More disappointment with Waterstones

[Tracey]

Good evening everyone,

I have received two mails from Waterstones this week. One, offering extra discount for Easter, is "small printed" saying e-reader products excluded. The other, which relates to additional points for Waterstone Card Holders, does include all purchases. However, given this means two points per pound spent accumulating 2 pence against future purchases, it is not exactly something to write home about!

Given that Waterstones do not seem to respond to individual mails from members is there any mileage in us UK members making a collective representation to them? As mentioned in previous postings, i am not adverse to the principal of economy of scale or pricing driven by competitiveness, but i do feel we are in a chicken and egg situation; low sales due to higher prices therefore lower sales...

I mean no disrespect to our fellow members in the US and other countries but perhaps we must act for ourselves with Waterstones; who knows they may attract US buyers if the price is right!

I would welcome opinion as to whether "Petitioning Waterstones" is a viable option.

Kind regards,

Tracey

[PieOPah]

I am sure that petitioning would be a viable option - it couldn't hurt...

I recently sent them an E-mail telling them that I would no longer buy any of their products - because WHSmith appears to be cheaper and doesn't sell E-books for more than PB

[salty_seadog]

I have had what can only be described as a pointless e-mail from Watersones to say that there is a difference in the price because it is an exclusive product! But eBooks are available in many places, text below:

Thank you for your email.

I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the price difference between ebooks and other formats online.

There are a number of reasons why the prices are different online but as this is an exclusive product prices may vary, I would like to inform you that in the future there will be reductions and promotions as the item becomes more popular.

I do apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

I have a mind to write back and say ths this is insufficient.

[PieOPah]

It is a stock E-mail. I have had the same... I sent a mail back asking them their definition of exclusive and that they really ought to check out WHSmith as they had the same product in stock.

I think that comment broke their script and they couldn't send a definitive answer

[PieOPah]

For all the good it will do, I have just sent info to Watchdog to see whether or not they are able to get any answers. Maybe if more people write to watchdog with their concerns it will push the priority up....

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by salty_seadog

In addition to my previous statement about the three books from Waterstones, I have just been back onto the site and saw that the three eBooks I bought would have actually been CHEAPER if I'd bought them in paperback! How can Waterstones justify selling a paper book for less than the eBook equivalent. I think I'm goignt o be writing a strongly worded e-mail to them!

VAT is one reason. Paper books are zero rated for VAT; eBooks are subject to the full VAT rate.

[tech_au]

I discovered pretty early on that Waterstones is a pretty crap ebook store. I have bought about a dozen ebooks from whsmiths because of their better prices and I also don't get charged VAT because I'm not in the UK.
Even taking VAT into account WHsmiths is preferable.
It's a pity that people who buy a Sony reader in the UK get routed to Waterstones

[PieOPah]

Originally Posted by HarryT

VAT is one reason. Paper books are zero rated for VAT; eBooks are subject to the full VAT rate.

VAT is 15% but when some of the books are 60%+ more expensive then you can no longer use VAT as an excuse...

[Tracey]

Originally Posted by PieOPah

For all the good it will do, I have just sent info to Watchdog to see whether or not they are able to get any answers. Maybe if more people write to watchdog with their concerns it will push the priority up....

I understand your frustration PieOPah but i know from a former life Watchdog make extensive checks before they are willing to take up a case. My view is that Waterstones need to realise we will buy from them as soon as they are relatively competitive. I suppose their view is that they don't sell enough to be competitive... My instinct is that Watchdog will consider that Waterstones are not behaving in a devious way; they clearly state what is available, and at what price, therefore the consumer isn't disadvantaged. How many times have you researched a product on the web and found wildly different pricing? The more expensive seller is just unlikely to get the business, they are not breaking any law by being more expensive. Indeed, they may well sell their stock if the others have sold out, hence my competitiveness theory about Waterstones.

To be fair, i use Sony Gift Cards, kindly bought for me by Leaping Gnome, to buy from the US Store and although i am happy with the prices, our fellow members in the US believe them to be expensive. I just feel that Waterstones need to realise how popular e-readers are becoming and that is why i think a petition would encourage them. Any one feel we should have a poll to see what the collective opinion is?

[ruth1304]

I'm in favour of a petition as it won't hurt and might show Waterstones how many potential customers are out there and not using them. If people are finding ways to buy ebooks from the US then maybe they're unaware of the size of the problem. It might even inspire some competition!

[Satans Puppet]

is there anyway to get onto the US Sony Connect? My mate has a US Credit card so could in theory buy me some vouchers to use.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by PieOPah

VAT is 15% but when some of the books are 60%+ more expensive then you can no longer use VAT as an excuse...

Very true, but you asked how a pBook can be cheaper than an eBook, and VAT is clearly a component of the answer to that. As you rightly say, though, it certainly cannot account for a 60% price difference!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Satans Puppet

is there anyway to get onto the US Sony Connect? My mate has a US Credit card so could in theory buy me some vouchers to use.

Yes; you just need to download and install the US version of the software.

[Satans Puppet]

I shall do that when I get my interweb connection back. I take it, I will be able to browse the store before I acutally use my vouchers

[Curly]

You can browse without registering on the website.

http://ebookstore.sony.com/