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Post by kooshmeister on Apr 27, 2020 6:32:40 GMT
I actually wasn't. And if I was, I'd forgotten. Thanks, Humgoo!
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Post by andydecker on Apr 27, 2020 11:30:32 GMT
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Post by kooshmeister on Apr 29, 2020 8:40:19 GMT
Oooh, thanks! Meantime, nabbed Alien by "John E. Muller" on eBay for a grand total of $10 and some change. ...I'm going to be reading a lot next month.
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Post by kooshmeister on May 5, 2020 8:23:41 GMT
Okay, so I actually ordered two copies of Blowfly. If a book is affordable enough, I generally like to have a second copy in case something happens to it, especially if I end up really liking the book. Am I greedy? Probably. Oh well. Anyway. Both books are coming from the UK. The first one I ordered from an Amazon seller, and it shipped. Of the three books I ordered from sellers through Amazon last month, it's the only book that hasn't come yet. The other copy, as noted, came from a seller on eBay who initially said they didn't ship to North Carolina addresses despite the product page for their copy of Blowfly assuring the customer they totally shipped to the US. After some wrangling, I did get him to sent it here. It, too, has yet to arrive.
That isn't the issue. I realize it always takes longer when ordering from another country. Especially these days when packages coming into the country have to sit for longer in customs for obvious reasons. That isn't the issue. The issue is that neither seller provided a tracking number, nor has either responded to my request for one. Or at least the eBay guy didn't.
The one I ordered from through Amazon, however, seems to have responded to my request for a tracking number by refunding me. Despite the fact the book shipped weeks ago. I'm not sure what to think. Did he (?) think I was getting impatient when I asked for a tracking number? Did something go wrong? Is it an Amazon policy, even for third party sellers, to automatically refund payment if the item is overdue? The only reason given in the E-mail I got informing me of the refund was "account adjustment," which is vague and explains nothing. I got back to the seller, explaining I didn't want the refund (I won't say no to it, exactly, though) and that they'd yet to provide me with the tracking number I requested.
We'll see what they say if and when they reply. But I don't think they will. Amazon doesn't seem like it has the same kind of one-on-one buyer/seller interaction and customer protection that eBay has when it comes to third party sellers. With the money refunded, it's likely this Blowfly copy's original owner considers the matter closed. That said, I would really like to know if the package is still en route despite this.
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Post by andydecker on May 5, 2020 8:48:00 GMT
Is it an Amazon policy, even for third party sellers, to automatically refund payment if the item is overdue? The only reason given in the E-mail I got informing me of the refund was "account adjustment," which is vague and explains nothing. I got back to the seller, explaining I didn't want the refund (I won't say no to it, exactly, though) and that they'd yet to provide me with the tracking number I requested. We'll see what they say if and when they reply. But I don't think they will. Amazon doesn't seem like it has the same kind of one-on-one buyer/seller interaction and customer protection that eBay has when it comes to third party sellers. With the money refunded, it's likely this Blowfly copy's original owner considers the matter closed. That said, I would really like to know if the package is still en route despite this. This is not Am*z*n only. Before this shit happened the UK online seller Worldsofbooks did sell on Ebay Germany in massive quantities as of last year, postage free and pricing often without rhyme or reason. 80 Euros for a BBC Doctor Who novel, but 3 Euro for a first edition 1970 Mayflower Moorcock. I got a few interesting editions, but if I remember correctly two or three books never arrived. I demanded delivery, but automatically got a refund. No statement from the seller. either. They also gave no tracking number, I still don't know if the missing books ever were sent or just vanished. Guess it is too much hassle for bargain sales.
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Post by helrunar on May 5, 2020 12:02:11 GMT
It happened to me a couple of years ago... I had ordered the old Warners Horror of Dracula disc because the color timing, lighting etc. on the "restored" print is so dark, blue, cold and just generally screwed up. Disc never showed up... I inquired what had happened (I did have a tracking number and it looked as if it was just sitting somewhere), and fairly promptly I got a refund.
There were also a couple of pamphlets by the late English occultist E. A. St George I ordered via Amazon vendor... the orders were processed, but then a day or two later I got a message that the order had been canceled. Because exactly while I was ordering these books, somebody else was ordering them and the orders crossed. I think that happened 3 times with this author! I finally got the books via an incredibly prolonged transaction from a semi-retired bookseller in the north of England who had been a friend of St George's and had reprinted some of her work.
It's frustrating that the vendors have not responded directly to your emails. I would hazard a guess that if the refund was processed, it means that the parcel had disappeared from the vendor's ability to track it. It could have been delivered to the wrong address, or stolen. Hope you get at least one of the copies!
cheers, Helrunar
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Post by kooshmeister on May 7, 2020 7:15:04 GMT
The seller (BritbooksUSA) got back to me and explained the book was shipped and should've arrived by now. According to the tracking info, which they've yet to provided, btw, it hasn't, and is way overdue, so they refunded me as a courtesy. So while a refund for the package taking too long to come isn't an Amazon policy, it's apparently a BritbooksUSA one. Meaning if any when Blowfly arrives, I'm getting it for free. Meaning they're a pretty standup seller who I'll likely buy from again.
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Post by jamesdoig on Jun 2, 2020 21:57:52 GMT
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Post by helrunar on Jun 3, 2020 0:47:03 GMT
As always, a marvelous selection. Thank you, James!
Steve
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Post by humgoo on Jun 3, 2020 17:32:59 GMT
Can you see the full images, Steve? Or you can just see cropped images as I do?
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Post by helrunar on Jun 3, 2020 17:40:24 GMT
Hi Humgoo, yes, I see the full images. Are you looking at the forum on a phone, or on a computer?
All the best, Steve
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Post by jamesdoig on Jun 5, 2020 22:01:36 GMT
A bookshop closed down in Canberra yesterday, always a bad thing and no doubt a result of the pandemic. They were getting rid of left over stock and I picked up a few things for a few bucks each: A Wordsworth Mystery&Supernatural book I don't have, public domain vamp stories with a D.S. Davies tale at the end: uploadBloodworm, though looks well read: uploadHad this as a kid so couldn't resist it: uploadOne of the more unimaginative covers I've seen: uploadSouvenir of the 1987 world sf convention in Brighton: uploadMasterprices of Fantasy Art, with the usual suspects included: upload
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Post by Swampirella on Jun 5, 2020 22:27:13 GMT
I'm always sorry to hear of a bookshop closing, whatever the reason....
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Post by helrunar on Jun 6, 2020 1:58:08 GMT
That last item brings back old memories. Pretty sure the painting was commissioned for one of the Burroughs Barsoom novels, a Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club edition from circa 1975. All had Frazetta covers and the ones I owned and saw were gorgeous. I think this one may have been for Thuvia, Maid of Mars, but I could well be wrong about that.
Sorry to hear about the shop closing. I hope our local stores can survive.
H.
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Post by andydecker on Jun 6, 2020 11:07:52 GMT
Sad to hear about the book shop. Nice haul. I realized that I never read a John Halkin. Another for the list.
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