Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site usl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!akgub!usl!sigma
From: sigma@usl.UUCP (Spyridon Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Books by Mail...(how to get Ripped Off...)
Message-ID: <317@usl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Feb-85 19:20:23 EST
Article-I.D.: usl.317
Posted: Mon Feb 18 19:20:23 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Feb-85 09:24:43 EST
Distribution: net.consumers
Organization: USL, Lafayette, LA
Lines: 30

Talking about books by mail. A couple of months I send 2 postpaid
cards to J.Wiley and Sons for preview of 2 books:
	1. Operations Research on the Micro
	2. Practical Guide to Data Communications and Networking
Well, after receiving the books by UPS (took'em 15 days even if I gave 
the correct address), I found out:

   Both books are TRASH. Book #1 gives some OR examples found in any
   basic OR texts, and APPLE II listings. A little different than 
   what I expected. Book cost: $19.95, TAX $0.80, Post&Handle $5.47 (!!) 
   Certainly NOT what you will pay a total of 26.22 bucks for...
   The second book was even WORST. If by the term "book" they refer
   to a vo-tech level paperback of 125 pages, with very little 
   connection of ideas or contents (total of 3 pages to X.25)...... 
   They were rude enough to ask for (sit down) book $24.95, tax $1.00,
   and $5.19 for Post&Handle... Total $31.something. Can't believe it. 

What makes it more interesting is the Postage and Handling which, by the
stamp alone, was $1.87 and $1.59. Instead they charged a total of almost
$11.00. Of course I returned them to Mr. Wiley and Sons. What I can't see
is the reason for charging THAT much for (low quality) books, and
also for charging THAT WAY OVER TOO MUCH for postage and handling.
(Also, how come they are in NY and they can still collect sales tax??)

Who said that it's difficult to get (more) rich?

-- Spiros Triantafyllopoulos         /*  In  the  deaf  man's   door,
-- USL Computer Science Dept.            there is a bell with a light  */
-- {ut-sally, akgua}!usl!sigma           -- Old  Greek Proverb ---