WHAT???
I've been searching for a book I loved to read many years ago.
New copies are available, but they're too expensive for my budget.
Seems a bit odd, the book is from the seventies and was a mass produced paperback.
I decided to check Amazon.
They had the book.
I checked the link for mass produced paperbacks and they have several copies.
Used, which is fine, ranging from 1cent (acceptable quality) up to...well I didn't check the full listing.
I selected one for 99cents, listed as good quality.
Conversion to Australian dollars took the price to $1.34.
Fine.
Headed to checkout, where I discovered shipping and handling would be $33.93!!
Making the total cost of a used mass produced paperback $35.27.
Gobsmacked!
I cancelled the order.
I'll check the local secondhand bookshops, there's a couple in the city I think. I know there used to be a couple in the city.
There's always ebay too.
New copies are available, but they're too expensive for my budget.
Seems a bit odd, the book is from the seventies and was a mass produced paperback.
I decided to check Amazon.
They had the book.
I checked the link for mass produced paperbacks and they have several copies.
Used, which is fine, ranging from 1cent (acceptable quality) up to...well I didn't check the full listing.
I selected one for 99cents, listed as good quality.
Conversion to Australian dollars took the price to $1.34.
Fine.
Headed to checkout, where I discovered shipping and handling would be $33.93!!
Making the total cost of a used mass produced paperback $35.27.
Gobsmacked!
I cancelled the order.
I'll check the local secondhand bookshops, there's a couple in the city I think. I know there used to be a couple in the city.
There's always ebay too.
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It always surprises me how much used books can cost - hundreds sometimes and those not even rare antiques!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the seller of the book did not live in Australia?
ReplyDeleteWOW..shipping is that much to Australia? Or is that vendor gouging the shipping costs? Any idea of what the real cost of shipping from the states to Australia should be for a book?
ReplyDeleteOK, I am back..just Googled the question and it looks like to ship a book to Australia from where I live is about $5.00. What if you send me the name of the book you want and I will see if it's available at one of the used books stores here. I can see if we could get you your book at a really reduced price with $5 shipping.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the name of this marvelous book? In the US there is something called 'book rate' - inexpensive but takes forever to get where it's going.
ReplyDeleteThat's a rip off. Shame on the seller. As observed above, there is book rate. Even so, shipping a few ounces of book cannot cost thirty dollars.
ReplyDeleteSomething doesn't sound right...
ReplyDeleteI have come across that. The best/worst was when postage for a CD was over $100. And I checked twice. That is really what they were charging. Which didn't happen.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with finding that book by other means.
jabblog; I suppose it depends on the book, but a mass produced paperback fiction novel from the seventies shouldn't be over $20-$30.
ReplyDeleteKathy G; this was the Amazon USA site. Shipping to Australia has never before been this expensive. And the book wasn't available FOR AUSTRALIA in kindle format.
Cheryl; shipping to here was never this much, this is new and I won't be buying from Amazon ever again. I'll sign up for Amazon Australia. Maybe. I found the book early this morning on ebay, total cost including shipping, $7.
Grace; the book, a fiction novel, on the small side, is titled "On the Night of the Seventh Moon". I found a copy early this morning at ebay for less than $10 including shipping.
Joanne; I'm really surprised that Amazon has raised the shipping costs as much as this. They've priced themselves way out of reach for most of Australian buyers now.
fishducky; doesn't sound right to me either; I don't know what's going on over there, but I don't like it.
Elephant's Child; I got burned similarly with a DVD series, not so badly, but paid too much because I wanted to complete a set.
I found the book this morning for $4.50 plus $2.50 shipping at ebay.
I've dusted off my copy of My Name Is Mahtob and will send it to you soon.
eBay are definitely your best bet. I've bought lots of books through them many of which were free or postage charges which I thought a really good offer and the books weren't all that expensive either. Hope you will enjoy it as much as you did years ago.
ReplyDeleteMimsie; I'm sure I'll enjoy reading it again. I have several books which I have been reading once a year or so for several years.
ReplyDelete