Xref: utzoo comp.edu:3327 comp.misc:9473 comp.org.usenix:1581 comp.unix.questions:23653 misc.consumers:20786 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!noao!stsci!siegel From: siegel@stsci.EDU (Howard Siegel) Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.misc,comp.org.usenix,comp.unix.questions,misc.consumers Subject: Summary of responses regarding Jim Joyces Unix Bookstore Keywords: books, unix, mail order Message-ID: <1581@stsci.edu> Date: 11 Jul 90 04:22:03 GMT Distribution: usa Organization: TRW, c/o Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore Md. Lines: 85 Thanks to all who responded to my posting requesting information about Jim Joyce's Unix Bookstore. I got 10 responses with information, 1 request for their address, and 1 response that my posting did not belong in that particular newsgroup. (Maybe I had too high hopes, but I expected a bigger response.) The results tended to lean toward the negative. Some folks had very good service while others had extremely bad service, both in terms of Jim and others who work there and in terms of prices, availability, promptness of delivery, etc. Some thought Jim was very knowledgeable and helpful while some had much harsher words. In general, the good service was just what one would typically expect while the bad service seemed extremely bad. My horror story is... On March 15 '90 based on a review by Jim, and the 10% discount he offered to first time customers, I called his bookstore to order a book. I was told that the book was not in stock but the shipment was due real soon and I could probably expect to have the book in my hands in about 3 weeks. On April 17 I called back to find out the status of my order, expecting that the delay was caused by a late shipment from the publisher. Instead I was told that there was no record of my order nor was there any record of a shipment to me or the city where I live. Given that they said the book was now definitely in stock, they would ship one out that day. On May 22 I called again and got the same story about not finding an order and that a copy would be shipped that day. I also called the credit card company to confirm that there had not been any charges posted. On June 11 I called back and for the first time I talked to Jim Joyce himself, and guess what, no record of any order or shipment. Well, there still was the 10% discount and after a fair amount of flaming, Jim reduced the shipping charges, so I gave him one more chance. The book finally showed up late the following week. I wasn't in any rush to get the book, but I wasn't prepared to wait for 4 months. I can understand if the publisher is having problems getting books out or if the distributer can't keep them in stock, but I want to be told about it. What I can not understand is how an order can be lost 3 times. Jim's story was that he was in the process of reorganizing the book store because problems like mine were beginning to happen too often and he was loosing mail order business. Of course I started asking about this place only after I ordered something and began having problems. Given the information I received, I would not have started with Jim Joyce's in the first place. Now that I have had some experience with the place, I'll have to think long and hard about giving them any more business. For the brave, here is the address and phone number: Jim Joyce's UNIX Bookstore 139 Noe Street San Francisco, CA 94114 415-626-7581 Alternate sources recommended in some of the responses are: Stanford University. Special Order desk: 1-800-533-2670 Large selection (not just UNIX). Good return policy. Will ship same day via Federal Express overnight delivery. Computer Literacy Sunnyvale CA: 408-730-9555 San Jose CA: 408-435-1118 Better prices, better selection (not just UNIX). No catalog. Cucumber Bookshop 5611 Kraft Drive Rockville MD 20852 301-881-2722 (voice) 301-468-2920 (fax) Small store front. Primarily UNIX and C. No shipping charges for prepaid orders. 24 hour ordering via fax. Orders shipped within 24 hours. Seems to have a pretty liberal return policy. Catalog available. O'Reilly & Associates 632 Petaluma Avenue Sebastopol CA 95472 1-800-338-6887 (1-800-533-6887 in CA) Publisher. Primarily UNIX and X windows. Catalog available.