I preorder a book. What to expect?

[ownedbycats]

I pre-ordered a book. I've never done it before and not sure what will happen. What should I expect when the release date rolls around?

[Lys]

I pre-ordered just a couple of times (and the last one was a couple of years ago). But I received an email confirming the pre-order, and an e-mail on the day the book was available informing me they had completed the transaction and the book was available for download.

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I pre-ordered a book. I've never done it before and not sure what will happen. What should I expect when the release date rolls around?

I'm assuming that you've preordered it from Kobo. Whenever I've done this:
1. I've received an e-mail from Kobo on the day of release;
2. Next time I sync my device (by default, I leave Wi-Fi off, to save the battery), the book downloads to it automatically.

I suspect that the time of day when it becomes available depends on geography. Here (UK), I find that it seems not to appear until morning - i.e., it doesn't always seem to happen immediately the clock passes midnight.

When I've bought direct from publishers, I've found that my book doesn't get made available to me for download until early/mid-afternoon my time. From memory, it's about 09:00 their local time, so, for example, 09:00 in Florida would be 14:00 here.

[ownedbycats]

thank you both!

[ownedbycats]

Additional question: Will Kobo use store credit for pre-orders?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Additional question: Will Kobo use store credit for pre-orders?

Not in my experience. Pre-orders will not use store credit, they want a charge card or PayPal.

[Janet56]

I do preorders quite a bit and Kobo does ask for a credit card when you are placing the preorder. However, if you have store credit available (I buy gift cards and keep a balance going), when the book is released, they will take the cost out of the store credit. I am in Canada, not sure if that happens elsewhere, though.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Janet56

I do preorders quite a bit and Kobo does ask for a credit card when you are placing the preorder. However, if you have store credit available (I buy gift cards and keep a balance going), when the book is released, they will take the cost out of the store credit. I am in Canada, not sure if that happens elsewhere, though.

That's what I see in the west of Canada. I took the question as asking if a credit card was needed when placing the order. Since @ownedbycats is in the east of Canada, should be the same for them.

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by Janet56

I do preorders quite a bit and Kobo does ask for a credit card when you are placing the preorder. However, if you have store credit available (I buy gift cards and keep a balance going), when the book is released, they will take the cost out of the store credit. I am in Canada, not sure if that happens elsewhere, though.

My experience in the UK is the same.

[ownedbycats]

When I get a prepaid credit card as a survey reward, I use it to buy myself a Kobo gift card (which adds to store credit) and then immediately remove the now-empty card from my account.

But my primary payment method is PayPal.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

But my primary payment method is PayPal.

Which Kobo seems to treat the same as a credit or debit card.