Books you would love to buy but can't....

[Apache]

Originally Posted by TheSmitty

And you can just use your regular credit card?

I use my Am Ex Card. I do know some people, who have Visa/MC Cards that are not usable overseas.
Apache

[latepaul]

I know I've definitely tried and failed in the past to buy outside the UK with Kobo. I think I needed a non-UK credit card. I wasn't prepared to jump through those hoops so I gave up.

I think it's only happened a couple of times that I've wanted to buy a book and couldn't get it due to geo-restrictions. Maybe also a few times where there's been no ebook at all. In those cases I've either waited or bought the paper book.

[HLS]

The Bridge on the River Kwai. Not in ebook format anyplace that I can find. Not Amazon or B&N

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

The Bridge on the River Kwai. Not in ebook format anyplace that I can find. Not Amazon or B&N

Vintage Books publish it as an ebook.

It is available in NZ from Kobo as epub (would expect it to be available in UK too as Vintage is English as far as I know) - if cannot be seen then you are likely another sufferer of geo restrictions .

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

The Bridge on the River Kwai. Not in ebook format anyplace that I can find. Not Amazon or B&N

When I look at Kobo's Canadian site, it shows the book as being available. When I swap us for ca in the URL, it still shows as available but that may be due to my account location. It might be worth taking a look at Kobo US.

The Bridge on the River Kwai

[barryem]

Chapters Indigo also shows it available as a Kobo ebook.

Barry

[sjfan]

Originally Posted by DNSB

When I look at Kobo's Canadian site, it shows the book as being available. When I swap us for ca in the URL, it still shows as available but that may be due to my account location. It might be worth taking a look at Kobo US.

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Browsing there from the US:

"Unavailable in United States

This item can't be purchased in United States. Shop from United States to see titles available to you."

[darryl]

Yes. The novel, The Bridge over the River Kwai, is definitely available as an ebook but it seems not in the US. In Australia it is available from either Amazon or Kobo at the bargain agency price of $A12.99. A quick search shows that pirate copies are readily available, though I am not of course advocating such piracy. I simply wish to make the observation that it is ridiculous to have no ebook available at all for legal purchase in the US. It is better but not much better to price the ebook at such high levels in other regions.

UPDATE: Kobo India has it for 268.19 INR or about $A5.34. Amazon India has it for 190 INR or $A3,78. I think I need an Amazon India account!

[Timboli]

Words Like Coins Kindle Edition by Robin Hobb

Shows as - This title is not currently available for purchase

Yet if I check Amazon with Opera VPN in Private Mode, it is available on the Amazon author's page for $3.99, but despite all that, when I go to the ebook page, I get the same message. It used to show $3.99, but either it is no longer available to anyone or they know I am not really from America.

But if it was available to me as a pretend American, then from my research it would seem like I would need to go to a lot of trouble to get it.

There is no AUS Amazon equivalent, so that rules Gifting out I imagine, from an American friend.

So the only way forward, would be to do the following.
1. Have an American residential or billing address.
2. Have an American credit card, to which I can input and withdraw funds at need.
3. Have a Kindle device dedicated to being a pretend American one ... or the PC For Kindle app on a device or PC that doesn't have my existing AUS version, and which also pretends to be American. So in other words, different hardware than I already use for my current Amazon account.
4. Of course, you also need a (American) new Amazon account and a different email address.

Personally I am not willing to experiment with losing everything, even though I do have backup copies. I'd rather not risk losing my existing Amazon Kindle account.

------------------------------------

Of course, the whole situation with a digital product is ludicrous and defies sense. It seems pretty clear to me, it is about control and nothing to do with profits. Some, perhaps a lot, of these publishers jealously guard their rights beyond the point of reason. Especially when they mix up ebooks with physical books. Quite often I can buy a physical book here, that is available in America as an ebook, but not available here as an ebook. All supposedly due to publishing deals or rights.

There should be rules to stop this nonsense.

And nonsense it certainly is, because in most cases there are legitimate ways around the situation ... if not ideal for the end user, who just wants an ebook.

For instance, I don't have to buy the physical book from my country or even brand new. I have bought many physical books from overseas, especially second hand from libraries in America and Canada ... and also new from American online stores.

What does the author or publisher get if I buy the book second (third, etc) hand?

What does some AUS based publisher (that is probably causing all the issues) get if I buy brand new from an online American Book Store?

Nothing in both cases, it would seem to me.

And the lack of sense doesn't end there. For even if I can buy the ebook, quite often the physical book is a similar or cheaper price ... depending on where you purchase of course. The end result of course, is less profit for author & publisher, if I buy the physical book. Just totally idiotic that an ebook isn't much cheaper, and they still reap the same profit, without any of the physical issues to endure.

---------------------------------------

I have essentially, in many cases (fair publishers aside), been driven away from many main stream publishers, and just grab Indie publishings (despite their often existing flaws), while I just shelve (sic) interest in authors I have followed for years, until sense re-enters the publisher mindset. It is not too hard for me (if not ideal from a fan perspective and wanting to keep up with series etc), as I have a huge backlog of books that need reading. So it is just a matter of changing my priorities.

It is sad really, that it has come to this, but publishers (perhaps even well established authors) have only themselves to blame if they have stuck their hand in the sand, and fight against the digital revolution ... or try to take unjust or unethical advantage of it. They should be embracing and focusing on the positives, not negatives, as in all reality there is no going back ... not long term anyway.

