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A friend of mine was also a member of TSP under the same introductory offer, and his three books arrived, on time, as ordered. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as lucky with mine.
Two of my books arrived as I’d ordered them, but the third they informed me was out of stock. Fair enough ... Read review
Advantages: Good introductory deal Disadvantages: Bad customer service means it’s simply not worth the effort
...was also a member of TSP under the same introductory offer, and his three books arrived, on time, as ordered. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as lucky with mine.
Two of my books arrived as I’d ordered them, but the third they informed me was out of stock. Fair enough I guess – they’d given me a voucher that I could use to buy a book of equivalent value, but they still charged me the £3 plus £3.99 delivery. On top of this, however, I’d ... ...
My opinion of TSP wasn’t at all bad before the problems with customer service started. True, they weren’t really that different to other book clubs, but they seemed well organised, reputable and were offering a deal worth going for. This goes to show that customer service is probably the most important aspect of running a successful sales company. Had they have had an efficient system in place to clear up their own mistakes then I wouldn’t ... more
I’m usually extremely suspicious of book clubs or other companies that essentially offer the same service. In a world where there’s no such thing as a free lunch, you always wonder how they can get away with offering an amazing sounding joining deal, with (supposedly) no commitment to stay a member, and still make a decent amount of profit at the end of the day. Call me a cynic, but if these companies don’t have some sort of catch somewhere that would enable them to make those profits then why should I believe they are really offering what they say?
Well, generally I don’t, and I’ve certainly had plenty of opportunity to decide on this due to the voluminous quantities of junk mail, adverts in papers and magazines, and ads on the TV and radio that I am forced to endure. However, I was particularly ‘suspicious’ (possibly because this company had sent me probably five times the volume of junk mail compared to their competitors…ahh a rant about junk mail – I feel another op coming on!!) because they were claiming “3 books, 3 quid, no commitment”.
Upon closer inspection, including a pleasingly modest amount of small print, I could see no obvious catch, and the choice of books they were offering for the money was very good indeed, especially since the selection included some (fairly bulky) science reference books that would have been very useful to me as a science student. So, I went online to their web site and signed myself up.
The web site had a good layout, it was easy to navigate, and somewhat reassured me because they clearly knew what they were doing regarding Internet sales etc. In order to get the 3 books, 3 quid deal you needed to input a short code from the advert that directed you to the web site, and then you simply selected your three from those displayed on your screen.
Naturally, postage and packing were not included (they cost an extra £3.99) but I was happy to pay this since my choice of books had come to well over £70 were I to purchase them in a high street book shop.
The only slight catch (although it isn’t really a catch, more of an annoyance) is that the company insist on posting you the club magazine every month for six months, and each month as it’s associated ‘recommended title’ which they will send you automatically unless you cross a box on the order form and post it back to them, indicating you don’t want it. All that costs is a little time and six postage stamps, plus you never know, you may find something in the mag that you wouldn’t mind buying anyway.
On the subject of the club working under normal circumstances (i.e. not with an introductory offer) they do offer a fair range of books, but the prices are nothing special, and delivery is usually fairly expensive (similar to the above, if not more). If they offered free delivery then I really do think that more people would buy their stock – I don’t know about you but I’m always put off of a company if they charge anything at all for delivery, I think it should all be included.
If you’re after books, head to amazon, where they will generally be cheaper, and if you combine your purchase with enough to bring the value of your over £25, delivery is free.
A friend of mine was also a member of TSP under the same introductory offer, and his three books arrived, on time, as ordered. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as lucky with mine.
Two of my books arrived as I’d ordered them, but the third they informed me was out of stock. Fair enough I guess – they’d given me a voucher that I could use to buy a book of equivalent value, but they still charged me the £3 plus £3.99 delivery. On top of this, however, I’d also have to pay delivery on the third book again, since it would be separately dispatched. This isn’t really on – after all it is their fault that the book I ordered wasn’t in stock, so they should definitely pay delivery this time round.
Then, I guess for reasons best known to TSP, they sent (and charged me for) two copies of the replacement book I’d ordered. I wasn’t at all happy at this point, and my first ring to customer services wasn’t actually too bad. I was told that “I’ve updated your statement, so the mistake will not show up on your next one” and “we’ll send someone round in two days to collect the extra book”. Neither of these happened, so, even more annoyed, I phoned them back. As normally happens when calls to customer services are involved, I had to go through the whole process of telling a completely different person all my details, only to find out they had no idea what had happened last time, but they’d send someone else round for the book.
