Secret Santa gift exchange! discussion

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Don't forget to sign up at out Elfster site!
https://www.elfster.com/gift-exchange...

Has anyone who usually uses another amazon domain for kindle than .com recently tried to migrate accounts and purchase ebooks/redeem gifted books there?
I'm usually on .de, and last year towards the end of the gift exchange I was starting to get trouble with purchasing ebooks to gift on .com. I really want to participate again this year, but I don't want there to be a nasty surprise and be unable to gift something because amazon is acting up :(

That said, I know you can always sign in with your amazon account from one domain in another and buy gift cards (e.g. I can use my .de login for .com and buy gift cards for .com there). Would purchasing/asking for gift cards in the right domain with a note which books they are for be an option?

what I do when I purchase on Amazon is to set my address to the country i know the product is available. for example, one of my books was not available in my country. just putting a central Parks address solved the problem. As for the .com and .de in my experience there is only one account for you, independently of which domains you use and it depends on your geographical locations. just try the address change and see how it goes.

Jairo wrote: "what I do when I purchase on Amazon is to set my address to the country i know the product is ava..."

That is exactly what I used to do, but it stopped working last year, though thankfully only after I had sent my last gift. I haven't tried again since then. You do this regularly/have you done it recently?

try this https://www.amazonforum.com/s/questio...

I'm keen to participate if someone else in this group is in Australia as there is a big currency difference between our dollars and to avoid issues mentioned above

Kylie wrote: "I'm keen to participate if someone else in this group is in Australia as there is a big currency difference between our dollars and to avoid issues mentioned above"

We use Smashwords as well to gift, which works internationally. The $$ amount is more of a loose guideline.

https://www.smashwords.com/

Jairo wrote: "what I do when I purchase on Amazon is to set my address to the country i know the product is available. for example, one of my books was not available in my country. just putting a central Parks a..."

Amazon now puts you in the country your credit card states. Changing your address does not work as long as your credit card stays the same. If a title is legally not available in your country, you cant buy it on Amazon.

I'm sorry if this is a really oblivious question but how do you gift digital books? I'm new to kindle & digital books and I've never given one before. Is it rather easy/self explanatory?

Kitty wrote: "I'm sorry if this is a really oblivious question but how do you gift digital books? I'm new to kindle & digital books and I've never given one before. Is it rather easy/self explanatory?"

If you are in the US and so is your match, it is extremely easy to gift from Amazon. If you have an international match or just prefer another vendor, you can use Smashwords. Maybe someone will jump in to explain Smashwords gifting!

@ Kitty

To buy Kindle books for others:

Go to the Buy for others box on the Kindle book's product detail page.
Select the button to proceed with the purchase.
Kindle Books can only be redeemed by recipients in your same country. Recipients outside your country will not be able to redeem any Kindle Books sent to them. You can distribute any unredeemed copies to other recipients or request a refund.

Note: Kindle books and redemption links cannot be resold.

You can specify recipient email addresses on the checkout page to send each recipient an email with the link to redeem the eBook. Any eBooks not sent are available, after completing your purchase, to be sent when you choose.

Thanks for your help!

Does it matter what email they are sent to? To receive them do they have to be sent to my kindle email address? Or can I redeem from any address?

Kitty wrote: "Thanks for your help!

Does it matter what email they are sent to? To receive them do they have to be sent to my kindle email address? Or can I redeem from any address?"

The best bet is the email that your amazon account it linked to, that way you can claim the books when they come in.

Isaiah wrote: "Kitty wrote: "Thanks for your help!

Does it matter what email they are sent to? To receive them do they have to be sent to my kindle email address? Or can I redeem from any address?"

The best be..."

Seconded this, just your regular email works.

Kitty wrote: "Thanks for your help!

Does it matter what email they are sent to? To receive them do they have to be sent to my kindle email address? Or can I redeem from any address?"

As a receiver from many Kindle ebooks, if you GIFT a book to someone, you only need their email address. It doesn't matter if it's not a KINDLE address. It can still be redeemed :)

But the most important thing is that "geographical" location. So when this event start, you can ask your giftee (anonymously) if they can receive Kindle books. Sometimes if they're international, there are few things that must be 'move around'. No worries, people here will HELP nonetheless. Including the MIGHTY HEATHER

Well shoot. I have a .com and .ca amazon account so I think I could buy for someone else at .com, but maybe not? I've not had kindle before. Maybe I'll have to go through Smashwords then to find something. So annoying Amazon.

