Amazon and Preordering

[Green Knight]

ummm.... That really doesn't look worth it to me.

When you're as impatient as I am, yes, it's worth it. :b

 

[malraux]

When you're as impatient as I am, yes, it's worth it. :b

If you're impatient, I'd imagine you'd want your books before January.

 

[Mapache]

Paying the extra $4 for Standard Shipping is worth it, apparently. My ship date got moved up from January 10th to January 6th when I switched.

My experience is that Amazon massively sandbags on the delivery date, and I always receive things far in advance of the delivery date. I always opt for the free Super Saver Shipping, and the order I made last week arrived on my doorstep in two days anyway. Paying anything more isn't worth it for me, though this may vary by metropolitan area—I'm currently in the vicinity of San Francisco / San Jose which probably gets about the best service possible.

 

[Zulithe]

Mapache: interesting and thanks. I've used amazon extensively in the past, when I lived in the midwest. I now live in San Francisco and the 4e giftset will be my first order from them. I hope it is as speedy as you say!

 

[ShadowyFigure]

AFAIK, it's friendly local game store.

Cheers, LT.

Yeh like one of those will ever exist where I live...

 

[arscott]

Can't tell if you're being serious or not, but assuming you are: you have unreasonable expectations.

A reasonable expectation is that all retailers receive shipment from the distributor at the same time, so that the product can be put on shelves on the street date.

For a dirt store like Borders, that means that on the street date you can walk into the store, pick up the product from a store shelf, and purchase the product.

For an online store like Amazon, that means that on the street date UPS can walk into the warehouse, pick up your product from a warehouse shelf, put it on a truck for delivery to a UPS hub, and from there put your product on a plane or truck for delivery to another UPS distribution center near your home, before finally being put on another truck for delivery to your home.

I thought Amazon functions as it's own distributor, buying directly from the publishers.

 

[vladbat]

Living on Long island I have found that if I take the standard shipping I get my product in 2 days.
My ship dates are on the 6th for the core books and on the 20th for H!. Maybe the later dates have to do with when you ordered and how many books they project to receive on that date. I ordered on 1/26.
Are those of you with later dates later to pre-order?

 

[Patlin]

I'm not talking about the gift set but the deluxe edition which is coming much later!

Actually, I got that. I was saying my position was similar to the original poster. Even if the SRD is useless, which I understand it may be, I am still betting on a gigantic thread along the order of "I have the core rulebooks! Ask me questions!" If history is any indicator, this'll probably pop up a few days *before* the release date.

I may yet break down and buy an extra phb, but I'll try to be patient. Hmmm... maybe my 7 year old daughter needs her own?