Where do you "international" folks buy your eBooks?

tali3sin · 03-25-2009, 07:24 AM

First off, I couldn't quite figure out what section would be best to pose this question in - so mods, if I've got it in the wrong place, or there is one more suited, let me know... or move the thread, or whatever

I realise this is the "device" forum, but it seems to be where most newbie questions get asked, so it seemed appropriate.

Alright, so it looks like I'll be receiving an eReader at some point in the not too distant future - and this is hugely exciting. But, I live in the Czech Republic, and after that will likely live in Australia. So I won't have a Kindle, a Sony seems pretty unlikely, and it appears you can't buy books from either of their stores without a US address/account.
My father recently attempted to purchase a book from MobiPocket - but found that it didn't like his Australian address so much either. He eventually found what he wanted on Fictionwise (my suggestion after reading around on here! Go mobileread!) but commented on their range compared to Amazon. Hmm.

So, if you don't live in the US - where can you even buy the latest and greatest titles? Is there anywhere with a comparable range to the almighty Amazon? Or does that range come together through multiple eBook sites, and so it all still works out?

Where do you get them from? And I'm talking about new releases/etc.
I know there's a lot of free books available, and so on, but I'm interested in basically all books... and it's worrying to think that they might be hard to find :-\

Thanks everyone (:

Sweetpea · 03-25-2009, 07:26 AM

I only buy at FictionWise atm. I doubt anything can compare with Amazon, if you take the amount of content available.

PDS · 03-25-2009, 07:35 AM

Hi I mostly get mine from Books on Board, Diesel EBooks or Fictionwise.

pdurrant · 03-25-2009, 07:47 AM

Mainly Fictionwise. Occasionally BooksonBoard. Webscription.net for SciFi/Fantasy, mostly from Baen Books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tali3sin

Where do you get them from? And I'm talking about new releases/etc.
I know there's a lot of free books available, and so on, but I'm interested in basically all books... and it's worrying to think that they might be hard to find :-\

Thanks everyone (:

pthwaite · 03-25-2009, 07:51 AM

Books on Board but I also check Fictionwise, WHSmith and a couple of others. The biggest problem is some sites are becoming "geographic"

tali3sin · 03-25-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pthwaite

Books on Board but I also check Fictionwise, WHSmith and a couple of others. The biggest problem is some sites are becoming "geographic"

So then, the ebook retailers didn't always limit things by country? Is there any reason to believe they're all going to fall into this sort of model...? It feels like Amazon is doing a pretty good job of getting a strangle hold on the market. Or maybe I'm paranoid

Do you all pretty much always find what you were looking for, with regard to fiction..? Or is it a kind of hit-and-miss "make do" situation?

HarryT · 03-25-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pthwaite

Books on Board but I also check Fictionwise, WHSmith and a couple of others. The biggest problem is some sites are becoming "geographic"

They are, but it's a purely "nominal" check with many of them. Eg with FW, just change your country to the US and pay by some method other than credit card (eg buy Micropay credits via PayPal and then pay with Micropay).

tali3sin · 03-25-2009, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

They are, but it's a purely "nominal" check with many of them. Eg with FW, just change your country to the US and pay by some method other than credit card (eg buy Micropay credits via PayPal and then pay with Micropay).

Does that work with MobiPocket as well? I'm assuming that since they're owned by Amazon they have a similar range... unless Amazon is purposefully making sure that they don't, in order to promote the Kindle store.

Great tip though, thanks

And I've just found ebooks.com - does anyone use it? It appears to list multiple countries as being a-ok.

Curly · 03-25-2009, 09:08 AM

As others have already mentioned, I also use mainly Fictionwise, Books on Board, and WH Smith.

Have you checked the wiki page on ebook stores? I have noticed the list keeps getting longer!

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_stores

tali3sin · 03-25-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

As others have already mentioned, I also use mainly Fictionwise, Books on Board, and WH Smith.

Have you checked the wiki page on ebook stores? I have noticed the list keeps getting longer!

