I ordered my copy of JSP Revelations way back in June, on pre-order from Amazon for about $67 (price “guaranteed”). Someone on JI reported receipt of a copy, so I checked, and the price had risen and the official story was that the book had not been received from the publisher. Now of course it is out of stock, and they write that I can cancel the order if I would like to.
My question is: did anyone get delivery of a copy from Amazon, and if so, at what price and was it preordered? I’m curious whether they selectively fill orders based on the price for which they agreed to sell rather than on time of ordering.
And, yes, I feel like somebody with a wine cooler in a brown paper bag who bumps into the Bishop at the store by admitting that I used Amazon for this purchase. I know I should be supporting independent booksellers, and that is my intention, but I’m curious about whether Amazon is misbehaving.
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
I bought mine from FAIR, because they were selling it for $85 and had it in stock (remembering my experience trying to buy the first JSP volume from Amazon). I never saw a $67 price, but if I had I would have tried Amazon again and probably would have been in your shoes.
I do have a friend who got the same message from Amazon, although I don’t know at what price he preordered.
I got mine from BN for $75. (Sixty something, but BN adds sales tax).
i hunt bears.
Same thing happened to me with the first one. Within a few weeks or maybe it was a couple of months, Amazon had it in stock. I decided they just didn’t want to the fill the order at the price I bought it. You can ask them to keep it on order, but they’ll eventually cancel it before they get it in stock. I think it is a scam too.
Whoa. Dude, you got scammed.
I’ve got the same thing going on. Amazon initially made pre-orders at $67, but then later raised it to the full price. My bet is that they are giving priority to those who did the pre-order at full price. Since I am no hurry to get the book (I’ve got enough on my plate as it is), I’m just going to wait and see what happens.
Amazon did it on the first volume, so I didn’t even bother ordering the second from them. They strung me on for months, swearing that any minute they’d have it. Then they cancelled the order themselves. Not that I’m bitter or anything.
Sam, I am in precisely the same boat you are. This also happened to me on the first JSP volume. I’m pretty sure that Amazon’s business plan is to try and get people to cancel preorders where the price point is so low (particularly where the publisher only gives a short markdown). With the first JSP volume, they filled the order a week or so later.
I’m going to wait out Amazon and see if they’ll honor my preorder. I picked up a signed copy from Benchmark that I’ll tuck away, but still want a copy that I can dig into.
Same situation for me, though it says they “expect” to mail it off between October 14th and October 21st.
I was hoping this might be a warehouse delay issue. I do hope that the book is still delivered. Can they just cancel the order on me without my approval? Is there anyone to contact to get information? Maybe if a lot of people who have this issue call (especially good customers like myself who leave a lot of money there throughout the year), they will reconcider their tactics?
One of you juridical types thinking class action action?
The same thing happened to me, Sam, when I pre-ordered (two or three months early) the early Mormon patriarchal blessings book through Amazon last year. They gave me a new “available” date a few months away, yet others in the bloggernacle were already receiving theirs. Something fishy is going on at Amazon!
Hmm. I just got notice from Amazon last week that my pre-order of JSP Rev 1 had slipped to October 14-21 (I had pre-ordered it back on June 23rd, at $67.46). On the other hand, I order (and pre-order) a lot of stuff from Amazon and am generally happy with the results. But I wasn’t aware the price had gone up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this were a tactic to ‘encourage’ those of us who had pre-ordered at the lower price to cancel. ..bruce..
Sam (#11), if there ever is a lawsuit, you’ll end up getting a coupon for 15% off one regularly-priced item while the lawyers make out like bandits. I wouldn’t hold my breath.
I too finally cancelled my Amazon order. I think it’s a scam, too. Although I got the 1st one with no problem. I’ve wondered if there is a secondary seller here in Utah that sells to Amazon was waiting until their own stock was sold at higher prices before releasing them at a lower price. In any case, it will make me think twice about dealing with them on these kind of volumes. There were plenty out there at lower prices than 100.00 and the dollars that would have been saved wasn’t worth the aggravation to me–so I jumped.
I’d be very interested to know if you who are waiting for Amazon eventually get it–maybe I’ll change my tune for the next one.
Wow, that is a rotten way to conduct business. Sounds like hubris.
I got mine from FAIR for 85$ too.
Randy (8) – What’s the secret to getting a signed copy of the JS Papers? Personal righteousness? A medium?
JT, absolutely personal righteousness ;)
And this — 1-800-486-3112 (toll free number for Benchmark Books)