What's up with availability?

[mirage]

After years not using an ereader (a Kindle Keyboard long, long ago), I decided it was time to stop reading on my phone so much and use a front lit screen instead. After familiarizing myself with things a bit, I settled on the Clara HD. I'm in the US, so that means ordering from Kobo or Walmart. The latter had it on sale for $89.96, $30 cheaper than Kobo's price. I buy something from Walmart maybe once every 10 years, which is probably once every 10 years too often. But given their easier return policy and logistics and sale price, it was a simple choice. I ordered it about 3 weeks ago.

One problem—the device never showed up. My order is "delayed." Walmart does list the device on their website, but at a price way higher than their normal $119 and through a third party vendor. The same holds true for the Libra H2O at an even more inflated price.

Walmart customer service says they have no information about availability. They don't know if the Clara HD will appear today, next week, or ever. Kobo's CS is unreachable other than via Twitter. The chat feature on their help page is a bot. Their Twitter responses are devoid of content. They politely tell me almost nothing. So I have no idea what's going on. Their two possibly best selling devices are unavailable in the US and must come from Rakuten in Canada (please correct me if I'm wrong about that) meaning slow shipping and expensive returns plus a restocking fee.

Canadians can get them easily in a number of ways, including picking one up at the local Indigo store, many of which have plenty of inventory. What's this about? Why the Walmart exclusivity? Why are there no Clara HDs or Libra H2Os in the US?

I could order from Indigo in Canada, but after shipping is added, their discounted price turns into the Rakuten price, pretty much. At least there wouldn't be a restocking fee.

I'd probably just do that, but I liked that sale price I'd gotten, even if it was illusory, and it's hard to let it go. And I'm wondering if this shortage is because the Clara HD and the Libra H2O are about to be replaced by newer models.

I want the customization and hackability of the Kobo devices. I don't want a Kindle. I'd get the pricier Onyx Boox Poke 2, but those don't exist at the moment either.

This is long winded, I know. For those who lasted this long, does anyone have any idea what's going on with regard to the availability problems in the US?

[Uschiekid]

Note, Indigo prices are in Canadian dollars, Kobo/Rakuten prices are in US dollars (for american customers, the price is simply higher and in CAD when buying in Canada). Now maybe you already took that into account, but most people find a significant savings when buying from Indigo to the US, even when shipping fees are included.

Edit: I just bring this up because you didn't mention conversion, etc. I haven't double checked the prices, and depending on the current exchange rate, the amount of savings can vary *a lot*

[DrRocco]

I noticed the same thing about Kobo devices from Walmart. I was interested in a black Libra but it was from a third-party vendor and over $200.00. The white was direct from walmart and $169.00. When I checked back a few days later, both colors were now over $200 and sourced from a third-party.

I ordered direct from Kobo on June 4. I got an email today with tracking showing a delivery date of June 12, so the shipping direct from Kobo isn't bad at all (I'm in California). As far as a restocking fee, Kobo rep told me the fee only applies if you return for a refund. If you return for a replacement there is no fee (you do have to pay for return shipping though).

[MGlitch]

The world sort of caught fire this year disrupting supply chains for electronics in a major way.

Nintendo who is easily a bigger company than Kobo has struggled to get the Switch out to vendors until recently.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by Uschiekid

Note, Indigo prices are in Canadian dollars, Kobo/Rakuten prices are in US dollars (for american customers, the price is simply higher and in CAD when buying in Canada). Now maybe you already took that into account, but most people find a significant savings when buying from Indigo to the US, even when shipping fees are included.

Edit: I just bring this up because you didn't mention conversion, etc. I haven't double checked the prices, and depending on the current exchange rate, the amount of savings can vary *a lot*

Thanks for mentioning this. I had taken it into account, which I should have stated. The difference in price is less than $1 between Indigo and Kobo. It's just under $160 Canadian delivered, which equates to $119 and change US.

Originally Posted by DrRocco

I noticed the same thing about Kobo devices from Walmart. I was interested in a black Libra but it was from a third-party vendor and over $200.00. The white was direct from walmart and $169.00. When I checked back a few days later, both colors were now over $200 and sourced from a third-party.

I ordered direct from Kobo on June 4. I got an email today with tracking showing a delivery date of June 12, so the shipping direct from Kobo isn't bad at all (I'm in California). As far as a restocking fee, Kobo rep told me the fee only applies if you return for a refund. If you return for a replacement there is no fee (you do have to pay for return shipping though).

That time frame is fine. I just don't like giving up on my bargain price, even if it turns out to be a mirage (no pun on my handle intended).

Originally Posted by MGlitch

The world sort of caught fire this year disrupting supply chains for electronics in a major way.

Nintendo who is easily a bigger company than Kobo has struggled to get the Switch out to vendors until recently.

Yes. Of course. And I realize and accept that's almost surely a factor. I just wish someone, either Walmart, Kobo, or both, would say as much. Or say that these models won't be restocked. Kobo pleads ignorance to every question that's not spelled out on the product page. Was their customer support this bad 4 months ago? Walmart doesn't give any info to their support people, who are friendly and try to help, but aren't put in much of a position to do so.

[Deskisamess]

This is long winded, I know. For those who lasted this long, does anyone have any idea what's going on with regard to the availability problems in the US?

Seriously? Vital everyday products have been in short supply due to the Covid virus. Have you not been paying attention to the world around you? Not only has production been seriously hampered, so has shipping of those products. It's only just now beginning to improve, depending on the state.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by mirage

Yes. Of course. And I realize and accept that's almost surely a factor. I just wish someone, either Walmart, Kobo, or both, would say as much. Or say that these models won't be restocked. Kobo pleads ignorance to every question that's not spelled out on the product page. Was their customer support this bad 4 months ago? Walmart doesn't give any info to their support people, who are friendly and try to help, but aren't put in much of a position to do so.

