Ron,
My most unfavorite company on the Internet, Amazon.com, had it available used for over $80.
Another example of the principle, "Let the buyer beware." I can’t say that Amazon is my least favorite company because I have bought a lot of stuff from them and plan to buy more. A Dremel tool will probably be my next purchase from them.
The used book market is a special case. Amazon does not set the prices on their used books — they act as a sort of third party go-between who offers the items for whatever prices the suppliers suggest. Presumably Amazon gets a commission. Sometimes, as you point out, those prices are out of line. I have seen used copies with asking prices greater than the new price of books that were still in print.
I got Channel Chops many years ago back when I had Photoshop 4. So basically it is a Photoshop 4 book. Oddly, Adobe has not changed those features of Photoshop much, so the book is not as badly out of date as you might expect. But I am surprised that there hasn’t been a later edition of Channel Chops. And I am disappointed that Photoshop hasn’t grown more in that area.
— Burton —
My most unfavorite company on the Internet, Amazon.com
What on Earth can you have against these guys?
They invented Internet shopping. They offer great service. They support a thriving 2nd hand market too.
Oh, I got it. They made a profit, didn’t they? That’s bad isn’t it?
nodding support for amazon. as said above, they ship fast and have great service and a great range of products. and the prices usually can’t be beat. what you see on second hand stuff from amazon resellers is supply and demand. those prices aren’t set by amazon, but by the actual sellers, for whom amazon is a go between.
What on Earth can you have against these guys?<<
THEY TEMPT ME TO SPEND MORE MONEY THAN I HAVE! <g>
Their product and customer database is probably the best on the ‘net.
This means whenever I want a book, they always offer me at least another two that I will find interesting. So I go to have a look if I really want either of them and what do they do? They offer me another two along with each of the first two. So that’s now 7 books I REALLY, REALLY MUST HAVE.
My wish list is causing them storage problems! <vbg>
Their product and customer database is probably the best on the ‘net.
No doubt! They have that fantastic rating system. The more you use it the better it gets at picking stuff you’ll like, especially if you combine it with what you fill out in the "favorites" area (like cd’s, dvd, electronics, pc games, books, etc).
Len/Dave
I am always amazed that they can apply what amounts to a high-pressure sell on me, but it feels more like a friend giving me good advice. 🙂
The only thing I have against them is, besides being such a pack of tempters, that you must always remember to group your orders so as to minimize the added expenses for post and all that stuff.
Otherwise, at least in euroland, it will cost you an arm, a leg and a b….
PS. Any idea of a second edition of Real World Color Management? I’d gladly sell the 1st one to pay part of the expenses 😉
I always drop it in the cart and leave it. When I get enough for free shipping (> $30USD) I go ahead and order. I placed one last night after reading this! 2 books and a Pink Floyd 1972 Live at Pompei Director’s Cut DVD! 🙂
Free shipping and no tax. Can’t beat that with a stick!
Let me third the chorus about Photoshop Channels Chops: it is a must have! I saw that Scott Kelby did a book on the topic, but I guess that, as usual with him, it is geared towards beginners…
What I like with Amazon, is that they list upcoming books: useful to know if a new version of Photoshop is coming… (or Photoshop Elements 😉 )
What on Earth can you have against these guys?
I think it was about 1999 – Amazon declared that the customer information in their database was their property – and sold the data. My personal information was some that they sold. I have never been back.
Hank Skinner
My personal information was some that they sold
I am intrigued to know how you could track the fact that it was them that sold your details. I know people who use "mis-spelt" post codes or change their middle initial.
Uh-uh…now everybody’s gonna know our favorite movie stars and what we wanna be when we grow up. 🙁
I’d be more worried about names, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers etc. All of those things are in their db.
"… about names, addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers etc"
These were what were sold – though not the credit card numbers. They sold the complete customer list at the time. I did not track it but the fact they cinsidered the personal information I had given them their property to be sold was why I dicontinued doingt business with them. There was a large stink about it at the time and I think the policies may have changed.
Hank
Henry
I hope that you are in the US. Here in the UK [and most European countries] the directors of a company doing this would be behind bars.
Well, ummm, since Amazon is an American company, even Amazon JP, Amazon UK, and all the rest of the Amazon branches world-wide are under the control of Jeff Bezos and his company…"behind bars…" Ha! Colin, you evidently do not have much dealings with large corporations.
Amazon UK is, legally speaking, a UK company bound by our laws. A lot of large companies here have falled fowl of the Data Protection Act.
Does anyone know of any specific person who was actually harmed by Amazon’s change in their privacy policy? I was one of the millions of people in their database at the time, and I have suffered no ill effect.
I thought it was a bit high handed of them to unilaterally change their policy, and I did my usual grumbling, but I didn’t suffer because of it and I don’t know of anyone who did. If anyone can document that Amazon harmed them, there are probably lawyers who would like to represent you, for their usual cut, of course.
— Burton —
