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NEVER ORDER TEXTBOOKS ONLINE

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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267

hello all, friendly piece of advice to you other college students out there; DO NOT ORDER TEXTBOOKS ONLINE!  here's the story:

My girlfriend is taking a Microbiology class and decided to buy her book online to save some money since she has to pay for ALL of her school herself.  We placed on order with textbooksrus.com and saved about $100 for a used one online over the new book at the school bookstore.  Stoked on the saving and think it is going to be great.

A week goes by, no book.  Send an e-mail asking for a tracking number, get one and the package is en route with an estimated delivery of something around Jan 21.  Thats decent, the order was on Jan 13.

Another week goes by, the 21st passes and still no book.  Hmmmm, go and check the tracking number and the package has mysteriously been in Grove City, OH for the last week without moving.  That's interesting, WTF?

So we call FedEx last Thursday and they place a package tracking search.  Don't tell us shit about what is going on.  Get a call back this Monday (Jan 26) saying the package can't be found.  So then we spend literally 5 hours on the phone (honestly not an exageration) trying to get some resolution.  They jerk us around during this time with three way calls to warehouses looking for the book, three way calls to the distributor, lots of time on hold, and lets of time trying to talk to a supervisor.

Side note: I have learned that when you ask these people to talk to their supervisor they transfer you to the person sitting next to them, not an actual supervisor, so you just get jerked around for another hour by someone who really doesn't have anymore authority than the last person.

Cut to the chase; the book is lost.  FedEx sucks.  Now what do we do?  It is Monday and there is a test in the class on Wednesday.  FedEx won't do ANYTHING FOR US, only for the distributor.  So textbooksrus.com doesn't offer phone customer service, no chance for a speedy solution to this.

We send textbooksrus.com and e-mail and here is their response:

Dear Customer,
Thank you for your email.
We apologize for this inconvenience. We have checked with our shipping client and it appears that the item has been misplaced/lost. Unfortunately, we do not have a replacement item to send to you. At this time we have issued you a refund for the cost of this item and the shipping costs associated with it. Please allow 3-5 business days for this refund to appear back on your card. If you are still in need of this item you will need to place another order or purchase it from another source. Once again we apologize for this inconvenience to you.
Thanks,
Textbooksrus.com Support Team

THANKS FOR NOTHING! Now my girlfriend has to drop her class which in turn sets her graduation off by a FUCKING YEAR since she is a pre-nursing student!

Don't waste your time with this shit, spend the extra bucks and get your book nice and safe at the school store!  NO ONE GIVES A DAMN ABOUT YOU AND NOBODY WILL HELP YOU.  I quote from the signature line of the textbooksrus.som support team, "Delighting our customers is our top priority. We welcome your comments and suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you."  BULLSHIT!

Jan 29 2009 4:42PM
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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267
don't support FedEx or textbooksrus.com as they BOTH have the world's worst customer service.
Jan 29 2009 4:44PM
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Ryno
Posts: 31125 - Karma: 336
I order all my books online and save $100's and i've never had a problem. Buy off Amazon (search for sales by other retailers besides amazon to find the good deals).
Jan 29 2009 4:47PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
your girlfriend didn't have to drop the class. Libraries have textbooks for people to use. She could have bought the book and just paid extra for it when she realized it was lost. I've gone whole semesters without a book and it wasn't a big deal.

Fedex lost the book. It happens. Textbooksrus.com though? Really? Not Amazon?
Jan 29 2009 4:51PM
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Mac.
Posts: 953 - Karma: 24
After realized that it wouldn't be delivered why not just fork out the extra cash and buy the book at the bookstore?

One experience is not enough for one generalization.  I know a ton of people that have saved a lot of money by buying off of amazon and had no problems with them.

