Thread: Taunton Press

I subscribe to the magazine and have a bought a couple of books off them. Everything has turned up okay.

The magazines are generally on time, although the one that took a while for everyone also took some time for me.

The books took about 12 weeks, which is what they say on their website for international orders.

I sent them a couple of emails and had a couple of courteous replies.

Cheers

Thanks for the info. I just find it puzzling that they haven't replied. It is a month since the order and I was getting concerned. I will hang in there and hope for the best.

Send em an email, I reckon you may have upto another two months waiting

CHeers

12 weeks or more sounds about right. This gives an indication as to why FWW and similar mags are expensive in the shops. Quicker the post, more costly the item sadly.

They should turn up

Emailing does no good in my exp.

Chris - just hold tight - it takes ????ing ages to get stuff from the States from Taunton press - think they send it on the slow boat to China, twice. They need to reconsider their distribution network. I've ordered stuff from Adobe in the past, and had it arrive in 24 hours - from the US.

I've ordered a bit from them - probably the same stuff you have coming, and it can take up to 16 weeks. Granted, over 12 and I started ranting, so they sent it again. After about 4 weeks or so it arrived, and I went "finally". Then 14 weeks after that, another package arrived - turned out that the first parcel was the first one sent

However, Taunton's website did say that it would take up to 12 weeks, and I don't think it unreasonable to expect that they deliver in on time - after all, the US is only a maximum of a week by sea, so giving them a latitude of 12 weeks is more than enough.

Chris,
Thinking about it AND considering the contents...

Here in the US we have something called "Media Mail". The postal rules are pure media, printed or recorded but no other information including a personalized message other than an invoice or receipt. Over the 48 adjacent states, this means delivery by stage coach and to Alaska or Hawaii delivery is by tall ship. We sent some media mail to Alaska and it took 4 weeks. Here in the US we call the service from our Post Office snail mail.

My suggestion for shipments from the US is to use UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. At least get a quote AND understand the implications of any customs duties that may be attached.

There's been a few comments on American woodworking forums about the sloppy business procedures of Taunton Press. Not their magazines. Only the distribution arm and their computer systems.

I paid to get access to their online site, with complete archives of every story of every issue of Fine Woodworking magazine. The website was close to being a disaster for about 6 months. It has since improved.

They are a fine company, so just be patient until they work it out the kinks.

Gary Curtis
northern California

Hope they can work out the kinks in the distribution of books/dvds - that problem has been going on for years (literally)

Thanks for the words of wisdom fellas. I guess I am like a lot of people these days, we expect airmail for everything and about 7 days delivery from the US. This being the case I did not read the delivery bit regarding time and I should have. Patience is a virtue I guess. The items are DVD's and wouldn't it be simple if we had the option to download them instead of waiting for the discs. I wish organisations like this would move into the 21st century.

Join the Triton Woodworkers Club (Holmesglen) - we have the entire woodworking DVD collection in the library, as well as a number of those superb Taunton woodworking books.

Originally Posted by Stuart.

Join the Triton Woodworkers Club (Holmesglen) - we have the entire woodworking DVD collection in the library, as well as a number of those superb Taunton woodworking books.

Stuart, there is a small problem, 800kms between us.

Things must have changed, there used to be an 'Air' option IIRC. During their 'sales' (another one is going on now) they tend to be a bit slow to ship, but it usually only takes a few weeks from the date they billed my card.

Of course, if they are using the same mob that sent out their magazines - the ones who think Australia is a small island somewhere in the Carribean - then all bets are off - I haven't ordered direct since that stuff up.

I have a book from another publisher that they claim was posted 'Air' on the 4th March, still no sign of it, so it seems there is 'Air' and ' Slow Air' as well as EMS which only takes a week.

I found a Dewalt Dado set and a book on woodworking that I wanted. I ordered both on March 6th, with the dado set to be delivered on or about the 28th of April! The book, which was being delivered through a vendor was to be sent by the 28th of March. I got to thinking about them taking2 months to make a delivery, and canceled the dado set. On the 30th of March, from work, I emailed Amozon and asked them where my book was. They refered me to the vendor, told me that the money had been release to the vendor, and told me they were not responsible for refunds. I emailed the vendor, also from work (nice work if you can get it), asking where my book was. When I got home, the book was there - only 24 days from order to delivery.

The vendor sent me an email, and I replied that it was "no harm done", but that there would be no more orders. Yesterday, in the space of three minutes, Amazon sent me three emails 1) If you did not get your book, reply to this email and we will put a refund on your credit card. 2) We have refunded your credit card. 3) Sorry for the problem.

Now, I can't get them to respond to my emails, and I have to find the vendor and see if I can work this out with them. I'm just afraid that Amazon will re-issue another charge and I will pay for the book twice.

NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I DEAL WITH AMAZON!

Well I've had no trouble with Amazon and their prices and postage times are better than Taunton's.

Bear in mind that Amazon are just a shopfront for the various booksellers.

As for postage, can our North American friends remember we're an ocean or two away from you? Anything other than surface mail costs a bomb and our buck is already worth only 80% of yours