Dear Random House: Please stink less.

[HamsterRage]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Huh.

If I go to Border's and they don't have a book, I ask them to order it for me (at least I used to before online retail became commonplace).

I didn't call up the publisher and ask them why the book wasn't in the store. Suppliers don't control what stores carry, the stores do.

"Sorry, it's not our fault," is the only true and honest response in this situation. Even good CS can't control another company's actions.

Especially since Amazon has all sorts of ways to leave feedback.

Not quite the same situation, since ebooks don't go "out of stock", and an online store not having a book is more than likely a systematic error. So while calling up the publisher because your local store ran out of a book they ordinarily carry is silly, but it's a different thing.

But assuming that you found out somehow that your local bookstore doesn't have the book and never will (which is closer to the situation described), then it wouldn't be unreasonable to call up the publisher and complain. And in that case, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect the publisher to follow up with the bookstore and find out why.

But I have to admit that I can't figure out how you'd find out the store wasn't going to have the book without talking to someone at the bookstore, in which case why wouldn't you just expect them to fix it. So it's still a bit contrived.

"Sorry, it's not our fault", may be true. But just because it's not their fault doesn't mean that they can't fix it, or shouldn't try. "Sorry, it's not our fault. Call somebody who gives a damn.", is annoying as hell when you're on the receiving end of it.

[ProfCrash]

Thanks! I had no clue Anne Rice was finally coming to e-book. I just pre-ordered her stuff.

[Pookeysgirl]

I just went to Amazon.com and checked for The Vampire Armand and found it being sold as the "Kindle Edition". Isn't that the e-book (I've never bought anything form amazon)? It's available now as far as I can tell. Maybe I'm missing something.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Vampire-Ar...9602015&sr=1-1

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

I just went to Amazon.com and checked for The Vampire Armand and found it being sold as the "Kindle Edition". Isn't that the e-book (I've never bought anything form amazon)? It's available now as far as I can tell. Maybe I'm missing something.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Vampire-Ar...9602015&sr=1-1

It is but notice how the green box to the right says "Not Available in the U.S."? That's the problem being discussed.

[ProfCrash]

It is listed as not available for US customers. Darn geo restrictions

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

It is but notice how the green box to the right says "Not Available in the U.S."? That's the problem being discussed.

Actually I don't see it anywhere on there. Maybe it knows I'm in Canada? I'm not signed into an account or anything. Or it's just been a long day and I can't see what's right in front of me, wouldn't be the first time

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

Actually I don't see it anywhere on there. Maybe it knows I'm in Canada? I'm not signed into an account or anything. Or it's just been a long day and I can't see what's right in front of me, wouldn't be the first time

D'oh!

Here is what folks in the U.S. see.

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

D'oh!

Here is what folks in the U.S. see.

I didn't realize it was able to tell where I am

[whitearrow]

And here's the response I got from Amazon. Imagine my surprise!

---- Original message: ----

11/12/10 11:46:29
Your Name: (whitearrow)
Comments:Hello -- I'm writing to require about The Vampire Armand, here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Vampire-Ar.../dp/B0031RS3E4 According to Random House's web site and customer service, there's an error with this item and it should be available in the US. I'd like to order it. Thanks.
---------------

Hello,

The book you're interested in isn't currently on the Amazon.com website. Your direct feedback to the publisher is helpful.

Publishers grant eBook rights on a country by country basis, as a result availability and pricing of titles in the Kindle Store can vary by your home country or region. We are actively working with publishers to get the rights to all titles for every country and adding more selection every day.

Thanks for using Kindle.

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

If yes, please click here:
(link deleted)

If no, please click here:
(link deleted)

Best regards,
Naveen M.
Amazon.com
Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company.
http://www.amazon.com/your-account

---------------

So RH tells me to contact Amazon, and Amazon says it's not their fault, and "direct feedback to the publisher is helpful."

Yeah. That was super useful.

(And yes, I did click "no" and restate the issue yet again.)

[ProfCrash]

The Publishers select what countries the books can be sold in. That is how the 1984 debacle happened. Mobilereference selected the US instead of Australia. So Amazon is right. Whoever entered the info on Amazons website entered it wrong.

[whitearrow]

I know that somebody screwed up. That's pretty clear.

My question, which has been my issue since I received the RH email, is this: As between me, the customer, and Random House, the rightsholder and publisher, who is in a better position to resolve this with Amazon?

I really don't think it's me.

[whitearrow]

No better than the first. My message was the one I sent after I clicked through the "No, you weren't helpful" button:

---- Original message: ----

CUSTOMER: (whitearrow)
DATE: 11/12/10 15:41:11 PST
COMMENTS: I understand about geographic restrictions. The problem is, according both to the link on Random House's US web site (which is to the page in my original message) and a specific message from RH customer service about this book, the book is SUPPOSED to be available in the US but isn't due to an error. RH told me to write to Amazon, and now you're telling me "direct feedback to the publisher is helpful." It really seems like nobody wants to sell me this book, and it's quite frustrating.

-----------------------

And here's the response, which didn't absorb the point any more than the first one did:

-----------------------

Hello,

I've researched our website for you and see that the book "The Vampire Armand" currently not available for our customers in US. I'm sorry if it is disappointing news for you.

Please understand that to publishers grant eBook rights on a country by country basis, as a result availability and pricing of titles in the Kindle Store can vary by your home country or region. Our goal is to have publishers provide a Kindle edition for every title they can.

Your direct feedback to the publisher is helpful.

You may see a link labeled "Please tell the publisher: I'd like to read this book on Kindle" directly below the product image on some book detail pages.

For your convenience, I've included the link here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031RS3E4

I’ve taken your concern as a feedback and forwarded your comments on to our Kindle team to consider as soon as possible.

It is always important for us to hear how customers react to all aspects. Your valuable feedback will help us to improve the selection and service we provide.

Thanks for helping us improve the catalog available for Kindle. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

(links deleted)

Best regards,

Jayanth V
Amazon.com
Your feedback is helping us build Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company.
http://www.amazon.com/your-account

--------------------------

Anyone still think that an exec at RH talking to an exec at Amazon wouldn't get a better response than I did?

[Bikeridr]

If it is to any consolation, it is not available in Europe either..

[Blue Tyson]

A lot of buck passing weasels in the media is not too surprising, is it?

[ProfCrash]

Email Anne Rice. She has been known to be pretty responsive.