The same happened again – I’d yet to see a person come to collect the book, and messages were now appearing on my statement about late payment charges (even though I’d been told twice by customer services not to pay the amount debited from my account by accident). The people at the end of the phone were generally helpful, but didn’t do what they said they would. All the while I was being charged more and more in late payments, and eventually told that “we are currently preparing your case for referral to a debt collection agency”.
This was way more than six months down the line, and the club magazines had stopped coming, but that didn’t put and end to the monthly mailing about the money I owed them due to their error. In the end I wrote to their head office with an ultimatum – either they clear my statement (I had long ago paid the original £6.99) or I issue a complaint to trading standards. Following this letter I heard nothing at all from the company, and even now have had no letter of apology, or indeed any contact whatsoever. I still have the extra copy of the book they sent me.
My opinion of TSP wasn’t at all bad before the problems with customer service started. True, they weren’t really that different to other book clubs, but they seemed well organised, reputable and were offering a deal worth going for. This goes to show that customer service is probably the most important aspect of running a successful sales company. Had they have had an efficient system in place to clear up their own mistakes then I wouldn’t now be urging everyone considering this deal to forget it completely. It’s not worth the hassle they will inevitably provide for you.
>> VERDICT <<
> VARIETY ON OFFER - Not too bad, most best sellers and a good choice of non-fiction available. 4/5
> CATALOGUE - The catalogue itself is fine, but I strongly object to the way they fill all the mailings with irrelevant junk mail from third parties that you have to wade through to find the catalogue and your statement. 3/5
> PURCHASE OBLIGATION - None as such, but excessive time wasting trying to sort out the mess they leave your account in.
> OVERALL - This could be a moderately good company, but is let down big time by unbelievably poor customer service. I don’t recommend them unless you’re willing to deal with it. 2/5.
Advantages: get cheap books on your first order Disadvantages: nothing different from any other club
E-TSP is a book club based on the internet. I originally joined e-TSP because they have a great sign up offer. When I joined I got three books for 1p, which is a bargain!! I did have some reservations when signing up after hearing stories from people about mail order book clubs in general. I had heard nightmare stores about people having books turn up on their doorstep every month that they didn’t want and then having to pay to send them back.
... ...like this at all. Every month you are sent a small brochure and usually an extra bit with the bestsellers of the month. You can either send back the slip to say that you don’t want the book of the month or you can log on to their internet site and refuse the book of the month on there. They will always send you an e-mail if you do this on the site so that you know you have refused the book. So far I haven’t received one book that I didn’t ...
annette_tr9 13.09.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of TSP
Advantages: Cheap introductory offer saving you lots of money Disadvantages: They wont let me leave, help me please
...and was presented with the TSP website. Having had trouble with these types of club before, I was very wary of the terms and conditions. But to my amazement, not only could I purchase these items at bargain prices, but also I did not have to buy anything off them again… EVER! This is unusual, as most book/video clubs require a certain amount of items to be purchased over a certain period of time ie 3 books a year sort of thing. The introductory offer ... ...few days.
The TSP bookclub, by mail
£££££££££££££££££££££££££
Upon joining the club, you are sent your first introductory order. If it is satisfactory, you can post your payment for the item(s), along with the billing slip provided (of course, if you have paid by credit card, you do not have to do this!) From here on in, you are sent a small booklet with a choice of books to purchase each month. All the books are sold at a cheaper price than in ...
Judgee 05.08.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of TSP
Advantages: Good books, low costs, no commitment Disadvantages: None
...points if I visited the TSP site and a further 500 points if I took advantage of their introductory offer and purchased 3 books.
TSP stands for The Softback Preview and I have made purchases from this company in the past so I know that they are good value. In fact I would go as far as to say that they are the best book club I have ever used.
Basically the offer is this –
You buy 3 paperback books from their extensive list, which nearly all ... ...will receive a magazine from TSP outlining their current books for sale. These will be at prices roughly the same as any High Street bookshop. I will be under no obligation to buy anything but I will have to inform them that I do not want the editor’s choice book for the month or it will be sent to me automatically.
