Sells lots of books including out - of - print and limited editions; can't find it? Ask ! Free SUPER SAVER DELIVERY now applies when purchase over £15 of "eligible products"
Disadvantages:
I forget passwords and their re - verification proceedure is bewildering; items can be expensive; must CHOOSE Super Saver Delivery to receive it; SUPER SAVER DELIVERY you WAIT FOREVER
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
* * NEWS FLASH * * *
* * SUPERSAVER DELIVERY NOW ON ORDERS OVER £15 * * *
As my TITLE clearly states that I am discussing the purchase of BOOKS on AMAZON, I will be discussing THIS in much more detail. However, it is worth noting that AMAZON have been expanding their range, so I will include brief details of what is available.
The website has a brand new featured category link (featured in turn as you change pages) in the top corner of the page to entice you to explore another area you may not have considered - "Do It Yourself & Tools" - "Garden and Outdoors" - "Personal Care" - "Kitchen & Home" - these may or may not be related to the category tab you have pressed.
The following are the Specialised Categories which have Main Page Tabs you can choose:
Welcome (Jessie's) Store (personalised from your own choices made in past visits) Books Electronics & Photo Music DVD Video Software PC & Video Games Home & Garden Toys & Kids Travel
Travel is actually a direct link to the homepage of one of Amazon's "Trusted Partners" - Expedia.co.uk - and offers a special link to "Learn more about our trusted partners" - which brings you right back to the Amazon.co.uk site on a page which gives you contact details and telephone numbers to follow-up on any order you may have made with Expedia.co.uk as a result of ordering through Amazon Travel Shop. This is actually done very well!
***[A similar partnership exists with Amazon.com and Hotwire.com - I have just today assisted my niece and nephew-in-law to find the cheapest fare (and book it) to come to my son's wedding in November - at nearly $100 less per person than with the cheapest airline when booked directly!!!]***
There are separate charges for the different categories ordered, depending on what you are ordering, and all charges are added to the total at the end when you checkout. SUPER SAVER DELIVERY is now available if you order £15 of "ELIGIBLE PRODUCTS" directly from Amazon. All ineligible products will incur delivery charges at the appropriate rate, which will be added on at checkout. Each item will be flagged on the final summary as to whether or not eligibility exists.
When you get to the checkout, you will need to CHOOSE the OPTION for Super Saver Delivery - which THEY CLAIM will be 3-5 working days [see ACTUAL DELIVERY TIMES below under "SPEED of DELIVERY"]. The Default is for First Class Delivery which costs according to a scale. This is "1 working day" delivery - ie - processed tomorrow, receive the next day. (2)
You are also given options for having items sent at different times and different places, gift-wrapped and with gift tags. ALL THESE EXTRAS cost more and MAY RESULT in a DELIVERY CHARGE on top, so you NEED to BE CAREFUL and make sure your CHARGES are all accounted for and you have not been charged extra.
{UPDATE:} I bought some more (Law) Books off AMAZON during 2004 - I bought over £25 of new books directly from AMAZON - so postage was free - delivery times were very quick also - within a week of the order being made.
I also bought books from partners - new and second hand. Postage for these is £2.75 per item, even if you purchase more than one book from the same vendor. {end of UPDATE}
*****************************======================HOW IT WORKS====================
When you order a book, from AMAZON or from a "partner" on the site - it will give you a running commentary of how much more you need to purchase before your postage on the other items is free.
When you are buying a secondhand item or one of a limited number of items of the same sort offered by a vendor, this is what happens. As soon as YOU put the book into YOUR BOOKBAG the item disappears from the website so the item cannot be sold more than once. It remains in your bookbag for about three months awaiting your purchase completion.
[This could be frustrating for the seller, if he/she is hoping for a quick sale - so note the next point!]
The BUYER has the freedom to WITHDRAW the book from sale and not sell it to you after all; if this happens before you go to the checkout, AMAZON will inform you next time you logon that "one or more of your choices has been withdrawn by the vendor - please choose an alternative selection."
AMAZON also informs you when you go through the checkout procedure that the seller will contact you individually, and will send you the item requested. AMAZON takes your money from your account, and informs the vendor for you that the offered item has been sold.
They SAY the vendor is supposed to reply to the purchaser and confirm the sending of the parcel within two days of the purchase [the SELLER has not been told this]. You are given the option of requesting the vendor's e-mail address so you can contact them directly yourself.
You then await your deliveries. AMAZON inform you by e-mail that they have processed your order and that the other items are coming directly from the vendor.
AMAZON also inform you when they have actually despatched your order, so you know to be worried if they don't arrive
*****************************======================PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE=============
{THIS IS THE ORIGINAL REVIEW}: I can recommend that anyone who wishes to purchase an item on AMAZON.CO.UK that they keep a continuous record of the last 5 digits of any card they use to pay for an item. - even when you throw away the card when it expires!
