they still have to pay the fee. They contend that on small orders the fee is excessive and to avoid it they have set up an account to avoid paying fees on small items. You can add blocks of money to your micropay account if you wish.

Dale

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

But that defeats the whole philosophy of micropay. the premise of Micropay is a saving based on the fact that fictionwise will not have to pay the fee charged by credit card or paypal. Allowing you to mix means they still have to pay the fee. They contend that on small orders the fee is excessive and to avoid it they have set up an account to avoid paying fees on small items. You can add blocks of money to your micropay account if you wish.

Dale

No, you still have to pay the $.50 fee if the CC charge is under $5. How would being able to apply micropay to a purchase and then charging the rest be different than buying some of the books with micropay until it is gone then buying more books with CC? Either way, the CC charge amount is that same as are the fees.

The biggest issue is that if I want to buy $100 worth of ebooks and I have say $42 in my micropay account... I have to choose $42 worth of books, check out using micro pay.. then I have to buy the rest. If it could all be done in one purchase it would be easier. the biggest difference would be you could split a single book purchase. Lets say I buy at $40 book at FW, why can't I use my $8 of micropay on it, then pay the $32 balance in cash?

BOb


BOb

[CleverClothe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The biggest issue is that if I want to buy $100 worth of ebooks and I have say $42 in my micropay account... I have to choose $42 worth of books, check out using micro pay.. then I have to buy the rest. If it could all be done in one purchase it would be easier. the biggest difference would be you could split a single book purchase. Lets say I buy at $40 book at FW, why can't I use my $8 of micropay on it, then pay the $32 balance in cash?

BOb


BOb

You can do it a little simpler than that, although you would still need two transactions.

First you buy $58 Micropay dollars with one transaction. This gives you $100 Micropay dollars. Now you can buy all your books with the Micropay dollars.

I do agree with you that it would be nice to be able to use Micropay and CC in the same transaction.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

But that defeats the whole philosophy of micropay. the premise of Micropay is a saving based on the fact that fictionwise will not have to pay the fee charged by credit card or paypal. Allowing you to mix means they still have to pay the fee. They contend that on small orders the fee is excessive and to avoid it they have set up an account to avoid paying fees on small items. You can add blocks of money to your micropay account if you wish.

Dale

Lets say I have $3.75 left in my micropay account. I want to purchase a $10 eBook. That leaves $6.25 left to pay. Given that $6.25 is greater then $5, it means it fits their limit and I should be able to do it.

I bought a book at BooksOnBoard. I had some money left in my rewards. I was able to use it towards an eBook that ended up costing me less then $5. THis is how it should be done.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Lets say I have $3.75 left in my micropay account. I want to purchase a $10 eBook. That leaves $6.25 left to pay. Given that $6.25 is greater then $5, it means it fits their limit and I should be able to do it.

I bought a book at BooksOnBoard. I had some money left in my rewards. I was able to use it towards an eBook that ended up costing me less then $5. THis is how it should be done.

In a perfect world yes, you should; unfortunately this one isn't perfect.

I'm not privy to all the reasons why FW made the decision not to allow mixed purchases, but there is a technical reason why it works with BoB Rewards Dollars but not FW Micropay. Put simply, Rewards Dollars are coupons, and Micropay is a payment method.

It may not seem obvious at first glance but think about how you use them. With BoB, you apply the Rewards Dollars, update the price, and then check out, paying the final price if any. With FW you select Micropay from a list of payment options. The shopping carts handle them in completely different fashions. For FW to enable the mix and match they'd have to completely rebuild their shopping cart and Micropay systems, and I don't think they want to do that. Integrating it as a payment method may also be why FW can manage instant rebates while BoB asks you to mail in for your Rewards Dollars.

While BoB's mixed "payments" is attractive, I personally find that it's easier to get bigger rebates through FW so it brings me more of a benefit to shop there more often.

