Ordering Aura HD from US

MR. Pockets · 06-27-2013, 12:39 AM

I have tried multiple times now to order an Aura from the Kobo website. Each time I try, the order fails with a "payment authorization error" message, but a hold for the amount of the reader ($169.99) gets placed on my account. The hold clears (I am not charged) after 3 days (my bank's policy) since the order was not actually placed. I have given up trying to order from Kobo.com (per Kobo support's suggestion) and tried to place an order with chapters.indigo.ca, however, they want to charge me $18 fro shipping. I would greatly prefer not to spend the extra $18 but I have no idea where else to order from. Are there any stores/websites in the US that sell the Aura at this time?

potatohead · 06-27-2013, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR. Pockets

I have tried multiple times now to order an Aura from the Kobo website.

Try to do it on other devices and/or with other browsers (clear the cache first). Some folks have luck using Chrome on a Windows laptop, others used Firefox and ordered successfully.

I have no luck whatsoever so far, I thought that may have something to do with the fact that I am not using US banks issued cards, after hearing your encounter, I am not so sure.

All these apparently started about 2 weeks back, prior to that all were fine on Kobo.com.

AnemicOak · 06-27-2013, 12:50 AM

There are some third party re-sellers on Amazon at a marked up price, but that's it. shopereaders.com also sells them at a mark up (they're in BC, Canada IIRC). If you can't get it from Kobo directly then Chapters is probably the best bet (I didn't know they'd ship to the US).

MR. Pockets · 06-27-2013, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by potatohead

Try to do it on other devices and/or with other browsers (clear the cache first). Some folks have luck using Chrome on a Windows laptop, others used Firefox and ordered successfully.

I have tried with Firefox, IE, and Chrome; none of them work. I also tried clearing my cache. I always got the same result; money tied up but no order.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

There are some third party re-sellers on Amazon at a marked up price, but that's it. shopereaders.com also sells them at a mark up (they're in BC, Canada IIRC). If you can't get it from Kobo directly then Chapters is probably the best bet (I didn't know they'd ship to the US).

Chapters ships to the US, but apparently does not offer free shipping on out-of-country orders. I was just hoping to avoid that extra $18, esp as the Aura is currently the most expensive "name brand" reader available.

Warchild · 06-27-2013, 07:29 AM

I've had the same problem. For a while I had $690 tied up in pending kobo charges. Customer service is worthless, they can't even tell if the issue has been repaired or fixed. Very disheartening and rather miraculous that they would have their only sales conduit in the US shut down by themselves!
And I still want one!

FJames · 06-27-2013, 10:44 AM

Try calling your credit card company. I've done that before when payment wasn't authorized for an online purchase, and they were able to tell me exactly what was wrong with the transaction (e.g., wrong expiry date given, wrong address etc.). Then you can go back to Kobo customer service armed with more precise knowledge about why the transaction isn't going through successfully. If you entered something incorrectly on the initial attempt, it might be cached somewhere even if you have corrected it subsequently, or they might have temporarily blocked subsequent transactions from the same source after the initial failure (and they don't always tell you that).

Warchild · 06-27-2013, 12:22 PM

The problem is that the bank transaction does process. The card company called me before suspending the card for "suspicious activity" (the constant charges from kobo) It's all on kobo's end, and, at least from customer service tier 2 and 1, they really don't care. The most they were willing to offer was to find a store close to me in the US of which there are none . . .

TheMatrix · 06-27-2013, 01:11 PM

The Kobo website sucks! Had the same problems ordering the Kobo Mini. See my thread about my experience with them. I finally found a Family Christian Store that sold them for the same price minus shipping cost and just went there to buy one, but you can also order online from them and I believe their shipping cost is less than Kobo. That might be your best bet.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=216452

AnemicOak · 06-27-2013, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMatrix

I finally found a Family Christian Store that sold them for the same price minus shipping cost and just went there to buy one, but you can also order online from them and I believe their shipping cost is less than Kobo.

Just a note. Family Christian doesn't sell the Aura HD (no retailers in the US do at this time).

roadster · 06-28-2013, 12:58 AM

if I order KOBO aura HD from Canada to New Jersey... should I pay import tax to Government???

Indigo(http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/) sells Aura now... and ships to US..

elbell · 06-28-2013, 01:08 AM

you can order the Aura from Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn

http://www.greenlightbookstore.com/product/kobo-aura-hd

shipping looks like it is $9.95 for ground shipping with a tracking #

i bought mine there in person.

selina4books · 06-28-2013, 08:02 AM

I had a heck of a time ordering a Glo a couple weeks ago. Same issues. Finally went through, but it put three pending charges on my credit card before it did. Had trouble ordering my Aura in April too but at least it didn't tie up my credit card with phantom pending charges. It just refused to let me submit the order at all. Kobo really needs to fix this...they have excellent readers...I have Nooks and Kindles and much prefer to read on my Kobos. (Glo, Mini, Aura) It's sad when you sell the best devices and make it so $&):#%^* hard for people to buy them!

TheMatrix · 06-28-2013, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Just a note. Family Christian doesn't sell the Aura HD (no retailers in the US do at this time).