Go with amazon.
Jan 29 2009 4:58PM
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Dan.
Posts: 7201 - Karma: 1,126
how is it the text book websites fault that your shit got lost in the fedex system? you're clearly a rich fuck if you advocate buying textbooks from the college bookstore
Jan 29 2009 4:59PM
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Flowsion
Posts: 1461 - Karma: 11
gotta agree.

i use amazon and never had issues. and even if the book is lost and the library doesn't have it (which can be common for texts used for classes), there's gotta be a campus bookstore that carries it. dropping a class and getting set back a full year seems pretty extreme for a book that must be accessible somehow but just costs a bit more.
Jan 29 2009 5:01PM
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dgcarbs
Posts: 438 - Karma: 11
shit happens, you could of just bought the book from the bookstore when you realized that you weren't going to get it on time and then either returned it when the book came in or kept it for the semester.
I also have never had a problem with buying/selling my books online either from amazon or B&N
Jan 29 2009 5:26PM
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emopoppins
Posts: 3996 - Karma: 269
i guess the real lesson learned her is buy from amazon.com. everybody else is sketchy.
Jan 29 2009 5:27PM
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Msully
Posts: 575 - Karma: 21
just be poor like me, live by yourself and get free text books :p
Jan 29 2009 5:30PM
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908
Posts: 716 - Karma: 11
i have ordered many textbooks online with no problem...
Jan 29 2009 5:39PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
I don't get why she has to drop a class because she doesn't have the text book? There are ways around it. Friends who have the book, library, go study in the bookstore for the test, talk to the lecturer and see if you can borrow his/her copy of the book for an hour, just bomb this one test and do better in the other tests.. dropping the class because of a missing text book seems waay over the top. I never buy my text books anymore, im in the last year of my degree.
Jan 29 2009 5:39PM
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Chummer3
Posts: 599 - Karma: 9
 
Jan 29 2009 5:41PM
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spqr
Posts: 182 - Karma: 141
I've orderd 4 semesters worth of books of Half.com (a subsidary of eBay) with no problems. Often the books are cheaper than other sites (amazon, barns and noble). I've also started selling my books there which is great because it helps out your eBay reputation.

Also, adding shipping insurance usually costs about a dollar and for anything of value this is a small price to ensure you get what you want or your money back.
Jan 29 2009 5:48PM
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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267
wow, i can't believe how everyone completely missed what is happening.  true, shit happens, but when you are a business that is made to save college students money on books and this happens you should be sympathetic and offer solutions.  i business does not operate on the principal "shit happens"

as for buying a new book that cannot be done because we have no money for a $200 book at the school store, that is why we bought it online.  we purchased other books online from a couple places for the best prices (amazon was one).  meanwhile it takes 3 - 5 days for a refund and we do not have $200 for a book.  maybe everyone missed the part that we pay for everything WITHOUT MOM OR DAD.  please tell me how to afford the book.

i am trying to inform everybody of the risk in purchasing textbooks online because i never really thought something like this could happen.  businesses are set up with allowances for mistakes and loses and this is something that should be covered in that.  clearly, it is just too easy for everyone to say "that sucks for you" and "shit happens."

also, bombing the first test is not an option because nursing school is extremely competitive and in order to get to the school she wants you literally need a 4.0.  additionally, when this situation was explained to the teacher, his response, "you know the curriculum to be covered on the exam and it is your responsibility to know it."

a company has a responsibility to it's customers and these places have failed.  i will say that i am much more disappointed with FedEx than textbooksrus.  I expected a quick solution when FedEx lost the package and it didn't happen.  Meanwhile noone would fully admit what happened until it was too late.  Textbooksrus could have offered some type of solution but they would rather not be bothered.  By the way, the book IS in stock according to their website.

simple fact; it is too easy for everyone to go "sucks to be you" instead of helping us out when we really need it.
Jan 29 2009 7:59PM
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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267
did you even read my post?
Jan 29 2009 8:01PM
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HHB
Posts: 683 - Karma: 14
yeah, dont do it unless you want book stores to steal 100's of dollars more from you....

amazon.com they refund in full
Jan 29 2009 8:02PM
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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267
shipping insurance does not cover the book not getting here ON TIME.  we are getting a refund, it just happens to be too late.
Jan 29 2009 8:02PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
short term loan
buddy up with another student in the class to study from the book
ask professor if he/she has book and/or if school has any on reserve
find if local libraries have one
back-up emergency credit card for bull shit like this


shit happens, but a short term absence of a book shouldn't be the end all to drop a class.
Jan 29 2009 8:06PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
and I should say I fully endorse buying textbooks online. I (and many, many others) have saved a shitton with little to no error.
Jan 29 2009 8:08PM
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Hannah.
Posts: 4625 - Karma: 56
ive bought a lot off amazon which always works out
half.com which is part of ebay works fairly well only had two problems with that and that was the books took forever to get
Jan 29 2009 8:16PM
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skibum193
Posts: 3737 - Karma: 33
word up grant, fuck the bookstore. bought my textbook for intl relations last semester for $25, $25! used price at the bookstore was $80
Jan 29 2009 8:30PM
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Remora
Posts: 196 - Karma: 11
That's pretty brutal. The only places I ever order from online are amazon, chapters or eBay... everywhere else has sketchy customer service.

