I'm a huge Calvin & Hobbes fan and have been eyeing this collection for some time now. This is the cheapest I've ever seen it come down to, so I finally ordered it!
Just thought I'd share for others who might be interested as well.
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes Hardcover Collection, 50% off, Amazon UK ~$90 delivered
120
Price History at 
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I tried that, but the shipping rate Amazon US was giving me was higher than what Booko was quoting.
It's because Booko doesn't apply the "heavy and bulky items" surcharge… it's not Booko's fault. Amazon doesn't make this obvious anywhere in their listing.
Don't always trust Booko for the cheapest price. It doesn't index some of the cheapest stores and doesn't include the various coupons.
For instance, you can currently get this book for $85 delivered from Barnes and Noble using the 25% off Mastercard coupon (E4A4D3W).
EDIT: Also BN.com has 8% cashback at the moment if you go via Ebates
I ordered this from Amazon US a few years ago. The only problem with importing is that because of its size and bulk it gets absolutely thrashed in the mail system. Mine arrived with a few dented corners. It's not major, but if you like your stuff in pristine condition (and you would, if you're getting something of this calibre) then have a bit of a think before you hit that buy button!
For the record, mine was packed inside an Amazon box with no padding, which was then shipped inside a sack (literally).
Pics:
The sack
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14285255/DSC01642.JPGNote the corners of the box
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14285255/DSC01647.JPGLook at the top right corner
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14285255/DSC01657.JPGBut who knows. Amazon UK might pack and ship differently. But my recent DVD experience with them indicates otherwise (flap came unstuck, everything fell out, 1 DVD went missing, the other one the discs popped off the case bouncing around and became scratched - although Amazon did replace them free of charge)
If you don't mind the initial outlay of $307.95 you can hit Borders up for their price matching policy. They then refund 110% of difference (about $240) which means the book costs you only $68 all up. The refund from Borders takes 10 working days.
As much as I'd love to try that, I'm not sure i'd be game to play russian roulette with ~$200 and borders wording.. especially when it says that
"*Please note that claims and queries cannot be answered by phone. Please follow the steps listed below to raise your claim."
The thing that concerns me is Borders wording on Item 4: The Offer does not apply:
a. when used in conjunction with any coupons, discounts, incentives or any other offers;Surely the amazon.co.uk price is a discount? Or is there proof that they'll honor amazon's pricing..
Not really sure I'd want to go through the dramas of consumer affairs if they change the goal posts…
Nah, they'll match that if you can be bothered. I did something similar with Barnes and Noble. It doesn't say discount anywhere and they will specifically match Amazon UK as long as it's not one of their marketplace sellers.
Ahh ok.. well i've just sent them a webform question.. Whether or not they'll answer it will determine if I buy from them.. I'd rather have a watertight answer from them that they can't wriggle out of (happened to me one too many times)..
Good luck with that. I went through the same thing to reassure myself, and in the process discovered that they won't price match DVDs and blu-rays unless they're the identical (same region, everything) product!! So in other words their policy is pretty much useless in regards to almost all movies and music! But yeah, might as well get 'em where it hurts with the books.
let me know how you go bro, then maybe i might do the same as well too :)
LOL for the record, I paid US$106.48 (shipped) for this from Amazon US back in 2005!
EDIT: the exchange rate was 0.764298, which means it would have cost me over AU$140… if weren't for the fact that I received US$91 worth of gift certificates from my work :-)
Actually, maybe i might buy it, and when i receive it, don't open the box or anything until I've got my 110% refund.. that way if they do wriggle out of it, I can post the item back and ask for a refund on the entire amount..
Yeah, or just give the box a swift kick and claim it was "damaged in trasit" :-) (Disclaimer: I don't actually recommend doing this)
hehe this must be u fo sho… :)
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1581078also wondering how do borders give you a refund from the information you provide, it doesn't ask for your address or anything..
Guilty as charged :-P
As for the refund, they simply put it back on whatever form of payment you used. E.g. if you paid by credit card, then they'll do a chargeback(?) for the difference.
can't you just go to the shop and show them another competitor has it for cheaper and they do it on the spot - so annoying having to wait 10 days for the refund..
The physical shops won't match online prices. The whole point of Borders online is that they do the whole ship from China/UK/US thing because it's cheaper. It's the same stink that the Myer boss was kicking up about the whole GST and import thing, threatening to open up an online Myer that ships from China unless the govt. taxes imports under $1k…
Let us know how you go! I was considering this, but the price gap was just too big to gamble with Borders' processes.
Woohoo!
Hi Caesar
Thank you for your email.
Good News! You are correct, a refund is due as per the terms and conditions of the Borders Price Guarantee for your recent order.
A total of $110.58 adding the 10% to the difference amount was refunded to the account you have used to place this order. Please allow up to three business days for the amount to appear on your account.
Thank you for using Borders and we appreciate your business.
Kind Regards
Srini
Borders Online
www.borders.com.auAnd here's the details of the claim (not C&H though):
I would like to make a Price Guarantee claim on order #xxxxxxx. Please find the requested claim details:
a. Was your initial claim made with in 3 days of your purchase?
Yesb. Competitor website address – URL:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/product.aspx?EAN=9781…c. ISBN of the book:
9781401210830d. What is the ISBN number of the book being compared ?
9781401210830e. Borders Order Number:
1517971f. Borders Price:
AU$194.95g. Competitor price in AUD: $
AU$71.63 (US$71.28 @ Westpac's TT Sell rate of 0.9951, as at 30/12/2010)h. Competitor delivery price in AUD: $
AU$13.04 (US$12.98)i. Competitor Total price in AUD: $
AU$84.67 (US$84.26)j. Cheaper to Borders price by AUD : $
AU$110.28Another quick update to mention that I received it in the post yesterday. It arrived in absolute mint condition, packed quite obviously in the original packaging from the original manufacturer since it was well protected, no dented corners (unlike my Calvin and Hobbes).
Gotta say thumbs up to the Borders Online Price Guarantee.
Well, my order arrived last week and a large portion of the box was wet and tattered…so much so that AU Post actually repacked it into a thick, clear plastic bag. The books themselves were ok, but slipcase was watermarked. I immediately complained to Amazon and since they knew the cost of returning it would've been so expensive, they simply gave me a refund and told me to keep the books. So, overall still happy.
Plus, with the movement in the exchange rate, I actually got back $5 more than I paid!
Here's a trick: lodge a complaint with Australia Post and see if they'll refund you the cost of the items as well since they were damaged in the process of being carried by them (well somebody had to have left it out in the rain for it to have gotten wet, unless it happened while it was left on your doorstep or whatever).
I doubt that'll work. AU Post repacked it with a sticker saying that the item arrived in Australia already in that condition. Besides, I already got my money back…there's no need to "trick" anybody.
This was such an integral part of my childhood.
All aboard the nostalgia train T_T
Edit: ~$85 delivered at Amazon US according to Booko.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0740748475/ref=nosim/…