Couple years ago when I was taking classes at UW I bought all my books at the University Book Store. I liked going there to browse, feel and smell the books. Sometimes I would buy a children's book for my daughter, or another notebook for the endless notes I took in class.
Several of my class mates said they bought all their school books on Amazon, because they were so much cheaper than at the local book store (and that is a consideration when you spend $100 per book!). I was skeptical at first - I am loyal to local stores and shops as much as is feasible. Although I had purchased several things at Amazon in the past, I had never bought school books there. But money talks. Or so I thought.
In 2006 I purchased a book on mass media law that saved me about $25 by bying it on Amazon. I thought I was clever. What I didn't realize was that the book I bought was previous year's edition (the only one available at Amazon at the time) and it did not include some important changes that I needed in my class. I contacted Amazon to return the book and buy the next edition (which had become available by then). They told me that I could not return it for full credit for some BS reason that I cannot remember, but if I shipped it back I could receive a partial credit (approximately $25). After wrangling with Amazon on the phone a few times I returend the book and bought the new edition at University Book Store for $100.
I never received the partial credit from Amazon for returning the book. I have not bought anything from Amazon since. I still love University Book Store.
Below is another horror story by Steve Brown, who bought a hair color product from Amazon and was overcharged shipping costs.
Amazon Horror
--- T
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