Sorry I was shopping for the Mini and saw other Kobo readers there, but didn't look at which ones they were.

MR. Pockets · 06-28-2013, 01:02 PM

I finally "bit the bullet" and ordered through Chapters. I love Kobo's products (even with the firmware debacles) and it makes me very sad to see a good company shoot itself in the foot like Kobo has been doing. Reading other threads, it appears that everyone in the US is having similar issues ordering from kobo.com.

06-27-2013, 12:39 AM	#1
MR. Pockets Addict Posts: 216 Karma: 4320 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Idaho, USA Device: Kobo Touch, Aluratek Libre Pro	Ordering Aura HD from US I have tried multiple times now to order an Aura from the Kobo website. Each time I try, the order fails with a "payment authorization error" message, but a hold for the amount of the reader ($169.99) gets placed on my account. The hold clears (I am not charged) after 3 days (my bank's policy) since the order was not actually placed. I have given up trying to order from Kobo.com (per Kobo support's suggestion) and tried to place an order with chapters.indigo.ca, however, they want to charge me $18 fro shipping. I would greatly prefer not to spend the extra $18 but I have no idea where else to order from. Are there any stores/websites in the US that sell the Aura at this time?

06-27-2013, 10:44 AM	#6
FJames Addict Posts: 320 Karma: 320941 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Touch & Aura	Try calling your credit card company. I've done that before when payment wasn't authorized for an online purchase, and they were able to tell me exactly what was wrong with the transaction (e.g., wrong expiry date given, wrong address etc.). Then you can go back to Kobo customer service armed with more precise knowledge about why the transaction isn't going through successfully. If you entered something incorrectly on the initial attempt, it might be cached somewhere even if you have corrected it subsequently, or they might have temporarily blocked subsequent transactions from the same source after the initial failure (and they don't always tell you that). Last edited by FJames; 06-27-2013 at 10:46 AM.

06-28-2013, 01:02 PM	#14
MR. Pockets Addict Posts: 216 Karma: 4320 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Idaho, USA Device: Kobo Touch, Aluratek Libre Pro	I finally "bit the bullet" and ordered through Chapters. I love Kobo's products (even with the firmware debacles) and it makes me very sad to see a good company shoot itself in the foot like Kobo has been doing. Reading other threads, it appears that everyone in the US is having similar issues ordering from kobo.com. Last edited by MR. Pockets; 06-28-2013 at 01:21 PM.

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06-27-2013, 12:50 AM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	There are some third party re-sellers on Amazon at a marked up price, but that's it. shopereaders.com also sells them at a mark up (they're in BC, Canada IIRC). If you can't get it from Kobo directly then Chapters is probably the best bet (I didn't know they'd ship to the US).

06-27-2013, 07:29 AM	#5
Warchild Member Posts: 22 Karma: 205624 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle, Nook Color, Kobo Aura, iPad, iPad Mini	I've had the same problem. For a while I had $690 tied up in pending kobo charges. Customer service is worthless, they can't even tell if the issue has been repaired or fixed. Very disheartening and rather miraculous that they would have their only sales conduit in the US shut down by themselves! And I still want one!

06-27-2013, 12:22 PM	#7
Warchild Member Posts: 22 Karma: 205624 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle, Nook Color, Kobo Aura, iPad, iPad Mini	The problem is that the bank transaction does process. The card company called me before suspending the card for "suspicious activity" (the constant charges from kobo) It's all on kobo's end, and, at least from customer service tier 2 and 1, they really don't care. The most they were willing to offer was to find a store close to me in the US of which there are none . . .

06-27-2013, 01:11 PM	#8
TheMatrix Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 2502 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kobo Mini, Ipad 2	The Kobo website sucks! Had the same problems ordering the Kobo Mini. See my thread about my experience with them. I finally found a Family Christian Store that sold them for the same price minus shipping cost and just went there to buy one, but you can also order online from them and I believe their shipping cost is less than Kobo. That might be your best bet. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=216452

06-28-2013, 12:58 AM	#10
roadster Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Seoul, Korea Device: Sony PRS-300, PRS-505, Ipod touch	if I order KOBO aura HD from Canada to New Jersey... should I pay import tax to Government??? Indigo(http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/) sells Aura now... and ships to US..

06-28-2013, 01:08 AM	#11
elbell Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: brooklyn Device: kobo Aura	you can order the Aura from Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn http://www.greenlightbookstore.com/product/kobo-aura-hd shipping looks like it is $9.95 for ground shipping with a tracking # i bought mine there in person.

06-28-2013, 08:02 AM	#12
selina4books Addict Posts: 205 Karma: 459093 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Aura, Mini, Glo, & Aura HD, KPW, Nook Glow, Nook HD	I had a heck of a time ordering a Glo a couple weeks ago. Same issues. Finally went through, but it put three pending charges on my credit card before it did. Had trouble ordering my Aura in April too but at least it didn't tie up my credit card with phantom pending charges. It just refused to let me submit the order at all. Kobo really needs to fix this...they have excellent readers...I have Nooks and Kindles and much prefer to read on my Kobos. (Glo, Mini, Aura) It's sad when you sell the best devices and make it so $&):#%^* hard for people to buy them!