Books removed from fictionwise?

[causticmuse]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I cannot download any of the books that are no longer for sale. So until they are back for sale, most of my bookshelf is undownloadable.

Hmm...I just checked a few random books in my bookshelf that are no longer for sale on FW, both secure eReader and secure Mobi, and they all downloaded fine.

[guyanonymous]

What is your "wishlist"? Just a list of books you were intending to purchase?

[ATimson]

Originally Posted by guyanonymous

What is your "wishlist"? Just a list of books you were intending to purchase?

Exactly.

[guyanonymous]

Thanks!

I definitely, then, don't get the big fuss - stores start and stop selling merchandise all the time. Sometimes it's there choice, other times its a supplier's decision. It happens. Just like prices going up and down is sometimes out of their control.

The "price-fixing" that is occurring (just like gas-stations in my opinion) is more worthy of stress and attention.

[geertm]

Originally Posted by GoneNova

Last week I pre-ordered the new Kim Harrison book when they had a 100% micropay rebate. It's no longer listed in my bookshelf. It's supposed to be available April 6. We'll see...

I just received the following e-mail from Fictionwise about my pre-order for the new Kim Harrison book:

Hello,

Unfortunately, we have had to take one or more of your pre-ordered eBooks
off sale. We will not be able to provide you with a working copy when
released by the publisher. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I have refunded this purchase for a store credit on your Fictionwise.com
(or eReader.com) account. If you purchased with a credit card, and you
would prefer a refund on your credit card instead, please submit a support
ticket or send an email to support@fictionwise.com .

Due to industry changes, our content suppliers are currently unable to
offer certain titles from several large publishers. We are working with
our content partners to resolve this.

Best Regards,

Rodney
Fictionwise/eReader Support Team

[JSWolf]

They knew this was coming. So offering 100% rebate on titles from these 5 publishers with a release date after April 1 was totally wrong.

[ATimson]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

They knew this was coming. So offering 100% rebate on titles from these 5 publishers with a release date after April 1 was totally wrong.

Of course, you're assuming that the publishers were negotiating in good faith with Fictionwise. That's not something I'm willing to assume at this point.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by geertm

Unfortunately, we have had to take one or more of your pre-ordered eBooks off sale. We will not be able to provide you with a working copy when released by the publisher.

This is actually fascinating. It strongly suggests that Fictionwise are going to boycott any of the agency publishers who refuse to allow a club discount. This would allow them to honour their Buywise Club commitment of a 15% discount on any book purchased.

Expect a link to Barnes & Noble for books from those 5 publishers...

Graham

[FizzyWater]

I'm not sure it's an out-and-out boycott.

I've been wondering if B&N is slowly cutting back the number of books from mainstream publishers on the Fictionwise site. There have been a number of books I've been waiting for that have been available for months on B&N.com, but not at Fictionwise.

I fear that - if B&N.com allows Fictionwise to continue for any long-term period - it will be eventually only for the indi publishers (multiformat books).

[smithno]

I got the same e-mail that Geertm got! It made me mad. This AM, I checked back and there are NO Kim Harrison books returned from a search. Another favorite author, Lili Saintcrow used to have 16 books listed and now only the multiformat books are listed. I stocked up on Micropay $ in December and in Feb. stocked up. Good thing I did!

[sassanik]

Originally Posted by guyanonymous

Thanks!

I definitely, then, don't get the big fuss - stores start and stop selling merchandise all the time. Sometimes it's there choice, other times its a supplier's decision. It happens. Just like prices going up and down is sometimes out of their control.

The "price-fixing" that is occurring (just like gas-stations in my opinion) is more worthy of stress and attention.

I am bummed that I lost alot of my wishlist, I had books on there that I was planning on buying or was interested in and at 4 pages long I know I am not going to remember them all, I would also put books that were going to be released later on my wish list.

Why am I annoyed about the loss of my wishlist? Well if I had known it was going away I actually would have made some last minute purchases of books that I planned to buy in the next month.

As for merchandise changing, they are online books. Digital copies, its not like they take up alot of physical space. Even if a book is not selling well they can leave it available without it taking away from space.

As for price fixing? I agree, but I think this is going to backfire on the publishers in the long run. Maybe 20% of the book buyers are the ones that support the company long term, people like me who read 200+ books a year.

They should look at what Harlequin has done I think that they have made the transition to ebooks in a very smart way.

Ah well hopefully most of this will get sorted out fast!

Amy

[Graham]

Originally Posted by sassanik

I am bummed that I lost alot of my wishlist, I had books on there that I was planning on buying or was interested in and at 4 pages long I know I am not going to remember them all, I would also put books that were going to be released later on my wish list.

Why am I annoyed about the loss of my wishlist? Well if I had known it was going away I actually would have made some last minute purchases of books that I planned to buy in the next month.

We don't yet know that the wish list won't return if Fictionwise does continue to have these books for sale once the changeover is complete.

Originally Posted by sassanik

As for merchandise changing, they are online books. Digital copies, its not like they take up alot of physical space. Even if a book is not selling well they can leave it available without it taking away from space.

Fictionwise doesn't store the books in these cases on its own servers. There are third party organisations that host the book servers. When the publishers switch off access, Fictionwise loses access.

Graham

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by smithno

I got the same e-mail that Geertm got! It made me mad. This AM, I checked back and there are NO Kim Harrison books returned from a search. Another favorite author, Lili Saintcrow used to have 16 books listed and now only the multiformat books are listed. I stocked up on Micropay $ in December and in Feb. stocked up. Good thing I did!

That's wonderful for you. However, in my case, I had pre-paid for the one ebook affected and it was to be released on April 6th. That one book was yanked from my bookshelf. It is just as likely that the publishers forced this removal in order to force it to be re-listed at a much higher price. (More than $8.82 that is.) In which case, I just got bait-and-switched! So anyone who claims no price-fixing on the part of the publishers, I say, WRONG! And they're perfectly happy to bait-and-switch as well!

Derek

[Graham]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

In which case, I just got bait-and-switched!

It will only be bait-and-switch if the book gets re-listed. It's beginning to look as though Fictionwise aren't going to be getting these publishers back (see earlier in this thread) in which case they have simply, correctly, refunded your money.

Graham

[guyanonymous]

Originally Posted by sassanik

I am bummed that I lost alot of my wishlist, I had books on there that I was planning on buying or was interested in and at 4 pages long I know I am not going to remember them all, I would also put books that were going to be released later on my wish list.

Why am I annoyed about the loss of my wishlist? Well if I had known it was going away I actually would have made some last minute purchases of books that I planned to buy in the next month.

As for merchandise changing, they are online books. Digital copies, its not like they take up alot of physical space. Even if a book is not selling well they can leave it available without it taking away from space.

As for price fixing? I agree, but I think this is going to backfire on the publishers in the long run. Maybe 20% of the book buyers are the ones that support the company long term, people like me who read 200+ books a year.

They should look at what Harlequin has done I think that they have made the transition to ebooks in a very smart way.

Ah well hopefully most of this will get sorted out fast!

Amy

Sorry! I was reading both this and the related "lawsuit" thread in two tabs. My response should have, really, gone in the other thread - about not getting the lawsuit.

I totally get the consumer frustration, lack of communication, etc. Just not suing over it.

I'll have to look into Harlequin (their business model anyway . I didn't know they'd done anything special as I've never looked for their books.