I have just sourced some new software through the Australian Senior Golfer Bookshop and was more than pleasantly surprised at the big savings involved.
I bought some well known Windows software that, including shipping, cost me just over half of the price available locally.
And as well as saving me almost $50, the software was delivered to my door from the US in just six days.
I knew the same big savings were available on the huge range of golf books available through the ASG Bookshop and the purchase spurred me to make some actual price comparisons. What I found confirmed the great prices available.
But first, the Australian Senior Golfer Bookshop is an offshoot of Amazon.com and all sales and delivery are handled through their system based in the US.
People scanning through the titles and the prices quoted often can’t believe they are factual, which is understandable when you see books that you would be paying over $40 dollars for in an Australian bookshop advertised for around $10. But it’s true.
Add to that the fact that there are usually second hand books in good as new condition available in most titles, sometimes for just a few dollars. From my experience these second hand books are in top condition and if there are any imperfections or wear and tear this is clearly stated.
There are two things to bear in mind when browsing the cheap golf books in the ASG shop. The initial price you will see is usually in US dollars, (at time of writing add about AUD 55 cents per US $10) and you also pay for postage and handling.
The usual shipping cost for books from the US to Australia is around $11.
…you could pay around $22 for a new golf book delivered to your door that would cost you around $45 in an Australian bookshop
So in this example you could pay around $21 for a new book delivered to your door as opposed to $45 in an Australian bookshop, or add around $4 to $8 extra for delivery from a local online store.
Cheap Software
In my own software example, I was after the well known antivirus software Windows OneCare. The price for a direct download from Microsoft is $99.95 and that’s about the best price you will see in Australian stores. (I did see OneCare advertised during a major retailer’s sale for around $90 a few months back).
Through the ASG Bookshop it was on sale for $19.99. Shipping and handling was $35.98 (much higher than for book postage for some reason) but still a total of just $55.97, and it was delivered to my door before 9am six days later. No contest as far as I’m concerned.
Book Price Comparison
The first two popular golf book titles I tried to compare I had to abandon because they just weren’t readily available on the Australian online stores.
I settled on Tiger Woods How I Play Golf.
From the ASG Bookshop, in Hardcover, this title is listed as AUD $14.98 plus $11 shipping and handling. Total = $25.98
Angus & Robertson
Same title in Hardcover was $62.99 plus $3.50 delivery (site says it “Usually ships in 10 days”.) Total = $66.49
Collins
Same title, in Paperback, $45 plus $6.95, ships in 10 to 15 days. Total = $51.95
Dymocks
Same title, again in paperback, $45, postage to Sydney Metro area $6.50, $7.95 elsewhere in Australia.
Total = $51.50
Booktopia
Paperback edition $40.50 plus $6.50 postage. (Title “needs to be ordered from overseas supplier and can take up to 10 days”).
Total = $47
In my local shopping centre Angus & Robertson the Tiger Woods How I Play Golf in paperback was $45.
So the same hardback edition best price found available locally was a whopping $40.51 extra. Even most paperback editions found were still around twice the price.
That’s why it is well worth checking out the Australian Senior Golfer Bookshop and seeing for yourself.
There is the added benefit over a physical bookshop that you not only get a full product description, but there are also often editorial book reviews as well as customer reviews.
