geographic restrictions at Fictionwise - Page 27

FixB · 09-30-2009, 02:55 AM

I've also got a book I paid for... which I can't download...

geertm · 09-30-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryvegan

The most annoying thing is Fictionwise lets you pay for it before you find out you can't download it. I think if they are going to implement this policy then they should also implement some kind of filtering so it's less frustrating for their customers... I think they've handled the whole thing very poorly.

To be fair to Fictionwise.
The reason we can buy the books is probably because we have all changed the country in our Fictionwise account to the USA, to circumvent the region restrictions. If the country in your Fictionwise account is set to another country then USA, you cannot buy the region restricted books in the first place.

Jellby · 09-30-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geertm

To be fair to Fictionwise.
The reason we can buy the books is probably because we have all changed the country in our Fictionwise account to the USA, to circumvent the region restrictions. If the country in your Fictionwise account is set to another country then USA, you cannot buy the region restricted books in the first place.

That's true, but if they are going to demand a US credit card and/or a US ip address, they should say so.

June · 09-30-2009, 03:04 PM

Yes - like I mentioned in the other thread (I think) what about an American travelling in Europe without a credit card? Tht person won't be able to download the book either, and are by all rights entitled to it.... If I had my vacation-reading disrupted that way, I'd be very annoyed...

A Nonny Mouse · 09-30-2009, 03:16 PM

Really, is anybody surprised that a back door has been closed after it has been so openly discussed here?

ahi · 09-30-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by June

Yes - like I mentioned in the other thread (I think) what about an American travelling in Europe without a credit card? Tht person won't be able to download the book either, and are by all rights entitled to it.... If I had my vacation-reading disrupted that way, I'd be very annoyed...

Why would they be entitled? Because they can get back into the United States without a visa?

It's not a nationality-restriction, but a geographic one.

American publishers sell eBooks to purchasers in North America, UK publishers sell eBooks to purchasers in Europe. The nationality of those purchasers is irrelevant. No?

- Ahi

Sweetpea · 09-30-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Why would they be entitled? Because they can get back into the United States without a visa?

It's not a nationality-restriction, but a geographic one.

American publishers sell eBooks to purchasers in North America, UK publishers sell eBooks to purchasers in Europe. The nationality of those purchasers is irrelevant. No?

- Ahi

But is it? I could probably buy a GR for US book, if I had an American CC. I most likely won't be able to download it, but I probably can buy it. As far as I know, they don't look at your IP for purchasing, but for downloading.

ahi · 09-30-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

But is it? I could probably buy a GR for US book, if I had an American CC. I most likely won't be able to download it, but I probably can buy it. As far as I know, they don't look at your IP for purchasing, but for downloading.

Does Fictionwise's potentially flawed and gameable implementation of the restrictions have any bearing on whether or not it is?

A geographic restriction is based on geography, even if vendors implement it poorly, allowing people whose nationality is tied to a certain geographic location to escape intended limitations.

Or so I figure.

- Ahi

Ea · 09-30-2009, 03:40 PM

I've just said 'Sayonara' to Fictionwise. I had a nice sum of micropay left, so I ended up browsing through 1800 titles in their 'mainstream' section to find non-restricted books. They say it's only about 10% of their books that's restricted, but if you don't read romance or cheesy thrillers, the field is narrowed down quite a bit. I also found about 15 other books I'll have find elsewhere

I ended up with this little list, and now have only 90 cent in micropay left. Fictionwise are welcome to keep it.
After the Quake: Stories
The Disorder of Longing
The Kennedy Girls
Ship Sooner
Legend of Smollet's Cirque du Grand Coup
When the Stars Come Out

Sweetpea · 09-30-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Does Fictionwise's potentially flawed and gameable implementation of the restrictions have any bearing on whether or not it is?

A geographic restriction is based on geography, even if vendors implement it poorly, allowing people whose nationality is tied to a certain geographic location to escape intended limitations.

Or so I figure.

- Ahi

Yes, that's what you would think. I doubt, however, if that's the truth. I think it's not so much geographically restricted as home-country restricted.

Ea, I've just bought my first books at BoB, after not being able to buy them from Fictionwise due to GR. Until FW manages to implement what they say they'll implement, I doubt I'll be buying a lot of books from them. Once bitten, twice shy, shall we say. I also noticed that about 90% of the books I would like to read are restricted, as I don't like horror and most certainly not romance.

Ea · 09-30-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Ea, I've just bought my first books at BoB, after not being able to buy them from Fictionwise due to GR. Until FW manages to implement what they say they'll implement, I doubt I'll be buying a lot of books from them. Once bitten, twice shy, shall we say. I also noticed that about 90% of the books I would like to read are restricted, as I don't like horror and most certainly not romance.

