View Full Version : Buying a book on the Internet
rhouse30
Aug 26, 2009, 05:39 PM
I am trying to find a book that is sold off TV but not in the stores. I see it on Ebay, but you have to bid on it, I am not yet comfortable with that yet.
I have been to Amazon, are there other reputable websites that I might be able to find it at a discount.
Any tips will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
twinkiedooter
Aug 26, 2009, 06:09 PM
I buy a lot of stuff off Ebay. You need to look at how many items the person has sold and also look at their feedback to see if folks actually got their items and were not ripped off. Bidding on something is okay. I've bid on probably 3/4th of the stuff I've bought on Ebay and I always stop at whatever dollar amount I've predetermined to pay for the item. Depending on how rare the book is, and how many other bidders want it, you may have to pay a little more for the item. Amazon is a good place for books also. I've bought some books both hard cover and paperback and the books always were in very decent condition even though they were used. Amazon's sellers sometimes take their time shipping the item but you will get it. Ebay sellers ship quicker as they don't want bad feedback on slow shipping.
You could also Google the book title and see what sellers are out there store wise if you want a new book.
morgaine300
Aug 26, 2009, 06:16 PM
One hint about eBay is to keep looking and see if you can find one that has a "Buy It Now" price, or a "Fixed Price." That way you can just buy it and not have to bid. I did my first few purchases this way as I wasn't comfortable with bidding either cause I didn't "get it" at the time. (Of course, you still have to sign up and get Paypal and all that junk.)
This could be an exception, but something sold on TV but not in stores may likely also not be sold new through some place like Amazon, or places like it.
Here's some places I know about. The first one actually sells books. The other two will list places that sell the book. Basically meaning this isn't a recommendation of any particular place, just a way you might be able to find it.
Alibris: New, Used, Rare & Out-of-Print Books -- Help & Customer Service (http://www.alibris.com/glossary/glossary-books)
AddALL book search and price comparison (http://www.addall.com/)
hthttp://www.abebooks.com/tp://
morgaine300
Aug 26, 2009, 06:23 PM
Amazon's sellers sometimes take their time shipping the item but you will get it. Ebay sellers ship quicker as they don't want bad feedback on slow shipping.
This has not been my personal experience. Amazon sellers get feedback also, and will get feedback that reflects slow shipping. Amazon's rules are to ship within 48 hours, but it doesn't mean everyone follows it. I've only had one thing from Amazon ship slow, and that was directly from Amazon and not one of their sellers. (It went across the country and back, for reasons I don't know.)
Either way, the trick is in reading the feedback, and also in knowing that 95% isn't "good" even if it sounds like it. The other trick on Amazon is if you think you're buying it from Amazon (i.e. not the marketplace sellers listed under "other new & used,") make sure you note whether it says "fulfilled by xyz co." If it says that, don't assume they're a good seller - still look at their feedback. I've had to return two items recently on there by assuming the "fulfilled by" items were like getting it from Amazon. It's not. Sometimes the small marketplace sellers are better.
(BTW, I ship in the same amount of time no matter where I sell it. I know of others who do the same.)