Experience with the level of geo restrictions at kobo (shortcovers)?

Ea · 12-16-2009, 11:13 AM

Is there anyone from Europe who've had any experience with buying books from Shortcovers/Kobo, and what did you think?

I tried it out when shortcovers was launched, but I couldn't buy anything then and gave it up. Since then, Fictionwise have become completely impossible to buy anything of interest from, while Amazon, to my surprise, actually have had most of those books available that I've had interest in, so the question of geo restrictions seems 'muddy' and just because one shop can't/won't offer a wide variety, others may.

Blue Tyson · 12-16-2009, 12:20 PM

Dunno about Europe, but often restricted in Australia

e.g. This content is not available internationally.

Unfortunately, this content is only available in select countries, and we do not currently have the rights to offer this content for browsing or purchasing in Australia. For more information on our geographic availability, please click here.

This is for Alastair Reynolds The Prefect - a book that has been out everywhere in the world of interest for years.

Blue Tyson · 12-16-2009, 12:20 PM

Or, I would guess you can continue to give up.

dickon25 · 12-16-2009, 01:19 PM

I'm in the Uk and cannot buy from Shortcovers at all.
Totally agree with you about Fictionwise - I'm reduced to their Multiformat selection, which seems to be mostly Dark Fantasy and bodice-rippers!
Have you tried WH Smith's (http://www.whsmith.co.uk/jump-pages/books-ebooks.aspx)? They're not the cheapest but seem to have all the bestsellers etc. As you're in Europe too, you should be able to buy from them.
Good luck!

Ea · 12-16-2009, 01:58 PM

Thanks

I did suspect the situation might be like with FW. Their multi-format selection doesn't exactly attract me either.

I usually check WH Smith, but they've rarely had the books I was loking for. Waterstone's is a bit better, but I've also had good experiences with cyberread.com - at the moment they even offer a nice discount for creating reviews. And even at Amazon I've been able to buy most of the books I've been interested in. I guess I wanted to find out if shortcovers had evolved a bit in the mean time - I was a bit put out when they were first launched and I found out I couldn't buy anything from them

JCKobo · 12-20-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dickon25

I'm in the Uk and cannot buy from Shortcovers at all.

Have you tried us recently? We have been improving our selection in the UK and you should now only see titles you can purchase when you browse.

Ausies, you're next on our list...

Ea · 12-21-2009, 03:59 AM

What about the rest of the world? Also with regards to geographical restrictions.

Hogan · 12-21-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCKobo

Have you tried us recently? We have been improving our selection in the UK and you should now only see titles you can purchase when you browse.

Ausies, you're next on our list...

You are joking? Its a terrible selection from the UK. For eaxmple, I browsed to the Mystery & Suspense section and clicked on Dan Brown, James Patterson, Michael Connelly and Sue Grafton ... guess what? All NOT available internationally.

Come back to us when you have serious offerings for non-American customers! Meantime, I'll stick with Cyberread.

dickon25 · 12-21-2009, 12:13 PM

Have you tried us recently? We have been improving our selection in the UK and you should now only see titles you can purchase when you browse.

I rarely check Shortcovers now, since I can never buy anything, but have tried to have a look since your re-vamp.......only to find the site won't even load for me now.......

12-16-2009, 11:13 AM	#1
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Experience with the level of geo restrictions at kobo (shortcovers)? Is there anyone from Europe who've had any experience with buying books from Shortcovers/Kobo, and what did you think? I tried it out when shortcovers was launched, but I couldn't buy anything then and gave it up. Since then, Fictionwise have become completely impossible to buy anything of interest from, while Amazon, to my surprise, actually have had most of those books available that I've had interest in, so the question of geo restrictions seems 'muddy' and just because one shop can't/won't offer a wide variety, others may.

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12-16-2009, 12:20 PM	#2
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Dunno about Europe, but often restricted in Australia e.g. This content is not available internationally. Unfortunately, this content is only available in select countries, and we do not currently have the rights to offer this content for browsing or purchasing in Australia. For more information on our geographic availability, please click here. This is for Alastair Reynolds The Prefect - a book that has been out everywhere in the world of interest for years.

12-16-2009, 01:19 PM	#4
dickon25 Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 818 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-505. Pocketbook Inkpad 840	I'm in the Uk and cannot buy from Shortcovers at all. Totally agree with you about Fictionwise - I'm reduced to their Multiformat selection, which seems to be mostly Dark Fantasy and bodice-rippers! Have you tried WH Smith's (http://www.whsmith.co.uk/jump-pages/books-ebooks.aspx)? They're not the cheapest but seem to have all the bestsellers etc. As you're in Europe too, you should be able to buy from them. Good luck!

12-16-2009, 01:58 PM	#5
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Thanks I did suspect the situation might be like with FW. Their multi-format selection doesn't exactly attract me either. I usually check WH Smith, but they've rarely had the books I was loking for. Waterstone's is a bit better, but I've also had good experiences with cyberread.com - at the moment they even offer a nice discount for creating reviews. And even at Amazon I've been able to buy most of the books I've been interested in. I guess I wanted to find out if shortcovers had evolved a bit in the mean time - I was a bit put out when they were first launched and I found out I couldn't buy anything from them

12-21-2009, 03:59 AM	#7
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	What about the rest of the world? Also with regards to geographical restrictions.

12-21-2009, 12:13 PM	#9
dickon25 Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 818 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-505. Pocketbook Inkpad 840	Have you tried us recently? We have been improving our selection in the UK and you should now only see titles you can purchase when you browse. I rarely check Shortcovers now, since I can never buy anything, but have tried to have a look since your re-vamp.......only to find the site won't even load for me now.......

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