I still love physical books, and have a huge library of them, but like many others I want my new books to be ebooks from now on, and I refuse to bow to publisher pressure to do otherwise. In a worst case scenario, if desperate, I will buy second hand or placate my conscience with justifiable excuses to use the other option available ... perhaps both in tandem.

It is quite overwhelming the number of ebooks (alone) that are available now, and with great sites like BookBub, to help you cut through the chaff, to some degree, I can afford to be picky and choosy about who I am prepared to give my money to.

In reality, the saddest thing of all, is the relationship between author and reader has now been impacted with a dark side. Ask yourself - Can you really enjoy reading a product from someone you are struggling to respect?

I like to start a book with a clear mind, no negatives ... which is why I rarely read book reviews. If an author/publisher has really irritated me with price or availability of their product, then I am not feeling well disposed toward them, even as I have found, after decades of being a huge fan. Perhaps I am to blame though, for having kept these authors on pedestals until now?

Of course, I totally want to just blame the publisher for the current state of affair, but I cannot ignore that the author may be playing a part too.

Sad Times indeed!

P.S. Apologies for the long post ... but hey, don't we all love to read.

[pwalker8]

I think that Napoleon's saying applies, roughly paraphrased, never ascribe to malice what can be explained with incompetence. The reason for Geo restrictions is simply that well before easy shipping, few publishers published outside a geographic area. There were a lot of reasons for that and it makes sense for physical books, but basically it comes down to it's an old business model and dealing with multiple publishers makes financial sense for many successful authors.

The issue of orphaned books, i.e. technically books where no one is sure who actually holds the copyright, but could be expanded to books where the copyright holder is not actively interested in making the book available, is an issue that most will acknowledge, but there simply isn't the political will to craft a solution.

[latepaul]

And it would take a lot of political will given that you're talking about international treaties.

[Rand1956]

Laughing Gas by P.G. Wodehouse. Sentimental favorite because it was the first PGW I read. Available as an ebook from Amazon UK but not US.

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I think that Napoleon's saying applies, roughly paraphrased, never ascribe to malice what can be explained with incompetence.

I'd say both & more. A mix of a lot of foolish things.

The reason for Geo restrictions is simply that well before easy shipping, few publishers published outside a geographic area. There were a lot of reasons for that and it makes sense for physical books, but basically it comes down to it's an old business model and dealing with multiple publishers makes financial sense for many successful authors.

I perfectly understand the traditional reasons, that are easily gotten around by purchasing outside your country.

However, when it comes to digital and physical, I see them as separate products, despite the similarity. So when a publisher props up low physical book sales with ebook ones at a higher price than they should be, to make up for the profit shortfall, they are engaging in an unethical practice. Likewise if a publisher in my country, prevents me buying an ebook from Amazon (etc) or only at an exorbitant price, despite only offering the physical book themselves.

Despite what they want to foster, it is not a case of buy the ebook or buy the physical book, for most of us. As many of us have moved on, and only want to buy the ebook, seeing the physical book as a redundant product.

The issue of orphaned books, i.e. technically books where no one is sure who actually holds the copyright, but could be expanded to books where the copyright holder is not actively interested in making the book available, is an issue that most will acknowledge, but there simply isn't the political will to craft a solution.

Clearly society needs to move to a position of - Make available within a specified time frame or lose sole rights. The onus should be with the actual copyright owner to make it abundantly clear they have that copyright, and they need to take reasonable action regularly to retain sole rights. Withholding beyond a certain duration, should be unacceptable ... and that should apply to more than books. There should also be a price test, as set by a governing body, as to what is fair and reasonable.

Once something has been published or provided to the public by the original author or owner, then they should lose the right to withhold indefinitely. That doesn't mean they lose any right to recompense, just that they will have less say if they don't take action themselves.

That's my view anyway. A view based on moderate capitalism, not the rampant rabid animal version of capitalism we have now. And it isn't a true democracy if the rich call all the shots, like they do now.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by latepaul

And it would take a lot of political will given that you're talking about international treaties.

Not really. First off, international treaties can be renounced (not likely to happen). Second, there are many aspects of US copyright law that either do not adhere to the treaty or are not explicitly covered by the treaty( the concept of fair use for example). US copyright law is defined by the US Constitution and acts of Congress, not international treaty.

The only real issue is that there isn't any group in the US with sufficient pull who actually wants to address the issue of orphaned works.

[GeoffR]

Some of the books remaining on my wishlist are not available in my country due to geographic restrictions, but in most cases I am willing to wait a while to see if that changes.

I write to the publisher and ask them to make the book available in New Zealand; quite often the restriction turns out just to be a mistake rather than an actual rights issue. This way the author/publisher not only gets a sale from me, but maybe also some addditional sales from other New Zealanders who can now see the book at the retailers.

For books by US publishers that are not available as ebooks outside US/Canada it is sometimes worth waiting for the UK ebook edition to be published, especially if it is an older ebook full of scanning errors. Also sometimes the UK/Commonwealth rights have reverted to the author and a self-published edition will become available in time.

(Edit: Perhaps I should add that part of the reason I am more relaxed about this issue now is that early on I went and bought many of the high-priority geographically restricted items on my wishlist from overseas retailers, so the ones that remain on my wishlist are not so urgent. Also ebooks recently became taxed in New Zealand, so now there would be additional issues around tax avoidence to grapple with if I were to buy from the large overseas retailers. There doesn't seem to be a simple way for a consumer to declare unpaid GST like there is with unpaid income tax.)