All those books I'd like to buy from FW and couldn't are now on my BoB wishlist

Almost all books I've wanted to buy at FW was restricted, and if I can find only six books after trawling through 1800 it's just not worth going back.

BTW - have you noticed you can have books displayed as a list in a BoB search? Top right, you can choose between list and that awful default 'wheel' display.

A (mostly) good thing that came out of this is that I pulled myself together to actually try to 'liberate' epub books so I can buy books at Waterstones or WHSmith. But... After finding out how user friendly the script it, I happily rushed to buy another epub book (a cookbook by Elizabeth David) just so I could have the pleasure again and ran smack into geographic restrictions again! Probably only sold in Britain.... Gaaaah!!! So, so ridiculous.

ahi · 09-30-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Yes, that's what you would think. I doubt, however, if that's the truth. I think it's not so much geographically restricted as home-country restricted.

Ea, I've just bought my first books at BoB, after not being able to buy them from Fictionwise due to GR. Until FW manages to implement what they say they'll implement, I doubt I'll be buying a lot of books from them. Once bitten, twice shy, shall we say. I also noticed that about 90% of the books I would like to read are restricted, as I don't like horror and most certainly not romance.

What are you basing your contrary view on, Sweetpea?

- Ahi

CleverClothe · 09-30-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Yes, that's what you would think. I doubt, however, if that's the truth. I think it's not so much geographically restricted as home-country restricted.

It is geography based. However, determining the true physical location of someone online isn't an exact science. One method that can be used is to take advantage of the convention we have of giving contries ranges of IP addresses to give out within their territory and some domain registration information. But this has problems, such as it being easy to fake an IP address using a proxy, or the fact that many IP addresses are owned by mostly U.S. companies.

Even CC and Paypal requires are not 100% reliable.

dickon25 · 09-30-2009, 04:18 PM

I bought FW annual Club membership back in Dec 2008 ($30) but the last book I bought from them was in Feb 2009. Since then every book I've wanted to buy has been geographically restricted, so the membership has been a very poor deal for me!
Does anyone from Fictionwise lurk on Mobileread? Has anyone seen any comments from them on this issue? I, for one, will not be buying there again.

zerospinboson · 09-30-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dickon25

I bought FW annual Club membership back in Dec 2008 ($30) but the last book I bought from them was in Feb 2009. Since then every book I've wanted to buy has been geographically restricted, so the membership has been a very poor deal for me!
Does anyone from Fictionwise lurk on Mobileread? Has anyone seen any comments from them on this issue? I, for one, will not be buying there again.

I would suggest you email them to see if you can get a refund, or something.

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09-30-2009, 02:55 AM	#391
FixB Groupie Posts: 186 Karma: 499 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: France, Toulouse Device: Sony PRS500	I've also got a book I paid for... which I can't download...

09-30-2009, 03:04 PM	#394
June Addict Posts: 306 Karma: 4508151 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Scandinavia Device: Kobo Libra, Oasis 1&2 and others	Yes - like I mentioned in the other thread (I think) what about an American travelling in Europe without a credit card? Tht person won't be able to download the book either, and are by all rights entitled to it.... If I had my vacation-reading disrupted that way, I'd be very annoyed...

09-30-2009, 03:16 PM	#395
A Nonny Mouse Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 272 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Right here, right now! Device: sony prs505	Really, is anybody surprised that a back door has been closed after it has been so openly discussed here?

09-30-2009, 03:40 PM	#399
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I've just said 'Sayonara' to Fictionwise. I had a nice sum of micropay left, so I ended up browsing through 1800 titles in their 'mainstream' section to find non-restricted books. They say it's only about 10% of their books that's restricted, but if you don't read romance or cheesy thrillers, the field is narrowed down quite a bit. I also found about 15 other books I'll have find elsewhere I ended up with this little list, and now have only 90 cent in micropay left. Fictionwise are welcome to keep it. After the Quake: Stories The Disorder of Longing The Kennedy Girls Ship Sooner Legend of Smollet's Cirque du Grand Coup When the Stars Come Out

09-30-2009, 04:18 PM	#404
dickon25 Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 818 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-505. Pocketbook Inkpad 840	I bought FW annual Club membership back in Dec 2008 ($30) but the last book I bought from them was in Feb 2009. Since then every book I've wanted to buy has been geographically restricted, so the membership has been a very poor deal for me! Does anyone from Fictionwise lurk on Mobileread? Has anyone seen any comments from them on this issue? I, for one, will not be buying there again.