Bears' Guide 15

Comes to my mailbox today a brand-new, never been used copy of Bears' Guide 15. For those with out-dated versions (editions 1-14, in my opinion), it is well worth the money. Many new schools and much new information.

Available from all the usual sales outlets including http://www.tenspeed.com.


Tom Nixon

 

And as a co-author it cost you how much?

 

How gauche. <grin> No, I'm not a co-author. I did write one chapter for which I received no money. So, unfortunately, I won't be making any money off BG15, more's the pity.

I hadn't seen any of it until just today. And still worth the money. I got my copy from John because, apparently, I won the caption contest that he holds each time a new Bears' Guide come out. Others here also have some captions in the book.

Interestingly, when it rains, it pours. I received a second copy as well today from my editor at Ten Speed. You can never have too many copies.


Tom Nixon

 

I think the book is worth its price for the captions alone.

Bill Highsmith
author of three captions,
BG15
(but I only got one copy)

 

It's clearly a scam; more than one winner! I thought you had to be present to win...


Tom Nixon

 

disappointed non-customer

I don't know about the distribution of free copies ,but I followed link from tcnixon, eventually got through several pages to the order form, filled it in and then found at the bottom it was only for North American customers (this should have been placed at the top of the page).

Hence, a cash customer, checked out somewhat frustrated and now has to go via Amazon or somebody. Only my sheer interest in John's book keeps me going but how many (or even few) non-USA customers are locked out this way. Not good marketing to say the least.

I thought we were in a global economy or have the short-sighted Luddites won - and me with an American Express card and a member since 1970!

 

Re: disappointed non-customer

See page: Educators for special deals for libraries and schools. If you can get John B to visit they will ship you some books.

 

Re: disappointed non-customer

There are many, many places from which to order the book. The only reason that I mentioned that particular one is that it is the publisher's website. Amazon works equally well as does wondering into a bookstore. I've heard that they have some in Scotland.



Tom Nixon

 

Only a cash paying, full price customer

Hi Mike

I was not looking for a special deal - as author I am always willing to pay full price for a friend's book - so much as wanting a copy of the book, bought from the publisher (which gives them the biggest margin as they get the retail margin).

But thanks for your info.

 

Re: Only a cash paying, full price customer

Being the spouse (or is that spice?) of an writer I understand that view, but the price you would buy it at as an educator would still normally cover the publishers margin and John's meager cut. (Geez am I trying to expalin publishing economics to a business professor?!? I'm an enginear! I probaly need some more Famous Grouse, yep that wil do it!)

 

I've passed Professor Kennedy's observation on to powers that be at Ten Speed. I suspect they are not wanting to get into large and everywhere-different postal charges.*

For whatever it's worth, when someone buys a book
* from Ten Speed directly for $30, my daughter and I each get $1.50
* from Amazon (for about $21), we each get 55 cents.
* from a bookstore (for $25 to $30), we each get about 80 cents.

Since the great majority of buyers will be people who have never heard of DegreeInfo, I'd certainly encourage people here to find the lowest cost possible (or just encourage the local library to buy one)(for each branch), and not worry whether I can buy a cup of coffee or just half a cup at the local Starbucks.

_______
* During the years I self-published and sold it only by mail, we had an amazing number of postal adventures. My favorite was the Russian order for three books. However we packaged and marked it turned out to be a rate for which one could only send one kilogram. Authorities in Russia solved the problem for us by tearing about 50 pages out of each book.

 

I just received my 15th Edition, John, which I ordered from Ten Speed Press (seriously). You have several options with the $1.50 you made off my purchase:

1) Buy three copies of USA Today, and enjoy the school advertisement section.

2) Add $2.00 and buy the February edition of The Economist, and browse for RA Ph.D. programs.

3) Make a down payment on a Mailbox-R-Us box and begin your very own univer.............., well, no don't do that.

 

Greetings.

As chance would have it, I visited degreeinfo.com right after ordering The Book from Amazon.com. When I noticed The Book was for sale here, I immediately canceled my Amazon.com order and ordered it here. Sure it's a few bucks more here, but we have to support our forum don't we?

Since placing my order, I've yet to receive an acknowledgement. Further, my emails to "[email protected]" keep coming back as having "permanent fatal errors"! Mr. White, if you're reading this, is all okay with my order???

Best regards,
Richard Kanarek

 

Change the business model

John: "I suspect they are not wanting to get into large and everywhere-different postal charges."

Er, John, what is the business model of your publisher? An on-line ordering service is in an international market, for god's sake, not a pony express outfit for the environs of El Paso. Europe is a major market for books; it's not up the Orinoco River. And it is the customer who pays the postage (ask Amazon.com, ask AbeBooks.com).

And then right behind my complaints comes Richard's who loyally switches from Amazon and still await either a receipt or, I hope only for a while, the book. Just what sort of outfit did you entrust your book to? (More muttering in the background as I slink away under a cloud of despair at the future of capitalism....)

 

Here is what I found:

TenSpeed: 29.95
B&N: 23.96
Amazon: 20.97
eCampus: 20.97
Walmart: 18.87
buy.com: 18.86

I tried to order on buy.com, they even have free shipping, but there was a problem entering my credit card info, when I called to give it over the phone, and they require a $10.00 fee for customer support over the phone....... so I cancelled that!! What a marketing ploy!

So, I went Walmart.

 

It's done

Now I've done it - ordered through Amazon - took all of two minutes and even added another book by John on MBAs. Paid the shipping charge and now await delivery. That is what I call doing the business.

My faith in the market restored. Publishers lose margin to distributors - no wonder their author deals are so poor. At USD 1.50 that's almost a GBPound per book royalty to the two authors who slaved over their text to get it right.

Well, it employs many thousands of employees en route which would please Adam Smith, the original "trickle down effect" philosopher. The Feudal Lords had their retainers; the division of labour spreads the income among the employees who produce the product and the employees who produce what the capitalists and the employees spend their earnings on; truly what goes round comes round. Amen.

(It's called the circular flow of income.)

 

About 25 years ago, driving in the middle of the night through Saskatchewan(it's in the way) the lights went out as I pulled up to a gas pump. There was a $10 service charge because it was after hours.

After refusing extortion, I drove on. As I got back on the highway, the lights went back on.

 

I wondered who that was....

 

Professor Kennedy, as best I can figure it out, the business model of Ten Speed Press is to preserve books by making it awfully hard for people to get them.

Individual orders have always been a problem there, even though I believe about 5% of their sales (which would be over $1 million) come from individuals. And, it is safe to predict, that number would be somewhat higher if they made it easier (and perhaps even engaged in that arcane practice that some call 'marketing').

The company is owned outright by a man for whom publishing is (my perception) more of a hobby than a business, despite $20 million + in sales. So problems do not get the sort of attention or concern that one might wish from a vendor. (His main business is commercial real estate, and his second business is Oriental antiques.)

 

Re: It's done

You would be amazed at the deals that most authors get, both here and abroad. For every multi-million dollar deal, there are thousands upon thousands of deals where writers earn no more than their relatively small advance.

The intestinal fortitude required to make it as a writer is truly amazing.


Tom Nixon