Books Titles Changing on Amazon

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by barryem

Marketers have a little bit in common with hackers, the evil kind, in that they force us to pay attention to more than we'd really have to if they were honest.

If/dog/rabbit.

The retail/consumer world has always been caveat emptor. The internet did not invent the horse trader. There was no time when consumers could simply rely upon the honesty of all sellers. The marketplace has always been rife with danger for the innocent or the unobservant. There is no inherent right to buy without reservation. Wise people pay attention all the time.

It's fine and dandy to wish the world were different. But like the old saying goes. Wish in one hand ...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by barryem

The cover you showed demonstrates that it's misleading. In big bold print at the top it says Robert B. Parker's and below that in even bolder but a little smaller print it says Angel Eyes. Then below that in print that nearly matches the background color to make it not very noticeable it says by Ace Atkins.

It's pretty easy to miss the Ace Atkins part.

Barry

I don't see how you could miss the by Ace Atkins part of the cover. It's very visible. I agree they could have made a better cover. But who the author is is very clear.

[JSWolf]

One thing that's a common scam is to take a food item and repackage it in a smaller amount but redesign the container so it looks like it used and it's priced the same as it was when it was a larger amount. That's a real scam.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's a real scam.

Only if you can--but don't--read the details on the packages you're buying. Again... there's no inherent right to reach into a case full of bacon and pull out a 16oz package. We as buyers don't ever have the luxury of dropping out of full-on caveat emptor mode. Not having to pay attention isn't a right.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

One thing that's a common scam is to take a food item and repackage it in a smaller amount but redesign the container so it looks like it used and it's priced the same as it was when it was a larger amount. That's a real scam.

You mean those 1/2 Gallon (2 Qt) round Ice Cream flavors. that shrunk to 1.75 Qt That shrunk again to 1.5 Qt ?

But Wait.. Some stores still sell the same flavor in 1.75 Qt. So you REALLY need to watch the ads. Brand 'Brown' Vanilla $3.99 (1.5 Qt) vs $4.99 (1.75 Qt) in other stores. Other than the size marking, there isn't a glaring indication of the change. You just reach in and grab the brand you have been buying 'forever'

Or the 7 Oz Chocolate bars that are now only 5.5 Oz.
Or the fast one CocaCola (US) pulled.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Only if you can--but don't--read the details on the packages you're buying. Again... there's no inherent right to reach into a case full of bacon and pull out a 16oz package. We as buyers don't ever have the luxury of dropping out of full-on caveat emptor mode. Not having to pay attention isn't a right.

I disagree. These smaller portions are specifically made to look like the portion size you are used to buying. Do you always look at all the labels when you buy something? Most people do not. So making the packaging similar enough to the one you are used to buying is a way to scam consumers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

You mean those 1/2 Gallon (2 Qt) round Ice Cream flavors. that shrunk to 1.75 Qt That shrunk again to 1.5 Qt ?

But Wait.. Some stores still sell the same flavor in 1.75 Qt. So you REALLY need to watch the ads. Brand 'Brown' Vanilla $3.99 (1.5 Qt) vs $4.99 (1.75 Qt) in other stores. Other than the size marking, there isn't a glaring indication of the change. You just reach in and grab the brand you have been buying 'forever'

Or the 7 Oz Chocolate bars that are now only 5.5 Oz.
Or the fast one CocaCola (US) pulled.

Is the Coke scam the 1.75 litre bottle instead of the 2 litre bottle?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I disagree.

Feel free. It will change very little for you to do so.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

These smaller portions are specifically made to look like the portion size you are used to buying.

Yes. I know.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you always look at all the labels when you buy something?

Have you not read a word I've typed? Of course I do. Because I choose to refuse to be fooled, as opposed to pointlessly griping about something I can't change and continuing to be fooled.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Most people do not.

Don't be "most people" then.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So making the packaging similar enough to the one you are used to buying is a way to scam consumers.

Only the foolish ones who "just want things to be the way they always were."

They can only continue to "scam" the people who think paying attention is a burden of some kind.

[haertig]

I always look at the labels and check the "price per xxx" when purchasing things. I have found that in my local grocery (a big chain owned by Kroger), that it is often times cheaper to buy the smaller size box than the larger size box. That is counter to the way things have traditionally been, and IMHO it is because the groceries are trying to make profit off of peoples old ingrained purchasing habits.

Warning: Don't apply the above observation to Costco. There, you usually do get a better price per xxx by buying the large size. Of course, their "large size" is a 55 gallon drum of ketchup, but if you can handle that, it's a good deal.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

I always look at the labels and check the "price per xxx" when purchasing things. I have found that in my local grocery (a big chain owned by Kroger), that it is often times cheaper to buy the smaller size box than the larger size box. That is counter to the way things have traditionally been, and IMHO it is because the groceries are trying to make profit off of peoples old ingrained purchasing habits.

Warning: Don't apply the above observation to Costco. There, you usually do get a better price per xxx by buying the large size. Of course, their "large size" is a 55 gallon drum of ketchup, but if you can handle that, it's a good deal.

I do look at the price per XXX. I have also found that it can be cheaper to by two smaller then one larger as the smaller has a better price per xxx.

As for Costco, there's usually only one size. So there's little need to check the price per xxx. If I am going to Costco and have some specific items I want to buy, I'll check the local supermarket for their price per xxx and compare in case Costco is more expensive. But as not everything I'd buy at Costco is available at the local supermarket, I can't do much price comparing.

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by haertig

I have found that in my local grocery (a big chain owned by Kroger), that it is often times cheaper to buy the smaller size box than the larger size box.

You really have to watch Amazon for that - sometimes they will sell an item as a single, with buttons for a two-pack or a 4-pack. It isn't uncommon to find buying two singles is significantly cheaper than buying a two-pack. Presumably that is because the items are sold by different vendors, although you have to pay attention to see that the vendor changed when the quantity changed.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The retail/consumer world has always been caveat emptor. The internet did not invent the horse trader. There was no time when consumers could simply rely upon the honesty of all sellers. The marketplace has always been rife with danger for the innocent or the unobservant.

Absolutely... one example: people were complaining about over-sized and under-filled potato chip bags 60 years ago when I was in high school. Or fountain drinks where the glass/cup had so much ice packed in it there was not much room for the actual drink.

A big problem with today's trend of quietly making a subtle change to the container size of basic food items is how it impacts recipes. Now a can of this or a box of that has no relationship to the recipe you are trying to use.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by haertig

Don't apply the above observation to Costco.

I read an interesting article on Costco. The really don't make much profit on what they sell. Some food court items actually lose money.

Costco makes its money selling memberships.

This isn't the article I read, but it's likely based on the same source: Costco Doesn't Make Any Money Selling You Groceries — Here's How It Actually Rakes In Billions of Dollars Every Year

[Red Falcon]

The Murder on the Orient Express was originally released in the US as Murder in the Calais Coach. I believe it has gone by The Murder on the Orient Express since the early 60's in the USA and has never been released as an ebook under that title.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder...Orient_Express

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Red Falcon

The Murder on the Orient Express was originally released in the US as Murder in the Calais Coach. I believe it has gone by The Murder on the Orient Express since the early 60's in the USA and has never been released as an ebook under that title.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder...Orient_Express

Under which title?

[Jo69]

Didn't realise I would cause such chaos when asking about buying double books by mistake lol
Sometimes I have spottedthem if the cover remains the same
But a lot of them have new descriptions which makes the new titled books sound so good.