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 view optionsfont: A A size: - 12 +book reviewspeoplemystic fiction health identity music/moviesjazzgrrlsmovies rantrrrampage
260 hysterical
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It all started with a free shipping coupon. When I get one of those I turn into a book piggy. I ordered about 6 or 7. Marido added a couple of these lavishly produced design tomes he collects, bringing our order to over $200. Everywhere I clicked, A wee bit of helpful text had been included "order this book by Dec. 19 to receive it by xmas." Since I was ordering a good week before deadline I was confident my books would arrive in time. This was important because one of them was a christmas gift for an uncle who would be in town only a few days before going home to the U.S.
Over a week later my in-box was full of form emails from Chapters.ca, one for each book ordered. Each one informed me that Chapters couldn't guarantee the delivery of said book by christmas. Y esta. No apology no explanation no sucking up by way of compensatory coupon - por la cara.
I know I could try shopping at Indigo.ca again, but I had an experience with them last year that makes me hesitate. I can't remember the ridiculous details but I recall that they involved a number of moronically unresponsive emails from customer service and a phone call with a machine that finally ended in a dial-tone; an excellent symbolic figure gesture into my ear. I almost bothered to tell a friend who worked there about the whole thing, but she was already feeling discouragement on the job and the problem seemed too severe to be used as solvable helpful critique. I wimped out.
But as far as real life book shopping goes, I urge everyone to buy from Indigo and boycott Chapters whenever possible. Indigo is better, they have more books. Last time I walked into the latest suburban addition of a Chapters store, I was wandering several minutes before it occurred to me: Where are the books? There was stuff; like candles and a lot of mugs. Then I saw magazines, and a ratty shelf of "Bargain Books" of which I've sworn myself off. I found a shelf called " Business Biographies""- HOW GROSS IS THAT? I found some nice looking books but they were in French - my fault for not being able to read them. Eventually I found Literature & Fiction. Never did locate any biography, anthropology, history stuff. This place was just recently opened and already it seemed used-up and tired. It's as if Chapters set out to obliterate the competition in Canada ("But what competition?" I think I hear the bleating voices of a few hundred out-of-business booksellers) and then promptly morphed into the Coles bookstore chain: meeting all our stationery needs in the new millenium.
As for my online book shopping I don't know what's left to try. I would use Amazon.com exclusively, based on the fact that they promise to ship me an independent Canadian publication within 2-3 days, while Chapters offers to get it out within 3-5 weeks. I would also use them in gratitude for sending my christmas gift to another American uncle well within promised time frame. I would except that I'm tired of getting stiffed for import duties. They must have my photo up there in the customs office for something, because I always get some shocking fees. I remember when CD Now shipped me a $20 cd and customs charged me $13 to collect it from the post office. I duly received a refund eventually...but the hassle. It's enough to drive una chica into the arms of free trade. Caigo en Canadian sovereignty if it means I can't get my merchandise fast and cheap! Meanwhile, my uncle who travelled up here to see us this christmas, he ended up getting a sweatshirt.
Hasta la proxima, Cat.
(y muchas gracias a The Harvey Averne Barrio Band for Caterina's theme)
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