Buying from Amazon

NaterXander

I'm a little nervous buying decks from Amazon because a lot of the listings either say "includes book only," or "may not include supplemental material" or no description at all. I'm looking to buy the Animals Divine Tarot, but I'm afraid if I buy it on Amazon it'll only be the book and then I'll have to go through the whole return process which would be a nuisance for both parties involved. So has anyone run into this problem buying on Amazon?

I'm hoping since it's a generic item description they just put it on all of their book listings and they're more talking textbook access codes and such and not actually the tarot deck, but I'd rather play it safe.
 

RavenOfSummer

I once wrote to a seller on Amazon about this question, trying to confirm if their item included both the deck and the book or if it was book only. They got back to me saying they couldn't guarantee the deck would be included. I guess they were a large seller with multiple warehouses etc so they couldn't check the actual item. Needless to say I didn't buy it. I'm wary overall too and so have just avoided anything I'm unsure of. I think if you're dealing with a small seller you'll have an easier time though, so it probably depends a lot on the seller.
 

ncharge

Yes, that has happened to me. I suggest you email the seller and ask for confirmation that the cards are included. And if the seller doesn't reply, assume the cards are not there.
 

Barleywine

If possible, I avoid the Amazon Marketplace, which is mostly third-party sellers and some individuals, and just buy decks that are "fulfilled by Amazon" so I get free Prime shipping, or by a reputable alternate outlet like Book Depository or other on-line book-sellers. The Marketplace carries the same risks as eBay. I still get some amazing deals that way (Voyager new for $6; Rorig new for $12.95).
 

NaterXander

I once wrote to a seller on Amazon about this question, trying to confirm if their item included both the deck and the book or if it was book only. They got back to me saying they couldn't guarantee the deck would be included. I guess they were a large seller with multiple warehouses etc so they couldn't check the actual item. Needless to say I didn't buy it. I'm wary overall too and so have just avoided anything I'm unsure of. I think if you're dealing with a small seller you'll have an easier time though, so it probably depends a lot on the seller.

I asked one of the sellers last night and they gave me the exact same response as this, which is why I haven't bought it yet.

Every site I look has just a few sellers that all have the same vague descriptions, so I don't know what to do.
 

Mythtaken

I've had that same frustrating 'we can't check our stock for you' answer too.

So far, I've had good luck just continuing to ask different sellers til I find one that has the product I want, in decent condition, for a good price.

It's worth asking, though, just to make sure what you're getting.

I've occasionally had trouble buying with a 'fulfilled by Amazon' situation, but that was because some sort of website glitch had made the listing for two not-quite-identical books show up for the same ISBN. Eventually found exactly what I wanted for a decent price, but I did have to be careful and keep asking.
 

Arnie

Buying tarot from Amazon can be confusing because it's not always clear whether you're buying a deck, a book, or both.

The trick is to cross-reference the ISBN with the publisher's website and this will let you know what you're getting. If you end up with something else, you have a leg to stand on if you did your research and purchased based on the ISBN listed by the seller.
 

NaterXander

So this has definitely turned me away even more so from attempting to get it from Amazon. What are some good places to find tarot decks? I'm struggling to find anywhere that sells the Animals Divine Tarot. I know it's OOP, so it'll be difficult, but I haven't found a single one yet.
 

AnemoneRosie

For an OOP deck you're more likely to come across one here if you post an ISO.
 

Honeysun

I love buying from Amazon :) it's the only online shop I get my decks from.
I agree - it can be confusing since some descriptions might not be clear whether you're getting the book or a deck or both, but you can check the reviews. But I don't really mind whether I get the book or not. Most decks usually come with LWB and that's enough for me.