Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Pre-ordering books

I'm considering pre-ordering some books from Amazon. I usually don't do this because I figured with all the book stores around here I could just run out and get what I want immediately after it's released. But as most of you know, I usually can't find any new books around here until they've been out a while so lots of complaining, whining, and crying ensues on this blog.

The problem with pre-ordering is that I want to take advantage of the free shipping (on orders of $25 or more) and Amazon will wait to ship the order until all the books are in-stock. Of the 5 books I want 2 will be released in March, 2 in April and 1 in May. So that means waiting for all 5 until May. OR I could just place 3 separate orders and pay the shipping. Considering that the total cost of these orders will be less than one round of golf for Bob, I don't know why I'm being such a tightwad. Force of habit, I guess.



Anyone else do any pre-ordering? Have you found that you get them before they are out in the stores in your area?

5 comments:

Wendy said...

Boy, I'm no help since I never preorder. If I'm that anxious to get my hands on a book I hit Borders the day it's released. Of course, this is easy for me to say since Borders carries quite a bit of stock (mine does anyway) and I literally live around the corner from one....

ReneeW said...

Yeah, I have tried repeatedly to hit Borders the day of a release .... nada. Or even within the first week... still nada. I've also tried B&N too, again, nada. I rarely get anxious for a release but these 5 I really really want. Desperate times call for desperate measures :)

CindyS said...

I saw that someone mentioned about Chapters online - they will ship everything as it becomes available with the free shipping which is super cool. I thought Amazon also did this but I can't rightly recall now.

What I am finding troublesome is that right now, someone could go online at Chapters today (it's showing that it will ship in 24hr) and order the book I have pre-ordered and probably get it before me. I was going to order the book again with the order I put in last night but I the last time I had to return a book it was a pain. 'Why are you returning it?' 'You guys didn't ship it fast enough so when I saw it in the store I bought it and now I'm returning the one you finally shipped.'

Now, I do this because every once in a while someone screws up and I end up with a book 2 weeks before it's release date ;)

Guess I have a decision to make.

cindyS

ReneeW said...

Cindy: That's annoying. Don't they get it? Why would someone pre-order and wait for it to ship after release date when you can go into the store on the release day and buy it? They are seriously screwed up. But I like the idea of getting a book 2 weeks before release date.

Jennie said...

I've given up pre-ordering from Amazon--generally if I'm aware a book is coming out before the on-sale date, then I'm going to want it ON THAT DATE! And I have no patience waiting for the mailman. :)

I'm lucky because I live near so many bookstores. You might try pre-ordering it at a chain store. They might hold it for you on the release date. Not sure...

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