Amazon is convenient. It has a better choice than the local Waterstones. But Amazon doesn't accept Book Tokens. Why? Book Tokens have a unique serial number. I could enter this number on my Amazon order and the token be logged as spent on a central database at National Book Tokens HQ. If I try to redeem it in Waterstones or the local independent book shop (are there any left?) it would come up as spent when they entered it into the system. Not difficult, is it? So why can't I use my Book Tokens with Amazon?
3 comments:
I know how you feel. I assumed Amazon did redeem them, as they are called "National" book tokens, not Waterstone's book tokens.
I fear they will simply turn into cash in the bank for the book sellers, as it's too much trouble to redeem them.
I also have about £30 sitting in an iTunes account, as the DRM would put me in a bad mood.
Life is short too spend time on insignificant crap like this. Let the corporations keep the money, it's the thought that counts.
Brad
Amazon probably don't accept Book Tokens because they would have to give 12.5% of the tokens value back to National Book Tokens to cover the commission to the bookshop that originally sold them.
If Amazon gave up 12.5% on top of their already significant discounts they'd possibly not be making anything - so why bother accepting them in the first place.
The National Book Token scheme is for real Bookshops and Amazon are not a real Bookshop just an online store. Firstbookshop.com will accept your book tokens, but because of what has already been correctly said about the 12.5% fees involved for the Bookshop, the First Bookshop has to sell the books to you at the RRP - postage to Europe however is free.
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