This applies whether you have only searched the site (and registered a card) but not bought anything, or have actually gone through with the purchasing process.
YOU MAY ASK "WHY?"
I tried to purchase a second-hand text in February 2004 on Modern English Land Law.
I found the text without difficulty, and it was at a VERY REASONABLE PRICE, too! 10/10
BUT - I went to the checkout and encountered a problem. My e-mail address was already registered with amazon. "REALLY?" I had never purchased anything that I could remember. So WHAT HAD I USED AS A USER-NAME or PASSWORD?
I clicked on the "forgotten your password" link. The webmaster could surely e-mail my details to my registered address. HELP!!!
They asked for the last 5 digits of any card I had used to purchase something. (but I hadn't bought anything before).
By the time I had finally managed to log in, my shopping basket appeared empty. The book had disappeared. And it was no longer on the website either.
I remembered the name of the vendor and, seeing another book offered by the same vendor, sent an e-mail to ascertain if the book which had vanished was still available for sale. (It was, as her reply indicated later that day.)
Meanwhile I added another book to the shopping basket. SURPRISE! I now had TWO books in the basket. The first one had re-appeared from the ether.
I went back into the shop and looked at a few thrillers and fantasy titles for "light reading" - but did not see what I wanted for a low enough price.
I went into Amazon Marketplace and pre-ordered a book whose review and excerpt I had enjoyed last summer but had never got around to reading. I picked my maximum price, acceptable condition and input my purchase details. (See how you can get distracted!) I checked the terms and conditions, and you pay per item - £2.75 for postage in the Marketplace, and you can only order one copy of each item you request. My request was registered and confirmed on the site before I left.
This was also confirmed by e-mail, and less than a week later I have been informed that I have been charged for the book and it should be on its way - HURRAY! Well done AMAZON!!! 10/10
BUT... I didn't finish my search for titles before I had to go out... and today I couldn't remember my password again..
Oh, well, back to square one. Now WHERE did I put those details, again... ?
{END OF ORIGINAL REVIEW - (for those who were interested)} (1)
*****************************======================SPEED OF DELIVERY================
Everything which I ordered had been received within two weeks of being ordered all through 2004 and the beginning of 2005... - but note the following recent saga of discontent:
**** "DEAR DIARY" Currently [Oct 26] I am awaiting a video and book which my husband wanted, which was ordered [Oct 15] on the "Super Saver" free postage; he is much more impatient than I and wonders what is taking so long. It will be the longest I have ever waited - and it may be that with the Super Saver postage now being more widely available (lower purchase limit before it applies), the delivery times will be extended to encourage people NOT to opt for this option. I am disappointed that it is taking so long, as all items were IN STOCK when ordered.****
**** "DEAR DIARY" Updated [Nov 1] I am quite disgusted to discover that the book and video (still in stock) had not been despatched YET despite the order having been placed two weeks ago. I have cancelled the order, re-ordered the book and the DVD rather than the video; paid for first-class postage so that it will be despatched (according to website) tomorrow with delivery date estimated as Thursday or Friday. Total cost is STILL cheaper than the video with Super Saver Delivery would have been. I will keep you informed.****
**** "DEAR DIARY" Updated [Nov 3] E-mail received yesterday indicating that parcel despatched. Postman arrived today with parcel. This was a first-class (cost of £3 post and packing PLUS VAT) delivery and truly arrived straightaway! I am disgusted that they never managed to post the Super-Saver Free delivery within two weeks (when the goods were "in Stock") and yet the "Paid-For" parcel arrived within two days of the order... Amazon is certainly going downhill as far as I am concerned!**** (2)Not every vendor contacted me to let me know the book(s) on the way, but the items all arrived anyway.
In fact, those who read my second review (on The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown) will know that I wished I hadn't bought the book once I had bought it, BUT... the speed of response to my request for the book was fantastic - their network of sellers seems good.
Although they made no promises, even the book which was too expensive on site was obtained for me within a reasonable period of time at the price of my choice.
I might sometime request something at a ridiculously low price just to see if I get it as quickly.
If there is a problem with an item being low-stock or out-of-stock, they SAY that they will let you know about possible delays before you purchase it. Temporarily (or permanently?) "hard to obtain" items often have a listed "search fee" of about £1.99 added to the list price (listed with the original entry).
I am distressed that there was no reason given for the recent delay in sending the "SUPER SAVER DELIVERY" items ordered in October 2005 which I finally cancelled in November 2005, reordered an equivalent for less and paid normal 1st class postage for next-day-despatch / day-after-delivery. It was very frustrating to be asked day after day by my husband, "Has my video arrived yet?" when despite it being "in stock" at time of ordering, it had not even yet been despatched.*****************************======================FOOTNOTES=======================
1) I remember my password now - hopefully I will use the site enough that the password will not be forgotten again...
very helpful
very helpful