Worst case there's always gift cards. You can use the same login in all amazon stores, and buy gift cards there.

I'm an international reader so I can only use the .com BUT I do use a US address for stuff like KU, but to buy books I need to revert to my local address (Cyprus or Greece -if I buy when I'm visiting the family-). Anyways if I'm gifted a book through amazon and it is sent to my email address (the same way I gift myself the much cheaper KU) I can redeem just fine to the .com no matter what address I have on at the time.

Since this is the first time I participate I was wondering will there be a raffle or something that will mix and match us or is there something I need to do?

You make an account on Elfster. The link is in the first post of this thread. Heather manages elfster, elfster makes the matches.

Hemmel wrote: "You make an account on Elfster. The link is in the first post of this thread. Heather manages elfster, elfster makes the matches."

I have an elfster account and have a wishlist on it, I was just wondering if there's a step I might be missing

We just have faith in Heather.

Elfster has a function that will randomly match everyone up. I think Heather will send out a message to let everyone know, in case there’s a snag.

Teeny wrote: "Since this is the first time I participate I was wondering will there be a raffle or something that will mix and match us or is there something I need to do?"

Elfter randomly matches everyone, so you don't need to do anything! The person who has you isn't the same as the person you have, if that makes sense.

Hemmel wrote: "We just have faith in Heather."

LOL!

Zach wrote: "Elfster has a function that will randomly match everyone up. I think Heather will send out a message to let everyone know, in case there’s a snag."

Yup, Elfster will randomly match up everyone but I trouble shoot with less than stellar matches. I'll also make sure everyone who signs up has a valid email or they get removed.

Is it okay to have a wish list here on Good Reads but not in Elfster? Will my elf be able to somehow find it?

iam wrote: "Has anyone who usually uses another amazon domain for kindle than .com recently tried to migrate accounts and purchase ebooks/redeem gifted books there?
I'm usually on .de, and last year towards th..."

I have a separate .com Amazon account and I use that to buy Gift Cards or Books if I get a US based Elf swap.
Amazon removed the ability to buy/gift across regions a while ago but you can usually set up a separate account and use that in my experience.

iam wrote: "Worst case there's always gift cards. You can use the same login in all amazon stores, and buy gift cards there."

This is what I do usually yep.

Stefanie wrote: "Is it okay to have a wish list here on Good Reads but not in Elfster? Will my elf be able to somehow find it?"

I'm sure Heather will be along in a while but I find it's always better to have one on Elfster as it's easier for people to mark off when they've bought something on the list than a Goodreads one.

Stefanie wrote: "Is it okay to have a wish list here on Good Reads but not in Elfster? Will my elf be able to somehow find it?"

Easier to have on Elfster so people can mark off if they purchase it, but you can also link to it in your profile on Elfster.

Thanks for the answers. :) Changed it to Elfster!
And another question: does purchasing Kindle books for people from countries other than your own usually work? I neither have a UK nor a US amazon account.

Stefanie wrote: "Thanks for the answers. :) Changed it to Elfster!
And another question: does purchasing Kindle books for people from countries other than your own usually work? I neither have a UK nor a US amazon..."

You can see whether the books are available at Smashwords, which can help since Smashwords allow international gifting. If not, well, worst comes to worst, go with Gift Cards. Or, contact Heather because she's a saint like that :)

Ami wrote: "Stefanie wrote: "Thanks for the answers. :) Changed it to Elfster!
And another question: does purchasing Kindle books for people from countries other than your own usually work? I neither have a U..."

xoxo! Stefanie, you would need to do smashwords, most likely.

Thank you, Ami and Heather! I had a look at Smashwords and think I'll figure it out when the time comes; not sure how to gift things there. ;)

I hope it's okay to post this here... it's not about Elfster, but it is a technical "Did You Know/How To" about kindle e-books, and several people I've chatted with lately didn't know that you can update your e-books when edits and/or new content is added to a book you previously purchased.

