Contemplating whether to get books from there as it seems to be the in-thing and furthermore the purported convenience it offers. Finally, the falling US Dollar rates make it somewhat more attractive to buy Amazon products since it's will be cheaper. So here's my take and the process I went through, and my feelings thereafter. It is highly biased and full of personal feelings so do take what I say with a pinch of salt.
Firstly, I looked for a set of books I wanted to buy and it came down to these 4:
Ogilvy on Advertising USD$17.22
Investing For Dummies, 4th Edition USD$14.95
How to Become CEO: The Rules for Rising to the Top of Any Organization USD$11.53
The Forbes Book of Business Quotations: 14,173 Thoughts on the Business of Life USD$13.10
Total: USD $56.80
+ USD $26.95 (Shipping/Handling, no free shipping as I'm not in the US)
= USD $83.75 = S$ 129.10 (10 -19days to be delivered)
Firstly, I would say that if I'm located in the US, the prices will become very attractive to me because it is lower but here in Singapore, the prices are low but throw in shipping and the exchange rate, it becomes not as attractive.
A quick comparison with Kinokuniya.com.sg shows that the cost for the same four books above costs about S$ 138 so thanks to online convenience, I saved $8 but I have to wait for $10.
So the conclusion after this trial experience for me? It is not worth it to buy books online just yet due to the price difference. It is simply too negligible to be considered a saving. You also have to consider the risk factors such as torn pages, delivery lead times to a consumer because unlike a physical store where I can just choose my books and buy straightaway, online I have to wait and even run the risk of credit card fraud, which happened to one of my bosses recently when he purchased something online.
Firstly, I looked for a set of books I wanted to buy and it came down to these 4:
Ogilvy on Advertising USD$17.22
Investing For Dummies, 4th Edition USD$14.95
How to Become CEO: The Rules for Rising to the Top of Any Organization USD$11.53
The Forbes Book of Business Quotations: 14,173 Thoughts on the Business of Life USD$13.10
Total: USD $56.80
+ USD $26.95 (Shipping/Handling, no free shipping as I'm not in the US)
= USD $83.75 = S$ 129.10 (10 -19days to be delivered)
Firstly, I would say that if I'm located in the US, the prices will become very attractive to me because it is lower but here in Singapore, the prices are low but throw in shipping and the exchange rate, it becomes not as attractive.
A quick comparison with Kinokuniya.com.sg shows that the cost for the same four books above costs about S$ 138 so thanks to online convenience, I saved $8 but I have to wait for $10.
So the conclusion after this trial experience for me? It is not worth it to buy books online just yet due to the price difference. It is simply too negligible to be considered a saving. You also have to consider the risk factors such as torn pages, delivery lead times to a consumer because unlike a physical store where I can just choose my books and buy straightaway, online I have to wait and even run the risk of credit card fraud, which happened to one of my bosses recently when he purchased something online.