Both stores have advantages and disadvantages; pick the one that works best for you on any particular purchase.

[Redcard]

I thought I'd point out.. the whole purpose of Micropay is that you're paying them in advance. It's only to their advantage. The fact that they rebate you in that form just means you'll be a repeat customer.

I think it's a good deal, myself. And sure, I'd like some aspects to be changed.. but over all, I'm very happy to be their customer.

[Demented]

Don't forget if you're a buywise club member that you can slap down 100 dollars and get 110 in Micropay. At the start of my membership I put down the full 200 dollars and got 230 then purchased all my books with that for the year. I'd occasionally add to it if there was a good 100% book on sale. My only gripe with fictionwise is the slow nature of there adding new books. I also wish they could get some of the TOR titles that the kindle has:P

Originally Posted by Demented

Don't forget if you're a buywise club member that you can slap down 100 dollars and get 110 in Micropay. At the start of my membership I put down the full 200 dollars and got 230 then purchased all my books with that for the year.

I would like to laugh at you for such a silly way of doing things. Spending all that money.

Really, I would. Except I recently looked at my account and noticed that in less than a year I've already bough over 150 books just from them.

Suddenly, your way seems pretty smart. (Looks at bank account. The sad, sad bank account.) Suck it up now and be good for months? Gonna have to look into this.

(On a side note, this made me do a quick new book inventory. Over 275 new books total from various online stores for me this year. Before I got my little portable library...47, mostly paperbacks and used books. Maybe I'm missing something but methinks the critics might be wrong about digital readers reducing book buying. In my case by about....let's see....carry the 2....move this to the depreciate colum.....little squeeze of lemon.....oh lord, no! Well, I guess I could just retire a couple years later.)

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by stxopher

I would like to laugh at you for such a silly way of doing things. Spending all that money.

Really, I would. Except I recently looked at my account and noticed that in less than a year I've already bough over 150 books just from them.

Suddenly, your way seems pretty smart. (Looks at bank account. The sad, sad bank account.) Suck it up now and be good for months? Gonna have to look into this.

(On a side note, this made me do a quick new book inventory. Over 275 new books total from various online stores for me this year. Before I got my little portable library...47, mostly paperbacks and used books. Maybe I'm missing something but methinks the critics might be wrong about digital readers reducing book buying. In my case by about....let's see....carry the 2....move this to the depreciate colum.....little squeeze of lemon.....oh lord, no! Well, I guess I could just retire a couple years later.)

actually i shouldn't laugh either ; i've not gone *quite* that far (yet...) but it is so temptingly easy ; hear about a book that sounds good, buy it and download it within a minute, convert it (since my trusty eb1150 can't take any easy-to-find format without conversion), and start reading it right away... especially if i have micropay in my account already ; it's money that's already spent, right ? might as well get the book... i too fear that the critics are wrong about liseuses reducing book buying. thank heavens for PG and the free ebooks here, or i'd be bankrupt already.

[TallMomof2]

I used to pile up my new pbooks beside my bed (that's where I do most of my reading) and when the pile was perilously high I'd stop buying until I reduced the pile.

Now that I buy ebooks, there is no bedside pile to remind me that I have more than enough to read. Honestly, I could stop buying ebooks and still have enough to read for at least five years. But it's soooo easy to buy ebooks that it's difficult for me to stop. And coming here and seeing recommendations doesn't help, either.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by TallMomof2

I used to pile up my new pbooks beside my bed (that's where I do most of my reading) and when the pile was perilously high I'd stop buying until I reduced the pile.

Now that I buy ebooks, there is no bedside pile to remind me that I have more than enough to read. Honestly, I could stop buying ebooks and still have enough to read for at least five years. But it's soooo easy to buy ebooks that it's difficult for me to stop. And coming here and seeing recommendations doesn't help, either.

i still have a pile by the bed, which keeps falling over, but somehow i can't manage to drag myself away from my ebooks long enough to get rid of it.