How do non-US Kindlers purchase Kindle e-books?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Alisa

Once your account is set up, it's no more hassle than any other reader. You have to load titles over USB rather than Whispernet just like with the Sony, Cybook, etc. You can still search your books, look up words in the dictionary and make notes which is more than you can do with the other readers out there right now. Whispernet gets a lot of attention but it's not the only differentiating factor.

But we are talking about ownership outside the USA where you need a US credit card registered to a US address to purchase eBooks.

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But we are talking about ownership outside the USA where you need a US credit card registered to a US address to purchase eBooks.

As has been noted, there are ways around this.

US Address -- use a mailbox or remailer service. The only address that Amazon knows for me is my Post Office Box number.

US Credit Card -- get a low-value secured card from a US Bank. A secured card requires you to deposit money to the CC account and then you charge against your own money. There's little risk to the bank, and many people who do not have sufficient credit rating. to quailify for a credit card use these cards to build a credit history.

[JSWolf]

But will these banks give a non-US resident a secured card? Plus these sorta of cards usally come with a service fee as well.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But we are talking about ownership outside the USA where you need a US credit card registered to a US address to purchase eBooks.

LazyScot seems to be doing it without a US credit card:

I've got a Kindle, and it does still work me -- I've just checked as I wanted to get today's New York Times. Note, however, that the Kindle was registered and used in the US by the friend who got it for me (so, as they say, your mileage may vary).

A couple of pointers from when I tried to get it working.

1) You must not have a non-US credit card associated with the account. It checks this and will block any purchases using the account, based on the card. So when I first did this I had to remove the credit card from it.

2) I think it needs a valid US billing address, number, etc associated with it. (I changed this first before deleting card details).

This means I need to run a completely separate account from my normal Amazon account.

Although I need to go to the Amazon MediaLibrary to manually download the content (but I still got the issue of NYT in under two minutes.)

It sounds to me that once you get a Kindle, you just make a second account with a US address, register to it and stock it with gift cards. How did non-US Sony owners buy from Connect previously?

[=X=]

What I would be interested to hear if there is a way to buy books from amazon without a owning Kindle.

=X=

[Alisa]

Amazon will only sell you Kindle books if you have a Kindle registered to your account.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JMikeD

Is this just a gut feeling, or do you have some numbers on this?

Just curious. I haven't any idea.

I haven't any numbers, but my practical experience has been that any eBook anyone's ever mentioned on the Kindle forum has also been available in any Mobi bookstore too. Practically speaking, the same books are available in all the major eBook formats.

[cush]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

There has been some controversy previously on whether or not you can use Amazon Gift Cards to purchase Kindle e-books from Amazon.

Thankfully, MobileReader Cush contacted Amazon and received the following positive reply:



Note the second paragraph with Amazon explicitely stating that a US credit card is still required to complete the purchase. But at the same time, this place (thanks TadW!) has a step-by-step instruction how folks without US affiliation can still use Amazon Gift Cards to purchase e-books from Amazon.

So what's going on? Does it work for you? And do you have other tricks up your sleeve to get the most out of your Kindle reader, without living in the US?

Just a quick comment on this.

Apparently the work around posted on the nerdgirl site referenced by TadW doesn't work. The comments on the nerdgirl site from those who have tried it make that clear. Having an US account with the Kindle registered to it, as LazyScot does, seems to work.

[JMikeD]

Originally Posted by HarryT

IPractically speaking, the same books are available in all the major eBook formats.

True, but there are wide price differences. Generally, Mobipocket is the most expensive by a wide margin, then Sony, and then Amazon is the least expensive.

And I agree that most of the books (on any service) are of no interest to me. Amazon seems to have more of the self published drek (IMHO ).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JMikeD

True, but there are wide price differences. Generally, Mobipocket is the most expensive by a wide margin, then Sony, and then Amazon is the least expensive.

If you mean the actual MobiPocket web site itself, then yes, that's true, but only an idiot would buy direct from MobiPocket . They are wholesalers for most of the other Mobi bookstores and have an agreement not to undercut them.

Buy from MobiPocket stores like FictionWise or BooksOnBoard and I think you'll find that prices are as good as - or better than - Amazon. That's certainly been my experience.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Buy from MobiPocket stores like FictionWise or BooksOnBoard and I think you'll find that prices are as good as - or better than - Amazon. That's certainly been my experience.

I've seen this stated before but I haven't been able to see a book more than a few pennies less expensive than Amazon. In the case of Fictionwise, many hoops have to be jumped through to save those few pennies (club membership, micropay). I haven't found the few cents saved to be worth the hassle. Am I missing something?

[HarryT]

Why would you want to buy from Fictionwise if you have a Kindle? I don't have a Kindle - I buy MobiPocket books for my Gen3 at Fictionwise. I can think of no particularly good reason why you'd want to shop there.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why would you want to buy from Fictionwise if you have a Kindle? I don't have a Kindle - I buy MobiPocket books for my Gen3 at Fictionwise. I can think of no particularly good reason why you'd want to shop there.

Nevermind. My question is being mis-read. I have no need to purchase from Fictionwise because I do have a Kindle and purchase my books from Amazon.

[HarryT]

Exactly. I was originally responding to JMikeD's claim that there are wide price differences between the different formats. That's not true - prices at Amazon, Sony, and the various Mobi stores are, generally speaking, pretty much the same to within a few pennies. When the Kindle first appeared, Amazon were indeed cheaper than elsewhere, but these days prices of the other formats have fallen to match Amazon's prices.

[daffy4u]

So you didn't mis-read my question. You were just messing with me.