08-17-2011, 04:18 PM | #16 |
Clone Trooper
Posts: 212
Karma: 4566103
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Washington
Device: kindle
|
I bought two ebooks yesterday and really thought about returning one. The sample was really good and I was really into it and at $2.99 I thought "Why not?"
Then I get the book and started really reading it and it was basically all over the place. People running around being stupid and whatever, and then I realized that even though it was written in the first person, it kept switching tenses which kind of drove me crazy. Can you do first person past tense, and would you want to? It's so confusing, then to switch that around about ten times... Or worse, someone writes in first person, then throws in every once and awhile a third person point of view or whatever because they like forget that it's supposed to be first person. |
08-18-2011, 03:38 AM | #17 |
Zealot
Posts: 140
Karma: 2094632
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Bradford, UK
Device: kindle pc
|
You do of course realise that Amazon HAVE to provide a returns policy by law. Certainly in the UK you can return items to the shop that you bought them from, no questions asked, within a reasonable period as long as they are undamaged (or in the case of clothes, unworn and unwashed). E-Books are no different.
|
Advert | |
|
08-18-2011, 05:58 AM | #18 | ||
Zealot
Posts: 126
Karma: 415116
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Frederick MD
Device: Nook
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
08-18-2011, 05:59 AM | #19 | |
Independent Author
Posts: 47
Karma: 36836
Join Date: Aug 2011
Device: Sony PRS-505
|
Quote:
|
|
08-18-2011, 01:25 PM | #20 | |
Clone Trooper
Posts: 212
Karma: 4566103
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Washington
Device: kindle
|
Quote:
Or that thing where everything's in the present tense, then to add cliffhangers or whatever, the author throws in stuff that happens in the future. "I think I'm going to be happy here. That is, until ---- throws a rocket at my head." What? If you're in the present tense, can you know what's going to happen in the future? Idk, I feel like you should be able to get a refund if the book ends up being totally different than what you thought. But I also don't think it's fair that you read the whole book, enjoyed it, but give it back so you can get your money back. If that's all you wanted to do, why didn't you just go to the library? So 14 days seems like a long time in that respect, but not if you're giving the book as a gift when it could be days before the recipient even gets it. Tho if I was thinking about getting someone ebooks as a gift, I would just buy them a gift certificate and let them pick out what they want themselves. |
|
Advert | |
|
08-18-2011, 02:24 PM | #21 | |
Addict
Posts: 363
Karma: 500001
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Georgia, USA
Device: Kindle2
|
Quote:
JMO of course. |
|
08-18-2011, 08:29 PM | #22 |
Scott Nicholson, author
Posts: 363
Karma: 2029337
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Boone NC
Device: Kindle
|
I think it is great customer service and respect for the customer. A few may abuse it, but a few are out there pirating, too. Inspiring consumer confidence is great and probably leads to a lot more sales since people have that confidence and know they can return something. As long as returns are 2% or less, that's pretty darned good--and NO cost or real loss to anyone except maybe a penny of server space.
|
08-18-2011, 10:15 PM | #23 |
Is that a sandwich?
Posts: 8,217
Karma: 101696762
Join Date: Jun 2010
Device: Nook Glowlight Plus
|
I heard from a few authors and media personnel that the Agency 6 do not accept returns. All sales are final when the ebook is downloaded or accessed.
If this is true, that may explain why each retailer has different policies. To eat that loss can be expensive. |
08-19-2011, 01:52 AM | #24 | |
Addict
Posts: 249
Karma: 177956
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Germany
Device: PRS-650
|
Quote:
Might be just habit. I think I'd been reading quite a lot for 15-20 years of my life before I came across my first book in present tense, and I just could not get into it. |
|
08-19-2011, 01:42 PM | #25 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,418
Karma: 35207650
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: iPad
|
|
08-20-2011, 08:13 AM | #26 |
I write stories.
Posts: 700
Karma: 16437432
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Northern Germany
Device: kindle
|
I think first-person present is difficult to sustain throughout the length of an entire novel. I often enjoy it in short stories; it gives a sense of immediacy to the narration. It tends to go over best with audiences who view the story as an avenue for artistic expression rather than as a quick entertainment thrill.
|
08-20-2011, 08:33 AM | #27 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,418
Karma: 35207650
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: iPad
|
My three novels are in 1st person past, but most of what I see written these days is 3rd person past. I have not read any 1st person present, but I have tried to write it. It gets really awkward in places, at least for me, and just felt to unnatural to maintain. When my current series is done I might play with 3rd person past.
THe book I am reading now takes quite a bit of liberty with the 3rd person POV, as the narratore keeps interjecting humorous comments about the story in to the story. Normally I would say its a bad idea, but in this case its really well done. I doubt it could be done well in a serious book, but this one is intended (or so I hope LOL) to be more light hearted. |
08-20-2011, 08:58 AM | #28 |
Zealot
Posts: 118
Karma: 503896
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Bronx, NY
Device: iPhone
|
Just focus on the net column. That's the one that counts.
|
08-20-2011, 10:41 AM | #29 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 8,560
Karma: 8033155
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: TN, USA
Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc
|
Quote:
Try getting a refund on an ebook from anywhere else -- short of the book file not containing the book advertised (I've had that happen twice) or a major defect (can't be opened, can't be read past a specific point, etc), you are SOL. B&N's policy is: you bought, tough. It's like pulling teeth there, just to cancel a pre-order and get a refund (yes, they illegally charge upon order, not upon delivery; if you don't like it, their attitude is "go somewhere else, then"). |
|
08-20-2011, 11:11 AM | #30 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Even under UK law I don't believe it's correct to say that there has to be a refund policy once the customer has downloaded the book. Digital downloads are generally not refundable once they've been downloaded. You are, however, entitled to a refund if you've NOT downloaded it.
|
Tags |
amazon, e-book, refund policy |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
What Amazon's Return Policy for it? | Font | Amazon Kindle | 6 | 09-26-2010 04:34 PM |
Where to try Kindle and what is Amazon's return policy on Kindles? | pashlit | Amazon Kindle | 15 | 08-22-2010 05:41 PM |
Classic Return Policy | nremondelli | Barnes & Noble NOOK | 1 | 06-10-2010 09:31 AM |
Return Policy? | luqmaninbmore | Astak EZReader | 7 | 09-20-2009 11:08 AM |
Return Policy | JicMic | Sony Reader | 1 | 04-25-2009 10:37 AM |