Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Book Depository (dot com)

EReaders are growing in popularity around the world. The big question might be, is this because people prefer to read on them, or because they live out of Amazon.com's delivery area? I'm sure the answer is: some of both.

If you live outside of the USA and prefer to read paper books in the English language, I'd like to introduce you to The Book Depository, a company in the United Kingdom with over 8,000,000 titles available. The best part? Even one book qualifies for free shipping to over 100 countries.

How does The Book Depository work?

1. They deal in physical books only, leaving ebooks to other retailers.

2. Founded in 2004, their motto is to make "All Books available to All."

3. They are Europe's fastest growing bookseller with over 1,000,000 customers and an impeccable reputation.

4. They provide an affiliate program.

I emailed Andy at TBD and asked him how big their warehouse is!

Andy: We don’t physically hold that many books but we have a fantastic supplier network with fast delivery times from them to our warehouse, so we can get books from many different suppliers into our warehouse and then out to the customer very quickly.

I also asked him if they carried selfpublished books.

Andy: We work via distributors and wholesalers so provided the book is held in stock by one of our existing supply partners then we can list and sell those books on our website. We do list POD titles produced by Ingram POD and Lightning Source International.

That clarified a couple of points!

A fellow ICFW member, Grace Bridges, who hails from New Zealand, first told me of this site. I began to use it when Rainbow's End released in May, 2012. Many bloggers and reviewers have come to expect book giveaways, and I know I enjoy them, too. But living in Canada, I don't have access to the same cheap media rates experienced by authors in the USA, mailing books to American addresses.

I have two choices. I can take a book from my stash (one I've paid for, albeit at a discount, or from the limited number provided by my publisher) and pay the postage, or I can buy a book at retail from TBD and NOT pay postage. (Bonus? When Rainbow's End released, TBD had it listed for $6.39 CDN instead of the $8.39 on amazon.ca!)The cost to me, then, is roughly the same, except that going through TBD means I still have that book copy in my stash, available for someone local where postage isn't necessary at all. No longer do I need to limit giveaways to the USA and/or Canada. The cost is the same no matter where.

Win/win? I say "yes!"

Just for fun, let's give it a test drive. If you live in any one of the 100 countries TBD ships to free of charge, comment for a chance to win a copy of Rainbow's End. Share a frustration or story about book shipment, or just toss your email address in the hat before Tuesday, February 12, replacing @ with (at) and .com with (dot) com.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."

About Rainbow's End: Join a geocaching adventure in the spectacular Lake of the Ozarks wilderness, with Lyssa, the reluctant volunteer whose former nemesis is now her chief sponsor; Madison, a city girl paired with an outdoorsy guy who gets on her very last nerve; Hadley, who doesn’t know enough about guys to realize she’s met a womanizer; and cautious Reagan, who meets an equally cautious guy. Will they find the treasure they’re looking for … or something else entirely?

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Her first published work, a novella, was released in the collection Rainbow's End from Barbour Books in May 2012. Visit her to glimpse inside her world.

25 comments:

  1. Since we're practically neighbours according to Canada Post, putting my name in your draw is hardly a fair test, but here goes anyway. The Book Depository sounds like a fantastic service.

    avaldal at shaw dot ca

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  2. Alice, you live in one of the designated 100 countries AND you don't live close enough to me for me to hand you a copy in person, so I'm happy to add your name! (Howdy, neighbor.)

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  3. This is so cool. I had no idea how great The Book Depository was. Thanks for sharing. And since I live in a qualified country, I'd love to win your book, Valerie. :)

    liz at lizjohnsonbooks dot com

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  4. I lvoe this idea and I'd love to win, Val.
    jgatchellatshawdotca

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  5. I've seen the book depository on blogs, but never knew what it was, thanks. The book sounds good too.

    sonflower277 at gmail dot com

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  6. Wonderful! Thank you for this giveaway! I can never get enough of Romancing America books!!! :)

    Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a) Chavez

    amada_chavez{AT}yahoo{DOT}com

    Exodus 14:14

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  7. Many thanks for this information about the Book Depository, I've heard of it before but never used it.

    My frustration with ordering print books is that often the shipping costs as much as the actual book.

    South Africa is one of the designated countries and I'm a keen geocacher, so please enter me in your giveaway.

    My email address is ruthdell (at) mweb (dot) co (dot) za

    Thanks, Ruth

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  8. Wow, that's amazing,Val. Let's see if your book can reach Australia. It sounds interesting.

    ritagal(at) optusnet (dot) com (dot) au

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  9. Hi Valarie, I am a fellow convert to this magnificent site. It was an aussie who put me onto it but not sure which one Think it was Narelle. I love the LI ranges and we cant get them here on kindle for a couple of years and they are cheaper at TBD than the bookshop and being in the country I dont get to the bookshop often so would be paying postage here. They are great. I have mentioned it to American authors (I remember we mentioned it on seekerville). Amazon charge like a wounded bull for postage, Christianbook is much better but TBD is so good. They often have specials too. They even have tracking for parcels. Dont enter me as I have read this great book.

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  10. Thanks for entering, Liz, Joey, Anon, and Amatha. You're in the draw

    Thanks for entering from far away, Ruth Ann and Rita. I've sent a copy of Rainbow's End to Australia via TBD before, so I know it works!

    I know you and I have talked about TBD before, Jenny. Was it you I sent a copy to in Oz?

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    Replies
    1. No Valerie but I know you sent one around the time I had you on my blog.

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  11. i have have heard about this site, and actually recieved a book from there. (does that discount me from winning?) i have often wondered why not more sites use this...Thanks

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    Replies
    1. I'm happy to enter your name. Knowing about TBD beforehand doesn't disqualify you! :)

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  12. Hey - would love to give this a try, haven't read this one yet, so if I win....would be nice.
    Love coming to these sites. rrwalter34atgmaildotcom

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  13. Thanks Valerie. I have been on your blog before. I have seen sites that had gift cards for the Book Depository but didn't know any thing about it. Thanks for this info. I would love to win this book. I have tried before with no luck, Please enter my name. Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com

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  14. Valerie, I live in one of the designated countries and know NOTHING about geo-caching. I'd love to read your book. Thanks for this idea.
    shirl(dot)corder(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. This is great! I am going to check out The Book Depository :) Please enter me in the contest for a chance to win.

    strgth4yu(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  16. Hi Valerie, I love The Book Depository :) They usually offer books at a discount for pre-orders. Yes Jenny, it was probably me who mentioned TBD for LI books. Please don't enter me in the drawing, I have Rainbow's End ready to read on my Kindle :)

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  17. Hi Valerie!

    It was lovely to meet you at the ACFW conference last year in Dallas. :) I don't think I'd heard of TBD. Thanks for introducing it to us. :) I love www.betterworldbooks dot com. they also have free shipping on most of their books. I'd love to win a copy of Rainbow's End.

    dingo4mum at clubtelco.com

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  18. Hi Valerie, I use The book Depository and have found them very good. I would love to be entered in the draw.
    dharcombe(at)bigpond.dot)com

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  19. Thanks for the info on the book site. I would love to be entered in the draw. marglworthingtonatgmaildotcom
    Your book sounds interesting.

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  20. This sounds like a fantastic service, Valerie, and since I haven't yet had a chance to read Rainbow's End, I'd love this opportunity to try The Book Depository out by winning a copy.

    caroljgarvin (at) gmail (dot) com

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  21. Thanks for sharing this great info, Valerie! Unfortunately, only one of my books is still available in print, but I am definitely going to use this service with my next book. I'll be eager to hear more of your experience after this shipment.

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  22. Random.org picked Margie's name. Contest is closed :)

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