Unsatisfactory Book Quality: My Experience with Amazon and Dover Orders

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around participants' experiences with the quality of new books ordered from Amazon and Dover, focusing on issues such as defects, packaging, and the implications of pricing differences between publishers and online retailers. The scope includes personal anecdotes, concerns about book condition, and reflections on purchasing practices.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express dissatisfaction with the quality of books received from Amazon, citing issues like damaged pages and bent covers.
  • One participant mentions a specific experience of receiving a book with a hole in a page and questions whether Amazon's lower prices are due to selling defective items.
  • Another participant shares a humorous yet concerning observation about encountering defects while reading, suggesting that such issues might be overlooked until it's too late.
  • Concerns are raised about the sturdiness of packaging used by Amazon, with some participants noting that damaged books are often received.
  • Some participants discuss the return policies of Amazon and BookDepository, noting that while returns are possible, they still incur costs.
  • One participant suggests that ordering used books in "very good" or "like new" condition can be a more economical option.
  • There is mention of the pricing strategies of publishers versus online sellers, with questions about why publishers sell books at higher prices.
  • Some participants report having no negative experiences with Amazon, while others recount specific instances of receiving damaged items, particularly with paperback books.
  • Concerns are raised about the responsibility of publishers in ensuring the quality of books released to the market.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of experiences, with some agreeing on the prevalence of defects in books ordered online, while others report no issues. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the reasons behind pricing differences and the quality control measures of publishers.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various factors influencing their purchasing decisions, including the condition of books, pricing strategies, and the reliability of different sellers. There are also references to potential risks associated with purchasing from sellers offering lower prices.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in online book purchasing experiences, quality control in publishing, and the implications of pricing strategies in the book market may find this discussion relevant.

dijkarte
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Anybody had bad experience with quality of new books ordered from Dover or amazon? Defect pages, bend covers, ...books in not in perfect condition...?

My worst was a hole in one page!

Another was curved hardcover!

All from amazon. Is this why amazon sell cheaper than from the publisher because they sell very likely defect items?
 
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dijkarte said:
Anybody had bad experience with quality of new books ordered from Dover or amazon? Defect pages, bend covers, ...books in not in perfect condition...?

My worst was a hole in one page!

Another was curved hardcover!

All from amazon. Is this why amazon sell cheaper than from the publisher because they sell very likely defect items?
Yes! More than anyone I've met, I'm paranoid about my books - I care about my book collection. I get a tad bit heart broken when I get a new book from amazon and the bottom-side has been crushed in shipping.

I've considered not ordering from amazon anymore but I can't afford elsewhere.
 
The funny thing yet scary, because you may find it when it's too late...while reading through a nice looking book you encounter a page where you can see through the next page words...probably good to give you hints about the next topic :D
 
I'm having the same experiences as Jorriss. Amazon regullary sends already damaged books or are damaged during delivery (i.e. packaging just isn't sturdy). It has a good return policy, though. But you loose money when sendig back damaged books. BookDepository has similar policy - and I have with them prety much the same experience as with Amazon.(com/de/co.uk), BUT BookDepository has some books substantially cheaper. If possible, I almost always order used books in at least "very good" or "like new" condition and I pay way less.
 
No wonder why they sell for cheaper than the publishers...yeah their return options are not bad and they are very open to customers :)

I have no experience with specific publisher quality, packaging, and return policy. Any ideas?
 
I've mostly used Dover. Their prices are a bit higher than Amazon's (et alii) but packaging is sturdy and shipping extremely fast. I was also checking Wiley directly, but prices of their books can go sky high. Springer (again directly) here and there also offers 50% discounts on their books. I think they have some discounts right now till July as I recall. I still advise you to buy used books in a "very good" or "like new" condition for a reasonable price.
Mind you:
1. Be careful not to get a copy (i.e. not original). Chinese folks are quite active in this. Better to ask seller to be certain and thus gaining the leverage for possible refunds via Amazon's "file a claim".
2. Some seller are using Amazon's automatic pricing and you can get quite high prices on some books - even ridiculous (http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/The-perils-of-automatic-pricing-on-Amazon-1351782.php). I've also had a simmilar experience, when I came across a MIR book (forgot the title of the book) and it costed no more and no less that 6,666,66. Yeah well... it was a beast, yeah :devil:
 
Thanks.

So these sellers that offer lower prices have the risk of delivering defect items because they get them from publishers as low priced defect items?

And why do publishers sell the same items for higher price than non-publishers?
 
I've never had a negative experience in my years of using Amazon.
 
dijkarte said:
Thanks.

So these sellers that offer lower prices have the risk of delivering defect items because they get them from publishers as low priced defect items?

And why do publishers sell the same items for higher price than non-publishers?

Maybe. Dunno about defects, but publishers offer lower prices to sellers because of quantity, I guess.
 
  • #10
morphism said:
I've never had a negative experience in my years of using Amazon.

Well, I've had a few. Especially with paperback books and one hardback - it's DJ was completely torn (not due to bad packaging). Anyway... if I pay for the new book, then I want a new book. Otherwise, they should stop advertising these books as NEW.
 
  • #11
I've never had a negative experience in my years of using Amazon.

What's the point? :)

Anyway... if I pay for the new book, then I want a new book. Otherwise, they should stop advertising these books as NEW.

I agree. But at the same time I blame the publisher for letting some defect books go out to the market. Cannot they check papers for holes, defect hardcovers, damaged printing...?
Don't hide it, just trash it. :D
 

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