Amazon to close Book Depository online shop • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#61

Post by notyourwork » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 5:59 PM UTC

user-4-4-2023 wrote: post #41

activitypea wrote: post #18

There are no words for how much this sucks. If you are outside the US/EU, reasonably priced books in english aren't easy to find. CompSci literature in English? Forget it, buddy. Book Depository had decent prices with free international shipping to most of the world. Sure, I have to wait a month and sometimes they have to reship because it got damaged in transport, but if I need a book immediately Library Genesis is…

+100 I'm really pissed off. I live in Europe outside EU and this is the most convenient way to get books in English. Often a translated book does not exist here at all, so Book Depository was a blessing in these situations. Seems like nothing is sacred to the corporate quarterly reports. If a corporation made a little less profit this year compared to the last one (did not have losses!), it apparently justifies shutt…

> I live in Europe outside EU

I had to think on this portion of your comment for a moment. It's obvious in hindsight but the first time I've ever heard it phrased in this way.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#62

Post by dublinben » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:19 PM UTC

electroagenda wrote: post #44

activitypea wrote: post #18

There are no words for how much this sucks. If you are outside the US/EU, reasonably priced books in english aren't easy to find. CompSci literature in English? Forget it, buddy. Book Depository had decent prices with free international shipping to most of the world. Sure, I have to wait a month and sometimes they have to reship because it got damaged in transport, but if I need a book immediately Library Genesis is…

What about abebooks?

Some online booksellers that aren't quietly owned by Amazon include:

* Alibris (aggregator like AbeBooks)

* Better World Books (B Corp)

* ThriftBooks

* Bookshop.org (benefits local bookstores)

You can also connect directly to nearby independent booksellers on https://www.indiebound.org/

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#63

Post by TylerE » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:28 PM UTC

activitypea wrote: post #18

There are no words for how much this sucks. If you are outside the US/EU, reasonably priced books in english aren't easy to find. CompSci literature in English? Forget it, buddy. Book Depository had decent prices with free international shipping to most of the world. Sure, I have to wait a month and sometimes they have to reship because it got damaged in transport, but if I need a book immediately Library Genesis is…

Sucks for some of us in the US too. Many of the niche military history books I buy come from BD.

PS: Print tech books are dead in the US anyway. They're out of date before they're ever edited, never mind hitting paper.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#64

Post by StrangeATractor » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:29 PM UTC

dublinben wrote: post #62

electroagenda wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about abebooks?

Some online booksellers that aren't quietly owned by Amazon include: * Alibris (aggregator like AbeBooks) * Better World Books (B Corp) * ThriftBooks * Bookshop.org (benefits local bookstores) You can also connect directly to nearby independent booksellers on https://www.indiebound.org/

Bookmarked all of them, thank you.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#65

Post by nottorp » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:35 PM UTC

brutusurp wrote: post #55

nottorp wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

abebooks too?

It's really bad. We probably want to not have monopolies like Amazon moving forward. So much so that we could probably pass laws to prevent it. Just in case we forget.

Pretty sure the US has laws about it. But their interpretation has changed since the famous AT&T breakup.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#66

Post by screature2 » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:53 PM UTC

rvba wrote: post #54

activitypea wrote: post #18

There are no words for how much this sucks. If you are outside the US/EU, reasonably priced books in english aren't easy to find. CompSci literature in English? Forget it, buddy. Book Depository had decent prices with free international shipping to most of the world. Sure, I have to wait a month and sometimes they have to reship because it got damaged in transport, but if I need a book immediately Library Genesis is…

In Poland there is a whole ecosystem of resellers who sell various books on Allegro (which is basically polish equivalent of Ebay + Amazon). I am not sure exactly how do they get the book info, but it is quite clear that they get the inventory off Amazon, who ships the books to the resellers first, who repack them and send them to direct customers. Of course you can ask, "why not buy at Amazon (or Ebay) directly"? We…

Thank you for sharing a glimpse of the ecosystem in Poland!

By the way, Parcel lockers do exist in the US (at least for Amazon package deliveries) https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=.... The US also has Post Office (PO) boxes that you can rent for a nominal fee a month (these are basically lockers for all types of mail including parcels).

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#67

Post by arnoldjm » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:55 PM UTC

masfuerte wrote: post #9

jnsie wrote: post #4

This really sucks. Use to ship books to family in Ireland and Britain. Amazon with an ever tightening stranglehold :-(

I use speedyhen for books in the UK. They are usually as cheap as Amazon and delivery is free. I don't know if they'll accept orders from abroad though.

From their FAQ "Do you deliver overseas?": "We are delighted to say we now offer worldwide shipping." But it ain't cheap.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#68

Post by netcyrax » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:58 PM UTC

activitypea wrote: post #18

There are no words for how much this sucks. If you are outside the US/EU, reasonably priced books in english aren't easy to find. CompSci literature in English? Forget it, buddy. Book Depository had decent prices with free international shipping to most of the world. Sure, I have to wait a month and sometimes they have to reship because it got damaged in transport, but if I need a book immediately Library Genesis is…

I located in the EU, but from a small country, and still Book Depository was the only way to get English books at a reasonable price.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#69

Post by ornornor » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 6:58 PM UTC

dublinben wrote: post #62

electroagenda wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about abebooks?

Some online booksellers that aren't quietly owned by Amazon include: * Alibris (aggregator like AbeBooks) * Better World Books (B Corp) * ThriftBooks * Bookshop.org (benefits local bookstores) You can also connect directly to nearby independent booksellers on https://www.indiebound.org/

Thank you. It’s very hard to escape amazon and not feed the monster.

Re: Amazon to close Book Depository online shop

#70

Post by Broken_Hippo » Tue, Apr 04, 2023, 7:01 PM UTC

Hamuko wrote: post #28

gregdoesit wrote: post #24

I do wonder if Brexit and customs to be paid for all of the EU has anything to do with this decision. Book Depsitory is based in the UK. I have inadvertently ordered from them, to the Netherlands, as they had a “Bookdepository NL” store, which made it seem like they are an EU entity. However, when the book arrived, I was hit by unexpected customs charges that were half the price of the book. Looking at recent reviews…

I've never ever had to pay VAT at the customs for Book Depository orders in Finland. My most recent order came in March and I had a pre-order for June.

I haven't in Norway either, but books are exempt from VAT.