If you go to the top of your Amazon page where it says, "Hello *Your Name*" and click on "Accounts & Lists," it will take you to another menu. In the middle center, there is a header that reads: "Digital content and devices," and the first link under it says, "Manage content and devices" - click on that one. About halfway down your screen, you will see a listing of the ebooks you have purchased, and on the upper right just before that list begins, there is a search feature. You can search specific titles (for ex, if you added a book awhile ago that you are just getting around to reading, you can see if it has any updates so that you can download them before you start readings - authors/publishers sometimes correct typos and other grammatical mistakes). Then it will tell you (underneath the title) that there is an Update Available. Click on that, say "okay" to the info it tells you, and then the new content will be send to your kindle device(s) and/or app!

You can also just literally go down the page and click from page to page to see if there are updates and make sure your e-library is completely up-to-date! :)

Here's a step-by-step with pictures of what it should look like -->
https://www.howtogeek.com/tips/how-to...

Luline wrote: "Is there an easy way to add items in your wishlist?? I am not able to find 'hurt me' by chara croft. Am i doing it wrong"

Are you talking about adding it in Elfster? I remember last year, I had to manually add a couple of mine bc they didn't pop up in there.

Luline wrote: "Is there an easy way to add items in your wishlist?? I am not able to find 'hurt me' by chara croft. Am i doing it wrong"

Hi Luline
I usually find what I want on either amazon or smashwords and then copy the link and paste it in the search box on elfster,
Does that make sense?

Hi everyone! I'm new here and looking very much forward to gifts exchange.
I saw that the group primarily gifts e-books but, there can be exceptions if you prefer physical books.
I am one of those who prefer the physical books and was wondering if I can be one of the exceptions? And if that is possible, how do I let my Secret Santa know ? Do I just mention that I prefer physical books in my wish list on Elfster? or?

Diana wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm new here and looking very much forward to gifts exchange.
I saw that the group primarily gifts e-books but, there can be exceptions if you prefer physical books.
I am one of thos..."

I would mention that you prefer physical books, but just know, since the exchange can have international participants, sometimes ebooks are the only way, financially. Please put multiple options. :)

Ok. Thank you! :)

Diana wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm new here and looking very much forward to gifts exchange.
I saw that the group primarily gifts e-books but, there can be exceptions if you prefer physical books.
I am one of thos..."

I gifted someone with physical books last year - I just asked her which she preferred and went with it :)

I sent one physical book last year as I had a US recipient and I'm in the UK so I couldn't do the ebook.
Fortunately, I have a US account so was able to use that to send an actual book.
It just usually means less gifts as physical books tend to be more expensive.

Last year my giftee also preferred physical books. Some I was able to find on Amazon I think but most I got from halfpricebooks.com

I think one of the years I joined I ended up sending a physical book through Heather, considering that my giftee was in US while I was in Indonesia.

Ami wrote: "I think one of the years I joined I ended up sending a physical book through Heather, considering that my giftee was in US while I was in Indonesia."

Oh yeah, I vaguely remember that also.

This might be a dumb question, but how are people buying books early? Like how do they know the email address to send it to?

Amanda wrote: "This might be a dumb question, but how are people buying books early? Like how do they know the email address to send it to?"

Hi Amanda, if you join Elfster, and then you click on the member's name, they usually put their email address there. Or they put message on the wishlist, on which email address to use

Try to click on this link Participating This Year

Then you will see list of names who participate. Click one of those names, for example Heather K (as our mighty organizer). Then if you click Heather's K profile on the left (More Info) you will see her email address. As well as the books she wanted this year

Hope this helps

Ami wrote: "Amanda wrote: "This might be a dumb question, but how are people buying books early? Like how do they know the email address to send it to?"

Hi Amanda, if you join Elfster, and then you click on t..."


Thank you! I scoured the site on mobile and browser, but they really hide that more info button lol

Amanda wrote: "Ami wrote: "Amanda wrote: "This might be a dumb question, but how are people buying books early? Like how do they know the email address to send it to?"

Hi Amanda, if you join Elfster, and then yo..."

The "more info" part is one of the most annoying parts of elfster. Why hide the email addresses??

Amanda wrote: "Thank you! I scoured the site on mobile and browser, but they really hide that more info button lol"

That's why I usually put my email address again on the wishlist page. So everyone can see which email to send me 😁

Heather K (dentist in my spare time) wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Ami wrote: "Amanda wrote: "This might be a dumb question, but how are people buying books early? Like how do they know the email address to send it to?"

Hi Amanda, if you join Elfst..."

Yeah, it is odd the mailing address is way more visible than the email.