Books on Board changes policy for Rewards Dollars

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Though I agree that the tone of that email was offensive, I get the total opposite feeling. Fictionwise leaves me cold - I don't like being tied into one format when I'm buying.

What do you mean? You aren't "tied into one format" - virtually all FW's books are available in multiple formats.

You have to choose one format when you DO buy (unless it's a "multi-format" book), but that's true at ALL eBook stores.

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

I just bought some books with my Fictionwise Micropay rebate account, and I received some additional Micropay rebates, and I didn't have to email my invoice to anyone (talk about gimmicks!).

I haven't actually bought anything at BooksOnBoard (I don't count the Random House freebies), so I haven't actually been eligible for Reward Dollars. Is BooksOnBoard really cheaper than Fictionwise for day to day purchases? I admit that I usually buy the eReader format at Fictionwise for the addition 5% Micropay rebate.

Yes, BoB prices are discounted without having to join anything and then most of their new releases come with reward dollars. I have looked at both BoB & Fictionwise prices before setting an account with BoB. I looked again yesterday at Fictionwise for the 1st time in 7 months because 2 bundles I was trying to buy at BoB were the wrong files; the actual prices of the bundle on BoB is $23.55, no rebate dollar require to get that price; Fitionwise Club - $25.97, after Rebate $22.07, but I tried to buy it and it wanted to charge me who's in neither $30.55. I don't have to join anything to get the $23.55 for the bundle on BoB and they are offering $2.55 reward dollar on this bundle. So that's why I prefer BoB and I see why they say they don't have a gimmick, because the books are discounted for everyone, even casual buyers that just decide to go to their site and buy a book. The reward dollars are just extra, like icing on a cake.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Though I agree that the tone of that email was offensive, I get the total opposite feeling. Fictionwise leaves me cold - I don't like being tied into one format when I'm buying. And I hate that they will switch it on me - like they know better than I do what I want. No warm fuzzies for me at Fictionwise!
However, BooksOnBoard, other than insisting on downloading .lit files to a temp folder instead of allowing me to choose where to put them, I have no issues with.
I think it's a matter of personal preferences. Like XP vs. Vista.

Any Multi-format book from Fictionwise can be downloaded in whatever format you want. As to them changing formats on you (giving you a different format than you originally wanted) that's only happened recently and not by their choice. When the DRM supplier cut Fictionwise customers off from further downloads of books they had purchased Fictionwise replaced them with eReader (the only format they could do this with because it's the one they own) because it was the best thing they could do for their customers under the circumstances.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Lilly

So that's why I prefer BoB and I see why they say they don't have a gimmick, because the books are discounted for everyone, even casual buyers that just decide to go to their site and buy a book. The reward dollars are just extra, like icing on a cake.

gimmick - a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or

I don't think the club membership is a "gimmick".

Many places have buying clubs or memberships or frequent purchaser programs. It is designed to reward loyal customers.

Amazon has Prime which I think is $80 a year but gets you "free" two day shipping on anything your order.

Barnes & Nobel has their Membership discount card that cost $25 a year which gets you 40% off best seller hard covers, 20% hardcovers, 10% off all else on all your purchases.

Credit Cards offer cash back or reward points if you use their card.

eBates.com offers various rebate percentages if you purchase through their site at many online retailers.

If don't think these types of things are a "trick" but I guess they do meet the definition since the "attract business".

But, how is this different than BoB requiring you to email in your receipt to get your reward credits?

I guess it is just about what you prefer.

BOb

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Amazon has Prime which I think is $80 a year but gets you "free" two day shipping on anything your order.

In the UK it costs £50/year and gets you free next day shipping. Excellent value for money if, like me, you buy a lot of stuff from Amazon.

[Bob Butler]

I've purchased from both BoB and Fictionwise and will continue to do so. I buy a lotmore at Fictionwise -- the "gimmicks" save me money, micropay is applied immediately, and I don't have to remember to email my receipt anywhere.

Another reason I prefer Fictionwise is that don't really like the BoB website, it was almost enough to drive me away until I figured out how to find the list view.

I'm guessing the email that started this thread was written by a single employee and wasn't the official company response. At least not worded that way.

[ProfJulie]

I just use the vendor that gives me the best deal. A year ago, I spent a lot of time researching ebook vendors and, at the time, it seemed that BOB's prices were better. But lately I've found some really great prices at eBookmall.com and even some good prices at mobipocket.com. Truthfully though, until ebook prices get more stable I'll just check multiple sites and buy from the site that gives me the best price...no customer loyalty here, at least not right now.

[RWood]

Fictionwise has been very upfront about what they do and how they do it. Their memberships also include a free ebook per year. Last year I received a 100% rebate (in micropay) in addition to a free book with the membership.

BOB has always seemed too full of itself. Prior posters have documented the swipes thay take at Fictionwise and others. We vote everyday with our dollars (or Euros or whatever) and I have never been able to vote for BOB. Based on their website (and that is all I have to judge them by) they are not a company with which I want to do business.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What do you mean? You aren't "tied into one format" - virtually all FW's books are available in multiple formats.

