Books on Board UK bookstore - Page 4

AshW · 06-29-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

BoBUK ..... And not one Sir Terry Pratchett book...

The thing is I suspect BoBUK is not a UK book store. It's the US bookstore filtered to remove the books where the publishers have limited distribution to the US.

HarryT · 06-29-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshW

The thing is I suspect BoBUK is not a UK book store. It's the US bookstore filtered to remove the books where the publishers have limited distribution to the US.

I e-mailed them earlier today, and received a reply saying that the UK bookstore is basically still in "testing", and that they intend to start selling books from UK publishers for UK customers.

GeoffC · 06-29-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I e-mailed them earlier today, and received a reply saying that the UK bookstore is basically still in "testing", and that they intend to start selling books from UK publishers for UK customers.

that would explain why a fair number of books I looked at had no prices on them .... only rewards (!

).

GeoffC · 06-29-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshW

The thing is I suspect BoBUK is not a UK book store. It's the US bookstore filtered to remove the books where the publishers have limited distribution to the US.

I suspected that too ....

HarryT · 06-29-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

I suspected that too ....

No, I asked that too. It is a UK bookstore and is charging VAT, whereas the US store does not.

GeoffC · 06-29-2009, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, I asked that too. It is a UK bookstore and is charging VAT, whereas the US store does not.

Thanks Harry - good news - now we shall have to wait and see what its pricing is like .....

wallcraft · 06-29-2009, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

It is a UK bookstore and is charging VAT, whereas the US store does not.

The good part of this is the increased competition among UK ebook retailers. This should reduce prices somewhat, although (as in the US) reducing the publisher's list price for ebooks would be more helpful still. When (as I think is still inevitable) Amazon releases the Kindle in the UK the price competition will really heat up.

GeoffC · 06-29-2009, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The good part of this is the increased competition among UK ebook retailers. This should reduce prices somewhat, although (as in the US) reducing the publisher's list price for ebooks would be more helpful still. When (as I think is still inevitable) Amazon releases the Kindle in the UK the price competition will really heat up.

one of the 'problems' regarding pricing will be the varying book formats that could/need to be made available. kindle, for instance, has its own ...

AshW · 06-29-2009, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, I asked that too. It is a UK bookstore and is charging VAT, whereas the US store does not.

And don't even get me started on that one

But thanks for the research, glad they're taking it seriously and see an opportunity... competition is good and at least they know what they're doing (more than can be said for some UK sites!).

pthwaite · 06-29-2009, 02:27 PM

I think the main issue is the poor selection of stores and books available in the UK. If BoB do develop a useful UK site, it would hopefully encourage a significant improvement in the existing UK sites.
Additionally there is the issue over pricing and the quite remarkable costings. It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a hardback book cheaper than the ebook equivalent. Hopefully these areas will be addressed.
ebooks should in my view be no dearer than their pback equivalents and I think there is a case for cheaper but...

I shall wait and see,
Howard

JSWolf · 06-29-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

I have no idea about court challenges. But you keep saying you are a legal purchaser, and it seems that, if you are not in the US, you are not. Do you think that some foreigner that travels to the US and tries to buy ebooks there is not a legal purchaser?

Amazon would class that non-US resident as a non-legal purchaser without a US credit.bank card and US address. And I agree. There has to be a better way to tell who is legal other than an IP address.

markbond1007 · 06-29-2009, 04:53 PM

VAT? surely as books its a zero rated VAT rate?

Mark

pthwaite · 06-29-2009, 05:05 PM

Apparently the powers that be have decided that as they are electronic they must be software and so get charged VAT.
As we all now have a very large bill to pay off as a result of the worldwide recent difficulties, I am sure we (in the UK) are all very pleased at this arrangement and will look forward to the increase in VAT that will come after March to help fund the repayments

amjbrown · 06-29-2009, 06:33 PM

Bought a book as easily as ever from BoB tonight, no lying required. Gave my UK address, a UK phone number and a UK registered credit card. Angels & Demons $6.99, compared with £7.35 at Waterstones.com. Haven't dared clicked on BoB's UK store to check their price, just in case the US one stops working!

HarryT · 06-30-2009, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbond1007

VAT? surely as books its a zero rated VAT rate?

Mark

No. Under the EU's "eCommerce Directive", eBooks count as "digital information" and are subject to the full rate of VAT.

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06-29-2009, 02:27 PM	#55
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	I think the main issue is the poor selection of stores and books available in the UK. If BoB do develop a useful UK site, it would hopefully encourage a significant improvement in the existing UK sites. Additionally there is the issue over pricing and the quite remarkable costings. It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a hardback book cheaper than the ebook equivalent. Hopefully these areas will be addressed. ebooks should in my view be no dearer than their pback equivalents and I think there is a case for cheaper but... I shall wait and see, Howard

06-29-2009, 04:53 PM	#57
markbond1007 Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 122 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: CyBook Gen3, Sony PRS-600	VAT? surely as books its a zero rated VAT rate? Mark

06-29-2009, 05:05 PM	#58
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	Apparently the powers that be have decided that as they are electronic they must be software and so get charged VAT. As we all now have a very large bill to pay off as a result of the worldwide recent difficulties, I am sure we (in the UK) are all very pleased at this arrangement and will look forward to the increase in VAT that will come after March to help fund the repayments

06-29-2009, 06:33 PM	#59
amjbrown Addict Posts: 322 Karma: 1231044 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle app on the iPhone	Bought a book as easily as ever from BoB tonight, no lying required. Gave my UK address, a UK phone number and a UK registered credit card. Angels & Demons $6.99, compared with £7.35 at Waterstones.com. Haven't dared clicked on BoB's UK store to check their price, just in case the US one stops working!