Giving the gift of ebooks

JanuaryF · 02-05-2010, 08:56 AM

Hi all,

Ok - this question is probably about 2 months too late, I should have asked it before the holidays but I'm going to ask it anyways.

Before my reader, asking for books for Christmas or birthdays was as easy as pointing them to my Amazon wish list (whether they purchased them there or not). Books were (are) a large part of my gift ideas lists. Now, with my reader, it is not so easy to ask for books.

How can you give an ebook as a gift, or how have you received one? I know gift certificates are a definite option for this, but I'm hoping there are some other ideas out there...

Thanks,
January

Sorry if this isn't in the right forum - but hey, what is a better deal than a gifted ebook?

edbro · 02-05-2010, 08:58 AM

Buy it
Remove DRM
Gift it by email

bookfanmd · 02-05-2010, 09:13 AM

I know that Allromance.com lets you buy books for gifts. You have to have the recipient's email address and then they can log into the website and download their book. I don't remember seeing this anywhere else but I think most sites have gift certificates.

emonti8384 · 02-05-2010, 09:37 AM

BooksonBoard, Fictionwise-I think they have set-up's where you can gift books to someone else but do not know the specifics. Sony's ebook store......eh. Use it but I don't know anyone I'd buy ebooks for (usually I'm the recipient of such gifts, as no one else I know reads or has a reader) so don't know if they have anything useful there.

queentess · 02-05-2010, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edbro

Buy it
Remove DRM
Gift it by email

This is actually what I did for my mom this past Christmas. She got a Sony and I wanted to give her several books to go with it, but I wanted to buy her specific books, not just give her a generic gift card. Loaded them onto an SD card and presented that as the gift.

It's a great option for me, but it takes some technical skill and time that many people aren't going to invest in. Right now, gift cards are the easiest way to gift ebooks, but it's rather impersonal.

For Kindle users, Amazon allows us to add ebooks to our wish lists, but it says "While gifting is not yet offered in the Kindle store, we are working to make it available in the near future." So you can keep track of ebooks you want to buy, but there's no way to gift them. Seems to be a problem with most ebook sites (I can't speak to allromance.com that another poster says has gifting options).

dboucher · 02-05-2010, 04:27 PM

I was given a $25 gift card. How do I use it?
the number is XXX XXX XXX XXXX

edbro · 02-05-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dboucher

I was given a $25 gift card. How do I use it?
the number is XXX XXX XXX XXXX

Well, I don't know where you gift card is to. But, if you post the number then anybody can cash it in (if they haven't already)

rcuadro · 02-05-2010, 07:34 PM

I use gift cars for the amount of the book...

rcuadro · 02-05-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naumanqayum

where do buy gift cards

I buy the from Amazon since the people I gift books to have the Kindle also.

BeccaAnn · 02-05-2010, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naumanqayum

where do buy gift cards

Gift cards for Sony readers can be found at Target, Borders, Sony store, etc. (probably anywhere they physically sell Sony Readers). They generally come in $15, $25, & $50. This only applies to the U.S., I'm not sure about anywhere else.

K8Ereader · 02-06-2010, 06:36 AM

I was given several Waterstones gift cards for Christmas, which I used online for e-book purchase. On one of them the donor recommended a title, so that was what I bought.

Drawback is that only one card can be used per purchase, so I have several cards left with a small amount on them.

I can pool these in the bricks and mortar shops, for p-books. Not ideal but OK I suppose, I write the residual amount on the front of the card with a magic marker to keep track.

BeccaAnn · 02-06-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K8Ereader

Drawback is that only one card can be used per purchase, so I have several cards left with a small amount on them.

I can pool these in the bricks and mortar shops, for p-books. Not ideal but OK I suppose, I write the residual amount on the front of the card with a magic marker to keep track.

That stinks. With the Sony store (USA), we can input the card numbers whenever we want and they just add the amounts to one total.

bookratt · 02-06-2010, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaAnn

Gift cards for Sony readers can be found at Target, Borders, Sony store, etc. (probably anywhere they physically sell Sony Readers). They generally come in $15, $25, & $50. This only applies to the U.S., I'm not sure about anywhere else.

I saw Sony gift cards at Best Buy this week. Located with the reader display. They even are selling the big reader (for newspapers) for $399.99.

amy26 · 02-11-2010, 05:44 AM

Hey I'm new to the site but really enjoying finding out about eBooks. Think its a great idea giving gift certificates! Never realised there was such a large range of eBooks available!

02-05-2010, 08:56 AM	#1
JanuaryF Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 38 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Waterloo, Canada Device: Sony PRS-505 (Red)	Giving the gift of ebooks Hi all, Ok - this question is probably about 2 months too late, I should have asked it before the holidays but I'm going to ask it anyways. Before my reader, asking for books for Christmas or birthdays was as easy as pointing them to my Amazon wish list (whether they purchased them there or not). Books were (are) a large part of my gift ideas lists. Now, with my reader, it is not so easy to ask for books. How can you give an ebook as a gift, or how have you received one? I know gift certificates are a definite option for this, but I'm hoping there are some other ideas out there... Thanks, January Sorry if this isn't in the right forum - but hey, what is a better deal than a gifted ebook?

02-05-2010, 04:27 PM	#6
dboucher Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: prs-600	I was given a $25 gift card. How do I use it? the number is XXX XXX XXX XXXX Last edited by netseeker; 02-05-2010 at 07:58 PM. Reason: removed the gift card number

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02-05-2010, 08:58 AM	#2
edbro Banned Posts: 640 Karma: 4911 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Grapevine, TX Device: iPad4	Buy it Remove DRM Gift it by email

02-05-2010, 09:13 AM	#3
bookfanmd Addict Posts: 246 Karma: 4476 Join Date: May 2009 Location: US - Maryland Device: Sony 300/505/T1 Nook STWG Kobo Glo Kobo Aura HD KDX iPad1 K3 KT PW2	I know that Allromance.com lets you buy books for gifts. You have to have the recipient's email address and then they can log into the website and download their book. I don't remember seeing this anywhere else but I think most sites have gift certificates.

02-05-2010, 09:37 AM	#4
emonti8384 browneyedgurl Posts: 523 Karma: 356470 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Warren, OH Device: PRS-505/950x2, PRS-600 silver, Galaxy III purple, T2 black	BooksonBoard, Fictionwise-I think they have set-up's where you can gift books to someone else but do not know the specifics. Sony's ebook store......eh. Use it but I don't know anyone I'd buy ebooks for (usually I'm the recipient of such gifts, as no one else I know reads or has a reader) so don't know if they have anything useful there.

02-05-2010, 07:34 PM	#8
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	I use gift cars for the amount of the book...

02-06-2010, 06:36 AM	#11
K8Ereader Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 350 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Norfolk UK Device: Sony PRS-600	I was given several Waterstones gift cards for Christmas, which I used online for e-book purchase. On one of them the donor recommended a title, so that was what I bought. Drawback is that only one card can be used per purchase, so I have several cards left with a small amount on them. I can pool these in the bricks and mortar shops, for p-books. Not ideal but OK I suppose, I write the residual amount on the front of the card with a magic marker to keep track.

02-11-2010, 05:44 AM	#14
amy26 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	Hey I'm new to the site but really enjoying finding out about eBooks. Think its a great idea giving gift certificates! Never realised there was such a large range of eBooks available!