Kobo CS can’t speak of actions of another company even as it concerns their product. They also can’t speak for how Walmart plans to fulfill your order. How could they?

As to Walmart’s CS who knows what script they’ve been given to work with right now. They should be doing better.

[Deskisamess]

Our local Walmart CS is less than stellar. We rarely go into a Walmart, unless we really need something right now.

Walmart online is very similar to Amazon now, with most items coming from 3rd party sellers. We do sometimes order from them online, but items are rarely fulfilled by Walmart.

I couldn't find sewing machine needles for weeks, for making masks, locally or online. Walmart finally had some, but it still took 10 days for delivery. Cone thread was also impossible to find, even through the craft and sewing stores. I was burning through both items.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Kobo CS can’t speak of actions of another company even as it concerns their product. They also can’t speak for how Walmart plans to fulfill your order. How could they?

As to Walmart’s CS who knows what script they’ve been given to work with right now. They should be doing better.

But what Kobo CS could do is tell me if they're shipping more Clara HDs to Walmart and more or less, when. With a lot of products that might be too much to ask for, but in this case, Kobo sells their products through exactly one company in this giant country, Walmart. So it shouldn't be a stretch for them to provide their CS people with information about future availability in the US. No, they can't tell me what Walmart will do with the items once they get them, if they do get them, but they can tell me whether or not they're going to ship more of them to Walmart. I can see where they might choose to avoid providing that info via their CS, but it's a conscious choice.

[Deskisamess]

First tier CS won't know anything about Kobo product availability. CS in general won't have that kind of info.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by mirage

But what Kobo CS could do is tell me if they're shipping more Clara HDs to Walmart and more or less, when. With a lot of products that might be too much to ask for, but in this case, Kobo sells their products through exactly one company in this giant country, Walmart. So it shouldn't be a stretch for them to provide their CS people with information about future availability in the US. No, they can't tell me what Walmart will do with the items once they get them, if they do get them, but they can tell me whether or not they're going to ship more of them to Walmart. I can see where they might choose to avoid providing that info via their CS, but it's a conscious choice.

Actually with the power of the internet they sell their products to this country through any and all international shippers who carry their products. You can even find their products on Amazon through third party sellers not just some random guy who decided to list one.

You want answers on what Walmart will and won’t be restocking that’s on Walmart not on Kobo.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Actually with the power of the internet they sell their products to this country through any and all international shippers who carry their products. You can even find their products on Amazon through third party sellers not just some random guy who decided to list one.

You want answers on what Walmart will and won’t be restocking that’s on Walmart not on Kobo.

I started the thread because I don't know the answers to the questions I raised and pointed out that neither party is interested in divulging any information, be it though CS, on the product pages, through social media. It's a little strange to me that Kobo is as difficult to deal with as they are given their status as a significant underdog in this arena. I'm wondering what hasn't been stated by the companies beyond the obvious given the pandemic and political goings on. I recognize that companies don't publicly state all kinds of things.

• Is the Clara HD still being manufactured?
• If it is, when will it reappear in the US, which means when will Walmart, as the only true US vendor, have it again?
• Why does Walmart have US exclusivity? Or is there no exclusivity? But if there is none, why wouldn't Best Buy, BH Photo Video, Costco, et. al., carry these products?
• Why does Canada have ample inventory while the US doesn't?

There are far more important matters these days. But I can wonder, just the same. This is a forum about reading tools. Readers tend to want to know things. I want to know these things. I may never find out. But people here might have knowledge about some of these details. So I figured I'd ask.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

First tier CS won't know anything about Kobo product availability. CS in general won't have that kind of info.

I'm not in the US, but from my experience of dealing with Kobo CS, the first quoted sentence remains true if the final two words are removed. I can understand OP's frustration, even if in this specific instance it is the retailer who should be queried. Kobo could learn A LOT about CS from Amazon, string with treating "CS" as an initialisation of "Customer Service" and not "Can't Solve"

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by mirage

• Is the Clara HD still being manufactured?
• If it is, when will it reappear in the US, which means when will Walmart, as the only true US vendor, have it again?
• Why does Walmart have US exclusivity? Or is there no exclusivity? But if there is none, why wouldn't Best Buy, BH Photo Video, Costco, et. al., carry these products?
• Why does Canada have ample inventory while the US doesn't?

1) Presumably? But Kobo's CS will not known, and even if they did wouldn't be able to confirm it wasn't because that'd indicate a possible new product which Kobo isn't gonna want any confirmation beyond the things they can not avoid such as FCC filings.

2) as has been said the only ones who you can reach who might have this information are Walmart. Kobo at best know Walmart is ordering but not the intentions and as has been said the CS tier you speak with wont know, even higher tier CS probably wont know.

3) Because Kobo ran the numbers and decided that Amazon's crushing monopoly is not worth fighting strongly in the US right now. Or because Best Buy decided to no longer carry Kobo (they used to in the US still do in Canada). But again all this is moot since you can just order from Kobo or Indigo.

4) Because Walmart is a shit company and treats anything they can't make lots of money off of like it was a radioactive turd. Again though you can order from numerous other places while living in the US.


From others experiences returns are not pricey, both Kobo and Indigo send you pre-paid packaging stickers I believe. It may be time consuming especially right now because again covid is a thing we are all dealing with.

I don't know why you're so hellbent on a US provider for a product made in China, and sold by a Canadian company who is in turn owned by a Chinese conglomerate.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

1) sold by a Canadian company who is in turn owned by a Chinese conglomerate.

Rakuten is CHINESE owned now? It used to be Japanese. Someone should update their wiki entry.