You have to choose one format when you DO buy (unless it's a "multi-format" book), but that's true at ALL eBook stores.

To clarify, Harry - What I mean when I say I'm tied into one format at Fictionwise; I put in my "preference" because it asked me to when I registered. I didn't know exactly which format I was going to need at the time, because at the time I had no idea which reader I was getting; I just wanted to see how the store worked. Thereafter, every time I put something in my cart that was not my "preferred" format, I get a big red warning box at the top of my screen warning me that I have added something that's not my "preferred" format, and offering to correct this for me. While I then can close that dialogue box, it will still usually "correct" it for me in the cart whether I tell it to or not. While I can see that this might cut down on accidentally buying the wrong format in an absentminded moment, it came across to me as being rather paternalistic...and while that's great for fathers, it's not a quality I appreciate in a bookstore. Now - maybe I'm being stubborn and unreasonable here, but that's my opinion of the matter.
Yes, I also realize that I can go in and change my preferences...but why should I have to do that every time I want to order a different format? And the format I'm ordering depends both on what the book is available in, and where I'm going to read it. The way I understand it, the EZ Reader I'm getting at the moment supports both DRM Mobi (until the firmware upgrade) and .lit (if I format switch it). If a book isn't available in one, I'll order it in the other. And if it isn't available for a format my Reader will read, I'll get it in a format readable on my PC. There are some books I just won't wait for.
As I said, maybe I'm highly unusual.

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Any Multi-format book from Fictionwise can be downloaded in whatever format you want. As to them changing formats on you (giving you a different format than you originally wanted) that's only happened recently and not by their choice. When the DRM supplier cut Fictionwise customers off from further downloads of books they had purchased Fictionwise replaced them with eReader (the only format they could do this with because it's the one they own) because it was the best thing they could do for their customers under the circumstances.

See my reply to HarryT on the subject - I'm too lazy to type it all again. The point is, if the book I want isn't available multiformat, OR in my preferred format, yet I do have a way I can read it on my end - I don't want the bookstore telling me I can't order it because it's not my "preferred" format. As I mentioned, maybe I'm just being stubborn, but it turned me off.

[ProfJulie]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

To clarify, Harry - What I mean when I say I'm tied into one format at Fictionwise; I put in my "preference" because it asked me to when I registered. I didn't know exactly which format I was going to need at the time, because at the time I had no idea which reader I was getting; I just wanted to see how the store worked. Thereafter, every time I put something in my cart that was not my "preferred" format, I get a big red warning box at the top of my screen warning me that I have added something that's not my "preferred" format, and offering to correct this for me. While I then can close that dialogue box, it will still usually "correct" it for me in the cart whether I tell it to or not. While I can see that this might cut down on accidentally buying the wrong format in an absentminded moment, it came across to me as being rather paternalistic...and while that's great for fathers, it's not a quality I appreciate in a bookstore. Now - maybe I'm being stubborn and unreasonable here, but that's my opinion of the matter.
Yes, I also realize that I can go in and change my preferences...but why should I have to do that every time I want to order a different format? And the format I'm ordering depends both on what the book is available in, and where I'm going to read it. The way I understand it, the EZ Reader I'm getting at the moment supports both DRM Mobi (until the firmware upgrade) and .lit (if I format switch it). If a book isn't available in one, I'll order it in the other. And if it isn't available for a format my Reader will read, I'll get it in a format readable on my PC. There are some books I just won't wait for.
As I said, maybe I'm highly unusual.

Can't you just change that setting?

• Go to Fictionwise and login to your account.
• Go to your bookshelf and change the default multiformat version that is associated with your account in the BookShelf Setup area of the screen (found in yellow area on the left hand side of the screen).

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

Can't you just change that setting?

• Go to Fictionwise and login to your account.
• Go to your bookshelf and change the default multiformat version that is associated with your account in the BookShelf Setup area of the screen (found in yellow area on the left hand side of the screen).

Yes, I can change the preferred format. But I can't change it to "no preference".

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Yes, I can change the preferred format. But I can't change it to "no preference".

But you do not have to buy in your preferred format, nor do you have to change your preference to do so. The other formats are available to you via a drop-down box when adding to your cart (and/or you can change the format for a book that is already in your cart).

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

Is BooksOnBoard really cheaper than Fictionwise for day to day purchases? I admit that I usually buy the eReader format at Fictionwise for the addition 5% Micropay rebate.

I think that if you're not a Buywise Club member at Fictionwise, Books On Board is often - maybe even usually - less expensive. As a BC member, though, I've never seen a price at BoB that was better than what Fictionwise offered.

At one time, BoB had books much sooner than Fictionwise and I bought books there when I "just had" to have them when they were released. And my (few) customer service contacts with BoB have had a much friendlier tone than the ones I've ever gotten from either Fictionwise or eReader.com.

[RWood]

I think what phenomshel is objecting to at Fictionwise is the "nag screen" that tells you that you have selected a book that is not in your "default" format. Since my default format is LRF (for the Sony and only available at Fictionwise as a "MultiFormat"), all I get is a notice that once downloaded I cannot return the book.