No, that won't work. You're high.

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

“I think, when the new Harry Turtledove comes out in August, I’m going to buy it brick-and-mortar. Even if it costs more. I’m always getting screwed when I have it delivered.”

“Why don’t you order it from Barnes & Noble online, and then pick it up from the store?”

"…

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“Sure it does. You order it online, at 20% off or whatever, and have them ship it to the Barnes & Noble.”

“No, you can’t do that…No, see, books you order online are shipped from a warehouse. Brick-and-mortar stores have to sell what’s shipped to them.”

“Right! So you have it shipped to the store.”

“No, I can’t do that. If I order it online, I can only have it sent to a residence. Or a business, but not to another store.”

“But you could order it from Borders, and then pick it up from Borders Express!”

“Borders Express is just a mini-Borders. It doesn’t mean ‘express’ like overnight shipping.”

“Well, why don’t you ask them?”

“Because they’ll say they can’t do that. If I buy from them, I have to buy what they have in the store, and pay those prices. I can’t get the 20% off unless they’re selling it at 20% off.”

“But that’s what you’re doing with Harry Potter! You ordered it from Amazon, and now you’re getting it from Barnes and Noble!”

" :smack: I never ordered it from Amazon. I called the store and pre-ordered a copy that they’re selling. I never went online to order it at all."

"…

“Well, why don’t you ask them if you can do that anyway?”

At this point, I don’t know what to say. I just know there’s no way I can do an end-run like that. Ordering online means you have it shipped to you. No way is Borders or B&N going to say, “Sure, we’ll pay to ship it to your local store, eat the cost of the shipping and mark down the price!” Either I buy it in person, or I wait to have it delivered for a reduced price. I cannot do both.

#2

The :smack: indicates that I had suddenly realized what was confusing him, not that I was ready to :smack: him. Still, he was loath to relinquish his stance. And the point is, I’m in a no-win position; I know I’m right, but I can’t see a way to prove it without asking a question that will make me look like a total dumbass.

#3

REI allows you to order things and pick them up at a local store (no shipping charges). Tho I think the online price is teh same as the store price for items.
Why would you do it then? because the item you want may not be at your local store.

Brian

#4

Actually, as I was browsing in B&N’s music section the other day, I vaguely overheard a conversation between a clerk and a customer about an order the customer was having shipped to the store for pickup. I’ve just been to bn.com to look for info on this but so far haven’t found any.

I don’t see why it would be so unreasonable. I remember placing several catalog orders with JCPenney and having them shipped to the local store for pickup – I imagine the rationale being that the customer might not expect to be home for a daytime delivery and preferring to come and get it. (I did it because I was working nights and didn’t want to be woken up.) You can also have general FedEx and UPS packages sent to the local office for pickup.

#5

Same deal with Best Buy, and a couple other stores that I can’t think of - though again, you don’t get a special discount. That’s probably what was confusing your friend.

#6

It’s my husband I was talking with.

And what we’re trying to do is save money. Which I’m still convinced we can’t do by having it shipped to a store.

#7

What you can do is go into your local B&N and order it from them and have it shipped to your home. The “ship to home” price which is usually about the same as the on-line price. You’ll pay $3.99 for delivery, though, unless the total order is over $25.

Hey, can I get some sleep now?
Been selling HP&tHBP till 4 in the blessed a.m. :frowning:

#8

When you wake up, can you tell me how long it takes to get it delivered? My objectives are:

—To get Drive to the East as soon as humanly possible

—To avoid paying a combined amount in book price and shipping that adds up to more than the list price.

If I have to pay full price to get it right away, I’ll do that. I’m just tired of always having to wait and wait and wait, then miss the deliveries or have to go the post office or UPS office to collect it.

And kudos to you for helping get HBP into people’s hands!

#9

Looks like the publication date is August 9th. If you do a “ship to home” you should get it not too long after that (Harry Potter “ship to homes” [mostly] got to customers the same day we started selling 'em). From what I can tell, even with the shipping charge it’ll still be a few bucks under the list price.

koee, your friendly (exhausted) bookseller

#10

I’ve ordered through B&N and picked up my order at the store. The price charged was the same price as if I’d shipped it to my home.

#11

I ordered through Amazon. It arrived Saturday morning (the publication date here was July 16th). I finished it this morning. Went out all day yesterday and last night, only got a chance to start it again today). I love Amazon…on time and cheaper than the RRP.