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_stores

Somehow I always forget the Wiki is there, thanks for the reminder

DixieGal · 03-25-2009, 09:25 AM

I think ebooks.com is Australian, so your Aussie bucks should work out OK with them. I got charged a HUGE international transaction fee at the only purchase I've made from them, which gave me a taste of what you guys all confront when buying from US booksellers.

tali3sin · 03-25-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I think ebooks.com is Australian, so your Aussie bucks should work out OK with them. I got charged a HUGE international transaction fee at the only purchase I've made from them, which gave me a taste of what you guys all confront when buying from US booksellers.

Australian's get charged with those damnable transaction/conversion fees, and we get huge mark-ups on most imported products... which is basically every product. But, we live in a cheerful, warm and sunny country - so there has to be a catch, right?

hekkel · 03-25-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tali3sin

So, if you don't live in the US - where can you even buy the latest and greatest titles? Is there anywhere with a comparable range to the almighty Amazon? Or does that range come together through multiple eBook sites, and so it all still works out?

Largest, I don't know, but the best collection in my eyes can be found at Waterstones (for English) and Numilog (French).

-maarten

cbell · 03-25-2009, 11:42 PM

tali3sin, you could try www.macmillandigital.com.au or www.dymocks.com.au. www.ebooks.com is in Western Australia.

PieOPah · 03-27-2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pthwaite

The biggest problem is some sites are becoming "geographic"

I discovered this recently when trying to buy 2 Tom Holt books from Books on Board... I was shocked that they would sell to somone from the UK...

Writer from the UK.
Publisher from the UK

Only sell to USA...

What is that all about??

03-25-2009, 07:24 AM	#1
tali3sin Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 38 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: HTC Magic	Where do you "international" folks buy your eBooks? First off, I couldn't quite figure out what section would be best to pose this question in - so mods, if I've got it in the wrong place, or there is one more suited, let me know... or move the thread, or whatever I realise this is the "device" forum, but it seems to be where most newbie questions get asked, so it seemed appropriate. Alright, so it looks like I'll be receiving an eReader at some point in the not too distant future - and this is hugely exciting. But, I live in the Czech Republic, and after that will likely live in Australia. So I won't have a Kindle, a Sony seems pretty unlikely, and it appears you can't buy books from either of their stores without a US address/account. My father recently attempted to purchase a book from MobiPocket - but found that it didn't like his Australian address so much either. He eventually found what he wanted on Fictionwise (my suggestion after reading around on here! Go mobileread!) but commented on their range compared to Amazon. Hmm. So, if you don't live in the US - where can you even buy the latest and greatest titles? Is there anywhere with a comparable range to the almighty Amazon? Or does that range come together through multiple eBook sites, and so it all still works out? Where do you get them from? And I'm talking about new releases/etc. I know there's a lot of free books available, and so on, but I'm interested in basically all books... and it's worrying to think that they might be hard to find :-\ Thanks everyone (:

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03-25-2009, 07:26 AM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I only buy at FictionWise atm. I doubt anything can compare with Amazon, if you take the amount of content available.

03-25-2009, 07:35 AM	#3
PDS Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 46 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Brisbane, QLD, Austalia Device: Sony PRS-505, Dell Mini 9, I-Phone	Hi I mostly get mine from Books on Board, Diesel EBooks or Fictionwise.

03-25-2009, 07:51 AM	#5
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	Books on Board but I also check Fictionwise, WHSmith and a couple of others. The biggest problem is some sites are becoming "geographic"

03-25-2009, 09:08 AM	#9
Curly I need a holiday! Posts: 1,227 Karma: 4622 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Scotland Device: PRS-505, ipod touch	As others have already mentioned, I also use mainly Fictionwise, Books on Board, and WH Smith. Have you checked the wiki page on ebook stores? I have noticed the list keeps getting longer! https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_stores

03-25-2009, 09:25 AM	#11
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I think ebooks.com is Australian, so your Aussie bucks should work out OK with them. I got charged a HUGE international transaction fee at the only purchase I've made from them, which gave me a taste of what you guys all confront when buying from US booksellers.

03-25-2009, 11:42 PM	#14
cbell Frenetic Posts: 590 Karma: 8181 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Device: iLiad V2	tali3sin, you could try www.macmillandigital.com.au or www.dymocks.com.au. www.ebooks.com is in Western Australia.