Kobo Discounts: Coupon Codes + Discussion

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

I've just spent nearly half an hour trying multiple books, and not one was coupon eligible.
What the point in issuing coupons if the vast majority of te books wont accept the coupons

You can work out what percentage of books accept promo codes in a particular category by pressing the search button without entering anything in the search box, then selecting a category to see how many books in that category, then selecting the "Items elegible for promo codes" button to see how many accept codes.

It might be interesting to see how different categories and countries compare. In New Zealand I got these results for the fiction categories: (percentage is books that do accept promo codes)

Romance: 96%
Fiction & Literature: 88%
Mystery & Suspense: 87%
Scifi & Fantasy: 83%

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

You can work out what percentage of books accept promo codes in a particular category by pressing the search button without entering anything in the search box, then selecting a category to see how many books in that category, then selecting the "Items elegible for promo codes" button to see how many accept codes.

It might be interesting to see how different categories and countries compare. In New Zealand I got these results for the fiction categories: (percentage is books that do accept promo codes)

Romance: 96%
Fiction & Literature: 88%
Mystery & Suspense: 87%
Scifi & Fantasy: 83%

Won't work here in the US as the 'items eligible' button still shows books from former Agency pubs as eligible, but the really aren't.

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Won't work here in the US as the 'items eligible' button still shows books from former Agency pubs as eligible, but the really aren't.

And vice versa. I've seen an item disappear from the list when you check 'items eligible' even though it will accept a coupon code during checkout.

[Chapter One]

I have my doubts the percentage thing is accurate. Maybe it was a week or so ago until everything changed but I dont think it is now.

I tried 23 different books and not one was coupon eligible. I tried first using the NZ site, and then using a VPN I tried on the US site.
These are all just run-of-the-mill fiction books by mainstream, well known authors, nothing obscure. Some are from series I have bought here before.
Not one worked. Very annoying. If the coupon issue stays as it is now, I wont even bother looking at Kobo for ebooks, I'll just to back to using Amazon only. Kobo is too expensive without the coupons.

[samhy]

I tried a couple of books and they were eligible. However those were Smashwords books.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

I have my doubts the percentage thing is accurate. Maybe it was a week or so ago until everything changed but I dont think it is now.

I tried 23 different books and not one was coupon eligible. I tried first using the NZ site, and then using a VPN I tried on the US site.
These are all just run-of-the-mill fiction books by mainstream, well known authors, nothing obscure. Some are from series I have bought here before.
Not one worked. Very annoying. If the coupon issue stays as it is now, I wont even bother looking at Kobo for ebooks, I'll just to back to using Amazon only. Kobo is too expensive without the coupons.

I haven't noticed anything changed on the NZ site, almost every book I try accepts promo codes. The only ones I've found that don't are published by Hachette or Macmillian UK.

Edit: I just went through the first 50 books on the Bestsellers list on the NZ site and pressed buy on each one, and 41 out of 50 had the option to enter a promo code.

Edit2: The current number one bestseller in NZ is the Man Booker shortlisted "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton. Amazon price is $18 ($14.99 US), Kobo price is $13.39, or $6.70 with BookRiot50. That is just one book, but I find that sort of price differential typical of the books I buy, Kobo usually cheaper than Amazon even without promo codes.

[WashWest]

Sorry if this has been mentioned upthread, but Kobo seems to have matched Amazon's monthly Kindle sale books this month. (Perhaps Kobo does this every month? I am new to their store.) Anyhow, I was able to use the BookRiot50 code for half off a $1.99 book.

EDIT to add: US site and the pub was Open Road, not an agency publisher.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Chapter One

I have my doubts the percentage thing is accurate. Maybe it was a week or so ago until everything changed but I dont think it is now.

I tried 23 different books and not one was coupon eligible. I tried first using the NZ site, and then using a VPN I tried on the US site.
These are all just run-of-the-mill fiction books by mainstream, well known authors, nothing obscure. Some are from series I have bought here before.
Not one worked. Very annoying. If the coupon issue stays as it is now, I wont even bother looking at Kobo for ebooks, I'll just to back to using Amazon only. Kobo is too expensive without the coupons.

Could you, please, provide one of the titles you tried?

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Edit2: The current number one bestseller in NZ is the Man Booker shortlisted "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton. Amazon price is $18 ($14.99 US), Kobo price is $13.39, or $6.70 with BookRiot50. That is just one book, but I find that sort of price differential typical of the books I buy, Kobo usually cheaper than Amazon even without promo codes.

I'm in the USA. I just checked "The Luminaries". At Amazon it's a preorder of US$11.04. At Kobo, it's also a preorder at US$12.99. Since coupons aren't good on preorders at Kobo, I can't tell if it will eventually take one or not.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I'm in the USA. I just checked "The Luminaries". At Amazon it's a preorder of US$11.04. At Kobo, it's also a preorder at US$12.99. Since coupons aren't good on preorders at Kobo, I can't tell if it will eventually take one or not.

That must be the US edition, Amazon and Kobo are both already selling the NZ edition:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Luminaries.../dp/B00EK0UBPU
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-nz/ebook/the-luminaries-2

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I'm in the USA. I just checked "The Luminaries". At Amazon it's a preorder of US$11.04. At Kobo, it's also a preorder at US$12.99. Since coupons aren't good on preorders at Kobo, I can't tell if it will eventually take one or not.

The US edition is being published by Little, Brown and Company (Hachette) which means no coupons. It is possible they'll discount it at some point like they have for some other Little, Brown and Company titles.

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

That must be the US edition, Amazon and Kobo are both already selling the NZ edition:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Luminaries.../dp/B00EK0UBPU
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-nz/ebook/the-luminaries-2

I just tried both of those links. At Amazon I get the message, "This title is not currently available for purchase".

At Kobo I get this message, "This eBook is not currently available.".

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I just tried both of those links. At Amazon I get the message, "This title is not currently available for purchase".

At Kobo I get this message, "This eBook is not currently available.".

Perhaps if on your Kobo account you change your country to New Zealand - in the Payments section, and then go through the actions of buying the book, and inserting the voucher code detail.

Unless that's what you did and you got that message .....

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

I just tried both of those links. At Amazon I get the message, "This title is not currently available for purchase".

At Kobo I get this message, "This eBook is not currently available.".

That is just the effect of georestrictions, I get the same messages when I try to view the US edition.

[Tizzalicious]

Oh god, the 50% off code nearly bankrupted me. I bought enough books to last me for 2 years