|
I am a subscriber who lives in Canada and gets a monthly shipment. I commonly buy little other odds and ends on top of my Adventure Path, Maps, Cards, Fiction subscriptions.
I often get dinged for duty when large orders come through.
Shipping is not cheap. I buy from them mostly so I get the PDF, which about evens it out.
So I often combine shipping on orders, and have it come with my monthly order.
I don’t subscribe to the Companion series, but sometimes I see something I really want to have.
So out comes the Armory. I miss my subscription shipment by a couple of days, so I ask them to process my order, but still combine the shipping. I don’t mind paying for it now, even if it is delayed. I want to read the PDF.
They say they can’t.
I then propose that I buy the PDF, and the Print edition, and when the print edition ships (with my free PDF included for download) they then process a return on the PDF. That way I get to read it now, they still get the same order they were going to, and they get to keep a subscriber who has spent well in excess of a thousand dollars with them happy.
And I don’t even get a response email?
Seriously?
If you don't subscribe to the Companion, why would you get a free PDF?
|
|
From what I understand Paizo does not charge your credit card until shipment because of a legality issue. As such they can't give you your PDF until it is shipped out as well.
As for the last portion, I don't know Paizo's return policy, but as far as I know no company accepts returns on a PDF/electronic format as there is no way to return the item. The ease of copying a computer file versus copying an entire book is vastly different.
My suggestion would be to simply buy the PDF and paper book separately or subscribe to it to receive every item as it comes along (as you do for many items already).
As a fellow Canadian Subscriber that likes to add odds and ends combined to save on shipping: their system isn't very good. They have a sytem... that's great! But I wish they would re-work it...
I think your solution suggested would be fair. It's worth it to keep you happy!
|
|
1) as Brian said, you only get a free PDF for lines you subscribe to.
2) the free PDFs go out when the physical copy is boxed for shipping. This is to prevent someone from starting a subscription, and cancleing it after getting the free PDF (among many other things)
It's funny. I never realized I only get the free PDF as a subscriber, and since I subscribe to so many things, and the other things I buy are physical items (cards etc. that don't have PDF's) I never even noticed.
Why this couldn't have been mentioned by the Paizo staff, I don't know...
It wouldn't have even reached the boards if they had responded to me with this point.
So, thank you for responding to me and pointing this out.
1) as Brian said, you only get a free PDF for lines you subscribe to.
2) the free PDFs go out when the physical copy is boxed for shipping. This is to prevent someone from starting a subscription, and cancleing it after getting the free PDF (among many other things)
It's funny. I never realized I only get the free PDF as a subscriber, and since I subscribe to so many things, and the other things I buy are physical items (cards etc. that don't have PDF's) I never even noticed.
Why this couldn't have been mentioned by the Paizo staff, I don't know...
It wouldn't have even reached the boards if they had responded to me with this point.
So, thank you for responding to me and pointing this out.
I don't think asking for a free PDF for your trouble was out of line in your case.
Director of Sales
|
R. Doyle,
I apologize for the delayed response. We respond to every email in as quick of a fashion as possible. However, due to the volume of emails, it can sometime take a few business days for us to get a response sent out. We received your email on the Thursday afternoon, and it was still in the queue to be answered, though I assure you that you would have received an answer today. In reading through the email exchange you had with Sara, I see that it was not made clear from the get-go that the free PDF only comes with subscription purchases.
I have a question for you and Uninvited Ghost: In what manner is our system failing for Canadian subscribers exactly? Uninvited ghost, you say our system isn't very good, please let me know what, exactly, you wish it would do that it isn't doing now. This will help us enormously in guiding our continuous updates and revisions.
Thanks,
cos
|
|
R. Doyle,
I apologize for the delayed response. We respond to every email in as quick of a fashion as possible. However, due to the volume of emails, it can sometime take a few business days for us to get a response sent out. We received your email on the Thursday afternoon, and it was still in the queue to be answered, though I assure you that you would have received an answer today. In reading through the email exchange you had with Sara, I see that it was not made clear from the get-go that the free PDF only comes with subscription purchases.
I have a question for you and Uninvited Ghost: In what manner is our system failing for Canadian subscribers exactly? Uninvited ghost, you say our system isn't very good, please let me know what, exactly, you wish it would do that it isn't doing now. This will help us enormously in guiding our continuous updates and revisions.
Thanks,
cos
I had received previous responses on a same day basis. When I didn't hear back for over 3 days, it did not look good. Even if I can't answer an email right away, I let people know I have received it and provide them with a likely time-frame as to when I will respond.
In regards to being a Canadian subscriber, it doesn't always fail me. The shipping is not the cheapest, but I certainly wouldn't say you are gouging. Everything is well packed (and as I pointed out to Sara, you really need to stop with the packing peanuts - they are really annoying and don't protect books from anything... not to mention environmentally irresponsible) but it does take a while to arrive. On large orders (usually over about 80.00) the order gets dinged for customs. This makes the shipping very expensive. I don't mind the length of time it takes as using USPS is the best way to ship to Canada.
I understand that you don't control customs, and without knowing how your costs break down in regards to multiple packages, it may not be feasible for you to break orders into smaller packages to reduce the likelihood of an assessment.
One thing you could consider is instead of sending everything in a box, send it in a sturdy envelope. It won't be a solution for everything, but it may lessen some of the costs for the purchaser.
Now that I realize that I don't get a free PDF, I will likely try and find a local source for any extra books. That was really my only incentive for ordering direct from Paizo.
|
Chief Technical Officer
|
Everything is well packed (and as I pointed out to Sara, you really need to stop with the packing peanuts - they are really annoying and don't protect books from anything... not to mention environmentally irresponsible)...
We have a very high success rate with peanuts. As for their impact on the environment, we either reuse clean ones sent to us by our suppliers (and I think you'd agree it's better to reuse them than landfill them) or we purchase ones made from 100% recycled material. (The latter can be identified by their green color).
One thing you could consider is instead of sending everything in a box, send it in a sturdy envelope. It won't be a solution for everything, but it may lessen some of the costs for the purchaser.
We do use sturdy envelopes where appropriate. The interior dimensions max out at about 3/4", though, and certain fragile items will always go in a box regardless of size. (By necessity, UPS and Priority Mail Flat Rate Box shipments also always get boxed.)
As for their impact on the environment, we either reuse clean ones sent to us
Would you reuse ones sent back to you from us?
Fantastic. Just ship back to the return address on the package? Should the package be marked in some way? Send to Paizo c/o shipping dept? or something of the like
Sorry for my cynicism, but why post back the packaging? After all, would that not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere with transport?
Apologies if people are offended but I got a laugh out of the end of this thread.
Not really. Maybe if they were making a special trip for my box of peanuts... but it's going to go with all the other packages going from point a to point b. Adding a box isn't going to add to it.
Sorry for my cynicism, but why post back the packaging? After all, would that not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere with transport?
Apologies if people are offended but I got a laugh out of the end of this thread.
Not really. Maybe if they were making a special trip for my box of peanuts... but it's going to go with all the other packages going from point a to point b. Adding a box isn't going to add to it.
Not to be a killjoy, but while a single box wouldn't add much, a lot of boxes would.
A more efficient, green and ultimately beneficial strategy to everyone involved would be to recycle your clean packing peanuts at a local shipping store, recycle your cardboard shipping containers locally, and use the money you save on posting the material to Paizo to buy more product from Paizo.
The environment wins, the local shipping outlet wins, Paizo wins and you win.