Strange things afoot in online purchasing

[andrewducker]

Traditionally speaking my buying of trade paperbacks has followed a simple rule:
Forbidden Planet = Bloody Expensive, Amazon = Good Value
However, this doesn't seem to apply for Forbidden Planet's online catalogue, where the prices seem to frequently undercut Amazon and they get things sooner - sometimes months sooner.

Take, for example the new Absolute Death hardcover.  Amazon have it for £52.50 - FP Online have it for £50.25 (plus £1 shipping).  So £1 cheaper at FP - big deal.  Except that Amazon have it showing as in stock from the 18th of December, and Forbidden Planet delivered it to my door an hour and a half ago (huzzah for Julie being in slaving over her stats).

I assume that Direct Market comics just run ahead of book stores - which you wouldn't think Amazon would be happy about.  I wonder how long that will last.

Comments

[andrewducker]

Wariness is a virtue - but I don't think they have a choice in making a deal of some kind. Amazon is such a massive player in the book market that you have to deal with them.

[cybik.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed. I'd still be wary - Amazon have started or will start (according to the Bookseller magazine) charging publishers for deliveries that aren't to Amazon's specifications, which could be extremely damaging to smaller publishers. It's a horrible market to be in at the moment.