bakedbean

I have to say, as an old fashioned person, I much prefer an actual book to read but sometimes one is in a hurry to get one's mitts on a book.

And that was the case today.

I've found that sometimes you can get lucky and find a free pdf out there on the internet of some books and that is very nice Anyway I couldn't find what I wanted for free today, so had a browse through Amazon. Found the book. Then found that they don't "allow" downloads of Ebooks despite selling them Is this a Malaysia thing? Or is it an Amazon thing?

Fortunately the publisher's website (in USA but part of the Hay Group) was more forthcoming and I plugged in my Malaysian credit card number and, voila, phone vibrating with the debit gone through, and an email in my inbox with a download button with choice of file format to download. Very civilized. So how come Amazon cannot do that?

JC3

It's probably a licensing thing, i.e. Amazon may not have the license to sell the book outside a certain geographic area.

In a similar vein, I remember some years ago being not being able to buy some newly published paperbacks at Heathrow Airport landside, but finding them on sale airside.

JC3

bakedbean

Oh I see.

studentadvice

What about using a proxy/vpn and just format it with calibre after you bought it?

mikelincs

ON lots of paperbacks in the UK you often got a comment printed on the back cover, 'not for sale in the US or Canada'

Pulaski

Almost all of them in my experience. Also hardbacks.

abdulawwal

I've noticed that if you purchase for the Kindle from Amazon online (not through the Kindle itself), you can then send it to your device. It'll download and sync when you use the device next.

Directly on the device has licensing issues I think. But as long as you're logged in online when purchasing and your personal details are UK credentials, it should be fine.

bakedbean

Well that's it. You are talking about UK, but we are in Malaysia, and it won't allow the download, nor the free E reader. All blocked

Pulaski

So you would need to take at least part of the advice in post #4 above - using a proxy or vpn.
..... I have no idea why (if?) you would need to "reformat" whatever you download.

PoolieAbroad

I think the important factor is the address for your credit card needs to be in the UK or in some country where Amazon will deliver 'e books'.
They will not allow deliveries to a credit card based in Malaysia.
For sure Amazon UK will deliver real books to Malaysia with no problems
I had half a dozen sent in late last year took a couple of weeks no more

xizzles

Kobo is a good alternative to Kindle, and there's a great variety of books available for sale. Kobo is idiot-proof (and for a tech-dino like yours truly to say that, trust me - it *IS* idiot-proof!), and I can download it from either the Singapore website or the UK one (I still keep a Barclay's account with a small amount of £ in it for just such a contingency - the bank statements are addressed to a niece of mine) - or you could easily get a relative or friend to purchase a gift card from WHSmith and use that in lieu of a UK credit card to buy from the UK website.

I believe there's also a Malaysian Kobo website available, so the e-books should be downloadable directly to a Malaysia-based Kobo reader

abdulawwal

Bakedbean: what I meant was what PoolieAbroad mentioned: if the address on your Amazon account and card details are UK based, the ebook will be delivered no problem to the device. My address and credit card are UK on Amazon, and when I order an eBook, it delivers to the device.

If you try to purchase directly from the Kindle, being in Malaysia and using the internet here, itwill block your from making purchases of some titles.

bakedbean

Thanks all. To confirm, I have no address in ol' Blighty, or a credit card from there.

Anyway I got the book I wanted via the publishers, so I'm a happy bunny. They didn't seem to care that my credit card was Malaysian

PoolieAbroad

xizzles

Good for you, bakedbean happy reading!

Just as an aside, sometimes surprisingly, the Singapore Kobo e-bookstore is cheaper than the British Kobo one!