Best Buy gift cards can be used for Sony Reader Connect Store e-books

[Bob Russell]

Do you have a Sony Reader and want your friends to be able to give you the gift of e-books? MobileRead has discovered that, according to Sony Connect Store support, friends can purchase Best Buy gift cards for that purpose. Specifically, you can redeem Best Buy gift cards at the Connect E-book Store for e-books for your Sony Reader.

Until now, it was only known that you could buy a gift certificate using the Sony Reader software: "In order to purchase or redeem a gift certificate you would need to install the software that comes with the Sony Reader."

Now we know that there is an additional option also available. "You can purchase a gift card at any Best Buy store in your location. To redeem a Best Buy gift card Launch the CONNECT Reader, go to eBooks Store, and register to create an account. If you already have an account, please login with your existing username. Click on 'Gifts' in the menu and click on the 'Redeem a gift certificate' link on the bottom of the page. Enter the gift code that you received and click on 'Submit'. This will automatically add the amount of the gift certificate into your account. Now search for your favorite books, download and enjoy."

But until someone confirms that this actually works, I'd still recommend proceeding with caution.

WARNING & UPDATE: A little birdie has whispered in my ear that, in fact, Best Buy gift cards will NOT work at the Sony Connect Ebook Store.

ANOTHER UPDATE: On further consultation with Sony it was learned that, as we already know, you can log on from your Reader's Connect software, and buy a gift certificate at the Connect store for someone else. Additionally in the future, Borders will be selling pre-paid cards.

[NatCh]

From the Best Buy help page on International Shipping

International Shipping

You may ship an order to these countries: U.S., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, or an FPO or APO address. We are not able to ship internationally to other countries. Both the shipping and billing address must be an address in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, or an APO/FPO address. Please be sure to provide a street address.

Please note: Items that can be shipped to APO/FPO addresses include:

* Movies, music and games (excluding some box sets)
* Select software and accessories

All other items are shipped UPS and are not available for shipping to APO/FPO addresses. UPS does not ship to P.O. boxes. Most products, however, can be shipped to a U.S. street address.

(emphasis added)

Nuts. It doesn't look like our overseas members can use Best Buy's gift cards to get around the address restriction.

[the_other_dave]

"So, Other_Dave, what would you like for Xmas?" "Gee, Mom, a gift certificate for some ebooks would be great, --all you have do do is find, download, and install a piece of software that you otherwise have no use for, then use it to set up an account, and then fill out a gift form, and..."

Thanks for making it soooo easy Sony, looks like I'll be getting socks again this year.

[Bob Russell]

People are reporting that Borders now carries gift cards. That should be easy... mom just buys the card and gives it to you.

[Detour]

I noticed at my local Wal-Mart they had Visa gift cards for 25, 50, and 100.00 amounts. They said the cards can be spent anywhere that takes Visa. I thought the Connect store might take them but I didn't buy one so I don't know for sure.

[the_other_dave]

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

People are reporting that Borders now carries gift cards. That should be easy... mom just buys the card and gives it to you.

From what I can tell, you need to physically go to a Borders store, and buy the cards that are specifically for Sony Connect. (Not feasible in this case.)

The generic Borders gift cards that are available online do not appear to work. (At least the one I have with the picture of a row of apples on the front of it doesn't.)