Comments on: eReader enforcing geographical restrictions

By: Rania

Rania — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:38:14 +0000

I live in Egypt. I just had a Sony ebook reader shipped out, which I am very happy with. I have already downloaded several public domain books from Guttenberg etc. But I would like to buy some newer titles and am becoming very frustrated because I have yet to find a site that allows me to do this. I an’t use the Sony ebook store, which is reserved to US, UK & Canada. I imagine that sales of the titles I am interested in are already very limited in Egypt – so this outmoded policy must be reducing author & publisher revenue in emerging markets. Plus this limiting of legitimate ways to acquire ebooks may encourage avid readers to resort to illegal, pirated versions – already circulating on the net.

By: Graham

Graham — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:22:49 +0000

I just got caught out by this today. I followed up Fictionwise’s promo and extended my membership by another 5 years (I’ve been with them since they started), then put 11 books in my cart. I’m in the UK and all 11 were rejected. Of the 72 other books in my wish list, only 1 is available in the UK.

I’ve written to them as I can’t see how I can use my membership. Hopefully I will still be able to use the hefty balance I have in Micropay…

By: Shaun G

Shaun G — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:09:37 +0000

Sadly I am caught at Fictionwise who are using my IP to block the purchase. I had actually updated my Credit card address to a US mailing address I have. So I can only think the IP check is catching it.

Seems the only way round that would be to verify your card whilst on Holidays in the US using a US IP address.

By: elainesj

elainesj — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:05:17 +0000

I fully agree. I live right across the border from the US (in Canada) and was disgusted to find I couldn’t purchase a book I wanted from B&N. On top of that I have a US credit card and used that. However, because it reads my IP address, it won’t allow me to purchase the book.

That said, I purchased another book today from B&N and so far it has allowed me to do so…except I got hung up when it asked me for my C/C number. I haven;’t gotten around to digging out my C/C yet so for now, the book will remain unlocked. I’m incredibly annoyed by this requirement too…what happened to the username and password? why do I have to dig out my C/C?! definitely reduces the convenience factor.

I also second the comments about terrible customer service. I sent an email 2 weeks ago and received an assurance my concern was in the system and I would receive a response. Other than that, I have NOT received anything.

Thank goodness for Sony eReader. I d/l the reader, purchased the book I was not “allowed” to purchase on B&N, and didn’t have to go through the crap of C/C verification.

When I had formatting problems in the book, there is an online chat system for help. when they couldn’t help me, they sent me on to their call centre. I got prompt assistance and even callbacks afterwards. Because they couldn’t resolve the problem right away, they gave me a credit for the price I paid. 2 weeks later, they have continued to follow up with me as they attempt to resolve the issue. Now that’s what I call good customer service.

where else can we go to purchase ebooks? sony ereader is good but has limited title selections. I don’t have a kindle (I read on my netbook) so I don’t believe I can download from amazon.

I just can’t believe the sheer silliness B&N is displaying. sure there’s no probs if you live in the US. But if you don’t….you might as well live in outer space apparently.

By: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:25:43 +0000

The above mentioned has to be recalled as of this week at ereader. Geographic restrictions are now policed by reading whether your very IP address of the ordering computer is outside the allowed area. The sounds of torrents are ringing in my ears. Farewell you old friends at ereader. I set my sail for new shores.

By: MacDave

MacDave — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:24:31 +0000

So, is there a way to buy ebooks from Sony on the sly? I’ve been thinking I could get someone in the US to buy a gift card for me.

Looking around on the net, the only place I can see books I want is on bit-torrent, which is very unfortunate…..

By: Stuart Moore

Stuart Moore — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Despite me sending several reminders quoting the support ticket, I am disappointed to have to advise you that I have had no response from ereader regarding any kind of filtering option so that I do not have to see books I cannot purchase … as one of the workarounds mentioned above seems to be working though, I am not to fussed (and I wonder if perhaps the same is true for ereader).

By: Blue Tyson

Blue Tyson — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:33:47 +0000

Good question on false advertising. Amazon often sends email about stuff we can’t buy.

As far as the geographic rights? Who knows. If sales slump enough, or shops close up leaving unpaid publishers/authors.

Or when the average reader is talking about downloading for free at the supermarket.

By: Stuart Moore

Stuart Moore — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:41:54 +0000

I filled in a support ticket on the ereader site asking them to at least filter books to show only those I could purchase until they have their country specific offerings launched. Even a little * or other flag in listings to indicate which books are geographically restricted to save me having to look for the restriction in the description of the book would help. Although I got an email confirming the support ticket number several weeks ago, I have not so far received a response.

Thanks to the tips above, I have just re-added my credit card (a UK address) but selected both USA as my country and, because it did not work without this, state of New York (any would do I guess) as part of my credit card address details and that has allowed me to purchase a restricted book that I could not purchase before.

Damned annoying. Not the fault of the online retailers – very frustrating for them in fact. Wonder how many years it will take for the walls to break down properly.

By: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:39:57 +0000

Thanks to everyone who suggested alternative approaches.
At least one of them actually worked.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:05:48 +0000

Today I received an email notifying me of new releases (from eBooks.com not eReader) but when I attempted to purchase one of the ebooks, I was told that the purchase was restricted to certain countries.

Interestingly these countries include such notable ebook markets as Bhutan, Botswana, Rwanda, Sudan and Somalia, whilst excluding Australia. I don’t know that there are adequate words to describe this situation; any other life form – other than book publishers – exhibiting this level of idiocy would be extinct by now.

A question for the lawyer types: if an ebook site sends me an email entreating me to purchase an ebook, then rejects my offer to purchase at the stated price, is this false advertising?

By: Wolfgang

Wolfgang — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:16:31 +0000

…even Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are geographically restricted on ereader.com.
This is extremely weird, since they are both in the public domain.
I might have to get off my lazy ass and help gutenberg.org to do some proofreading. Alas, this will not help me get new titles by living authors.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 12:54:37 +0000

As I could no longer buy any ebooks I wanted from ereader I asked them to refund my credit.

This they agreed to do no problem.

Clearly ereader no longer wants non-US customers.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:46:39 +0000

Living in ireland I am unable to buy any of the books I want from ereader. Thanks to everyone who suggested alternative approaches.
Best suggestion is for us all to buy only second hand paper books as this will affect publishers and authors most.

By: trill

trill — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:21:33 +0000

As another Australian who has bought heaps of books from Fictionwise, I also was taken aback to not be able to buy many of the books I wanted. The work around of using your aussie credit card but with a country of US seems to work fine (so far anyway). Well it’s either that or use “alternative means” to get the books I want. At least this way the author gets the money. Purchasing using Micropay also seems to work fine (have changed my country to US)