I usually accept two monthly magazines and return the slip refusing the offer of the editor’s choice and then I cancel ...
SusanLesley 09.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of TSP
Advantages: 3 books for £3 Disadvantages: Editors choice, P + P
I joined TSP (The Softback Preview) back in the beginning of last year. I was quite shocked when I saw the deal. It was three books for £3! (no mention of the postage and packaging which is extra) That is something that is rare and very unusual these days, such a money saving offer. I then looked at the commitment side of the club and there was no commitment, I was truly shocked, because book clubs always offer these excellent offers and then catch ... ...Erotica = 3 books
Typically TSP = 21 books
Science and Maths = 9 books
These categories were only on the website which you can find at www.go.eTSP.co.uk otherwise if you order by post you get to look at a card, which is by far worse. You don’t get half as much detail and you don’t get to see any pictures of the books. It will come inside magazines and newspapers. Also you get a free document case – not sure how much it is worth ...
craigy2040 05.06.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of TSP
Advantages: cheap books, no comitements (suposedly) Disadvantages: poor service
All I ever seem to have is bad luck with a lot of online companies and I certainly would not recommend you register with these people. Not just because of the service I have received but also because they lied about no commitments when signing up to them. I saw a great offer and you got three books for three pounds and the delivery was only two pounds for them which I thought was a great buy and so did my partner. I read all the terms and conditions ... ...just to check that I agreed with them, as always when signing up to anything. They seemed fine and normal and one thing that was really good was no commitments and you never need hear from them again after you had received and paid for your books.
My books took a long time coming which I was not too bothered about as I had not paid for them until I received them anyway.
The books I ordered arrived and they were great for the price. A few days later ...
coolchanty 18.02.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of TSP
Advantages: cheap to make,tasty Disadvantages: none
This soup recipe is my favorite and ive been making it for many years.
My children always ask for 'mummys soup',so I keep some in the freezer ready.
INGREDIANTS..
1 onion chopped
5oz mushrooms chopped
14oz carrots chopped
8oz potatoes diced
1 clove garlic crushed
2pt chicken stock(I use oxo,but any make will do)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper
Saute the onions until soft, then add the carrots and potatoes,saute for a further 3 mins.
Pour over the stock and add the mush,garlic,sugar and thyme.
Bring upto the boil, then simmer for 50 mins(covered).
When done,blend to a liquid in a food processer.
Thats it,very easy and I normaly make double and freeze half of it for another day.
Its alot nicer than tinned soup and a lot cheaper!!!
Also its alot healther for the kids. ...
Advantages: Very interesting book with lots of background information Disadvantages: An awful lot of faffing about with some of the recipes
ginger
⅔ tsp red chilli powder or paprika
¼ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
a tiny pinch of tandoori colouring (optional)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice
For the makhani sauce
1½lb (700g) tomatoes
½ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) [I had a spice jar of something which might once have been fenugreek leaves but they smelled like dust so I decided against using them]
3oz (75g) chilled butter
½ tsp paprika
few drops of vinegar
¼ tsp garam masala powder
salt
1½oz (40g) single cream [Cream is a liquid - why the heck talk about it in solid weights like ounces and grams? I just bunged some in.]
Method:
1 First prepare the marinade. Place the yoghurt in a piece of muslin and leave to hang to allow the whey to drip away. Purée the garlic and ginger in a blender. Add this ...
Advantages: Learn about The Templar Knights. Disadvantages: None.
Whilst browsing through my usual book catalogue, TSP, (The Softback Preview), I came across a book by Historian Stephen Howarth. It was entitled The Knights Templar. I thought, Ooooh, this looks interesting, and it is a companion to the other book I have, the locations of Templar Knight graves around Britain.
So, herein lies a tale of bravery, murder, corruption and lies in the Early Centuries.
A Brotherhood, known as The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ, Knights of the Temple of Solomon, but better known as The Knights Templar, were founded in 1118 or 1119 (no-one is sure which), and they united two medieval ideals which should never have existed together, Monks and Warriors.
They had jobs in all walks of life, Bankers, Diplomats and Tax-Gatherers to name but a few. The Templar Knights were themselves poor, but the wealth ...