It's a bummer there's not a library or something she could've borrowed it from!
Jan 29 2009 8:31PM
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VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
fed ex is run by stoners
Jan 29 2009 8:34PM
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pmills
Posts: 7162 - Karma: 59
if only there were some place that is filled with books that would let you borrow them for free....



Jan 29 2009 8:40PM
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Itsbackfliptime
Posts: 18901 - Karma: 75
Her parents wouldn't help out in this situation? Really? Her parents are dicks. Unless they REALLY can't afford it, which I kinda doubt.
Jan 30 2009 2:10AM
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dgcarbs
Posts: 438 - Karma: 11
@ jensen
I meant to mention that at least my school allows every student to charge a certain dollar amount of books to their student account and they can pay for it at a later time so instead of paying for the full price of every book all at once, you can pay for it once you get your refund from the online store which didn't send you that book which you needed, so the only cost is the difference between the online store and the school bookstore.
Jan 30 2009 2:18AM
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,704
They gave you your money back!  They don't have another one, so what the fuck do you expect from them?  You are an idiot if you really think the only solution was to drop the course.  Get real, everyone buys books online.
Jan 30 2009 2:33AM
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hartig
Posts: 8192 - Karma: 10
this man speaks the truth
Jan 30 2009 2:36AM
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Static
Posts: 8561 - Karma: 4,139
lol
Jan 30 2009 2:57AM
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mmmmm...Pie
Posts: 673 - Karma: 15
What is NS supposed to do? Pass the test for your girl? Just go to the library and borrow the book until you can buy a copy. There's no need to drop the class.
Jan 30 2009 3:09AM
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afroman.35
Posts: 181 - Karma: 26
buy off amazon = legit
Jan 30 2009 3:18AM
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ajax
Posts: 2852 - Karma: 1,245
borrow money from friend+buy book from bookstore+study for test+pass test+return book to bookstore for full profit+give your friend his/her money back+hopefully have your money back from the website+search for another (cheaper) book+pass class+get into nursing school+graduate and make a lot of money+buy full tilts+smile because all your problems will be solved
Jan 30 2009 3:28AM
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KillerMonkey
Posts: 6436 - Karma: 109
I think you were just trying to embellish your story and making seem like they really messed up by making your gf drop a class but in reality she really didnt. Now you are caught in your story. Otherwise that was stupid, stupid enough that I doubt between the two of you there is a cumulative 4.0 gpa.
Jan 30 2009 4:13AM
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eheath
Posts: 61649 - Karma: 123,491
Sounds like you should have bought your books in person if that class was so important, fucking idiots.
Jan 30 2009 5:04AM
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pmw
Posts: 5760 - Karma: 831
so opposed to spendng the extra dough on a new book, you/she decided to just pay a whole other years tuition?

sure, they shouldnt have done that. but you guys need to learn to try and help yourself when that happens, buy the school book, use someone elses, go to the library, instead of saying i quit and dropping the class
Jan 30 2009 9:24AM
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robtheslobonacob
Posts: 471 - Karma: 17
EXACTLY. whats $200 when your looking at 30 grand for another year?

AND your gf couldn't go to lecture for this class and get notes? and at least study from those? I mean dude it really sucks what happened but there are ways around this kind of stuff.
Jan 30 2009 11:01AM
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breezepig
Posts: 522 - Karma: 5
look for a torrent of your text book online
Jan 30 2009 11:43AM
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An10a_Eng
Posts: 2505 - Karma: 26
i got my spanish book from amazon. didnt have any problems

Jan 30 2009 12:12PM
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spruitm
Posts: 2221 - Karma: 1,069
ALWAYS order your books online.  it saves tons of $$$
Jan 30 2009 12:17PM
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