Re: [tlug] Need a Japanese keyboard

[Josh Glover <jmglov@example.com>]

On 8 April 2011 18:36, Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com> wrote:

> Why would having a different SKU matter in this situation?  Since you
> were talking about a Japanese keyboard, if you were able to find it
> locally, then that should be enough?

OK, to explain the Amazon trick to which CL referred, I need to show
you another tiny trick. Take any Amazon product detail page URI, e.g.

http://www.amazon.com/Retro-Gaming-Hacks-Playing-Classics/dp/0596009178/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1302299273&sr=1-1

To get the shortest possible link, drop everything after the /dp/\d+ bit:

http://www.amazon.com/Retro-Gaming-Hacks-Playing-Classics/dp/0596009178

Now lose the bit after the host and before the /dp:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0596009178

And if you really want to save four more characters, the www. is not
really necessary, either:

http://amazon.com/dp/0596009178

Now that you know that one, here's how to enjoy local shipping when possible:

1. Find an English book on Amazon.com, e.g. http://amazon.com/dp/0596009178

2. Change amazon.com to amazon.jp, e.g. http://amazon.jp/dp/0596009178

3. Profit (by investing the money you save from shipping charges in
penguin futures or some other iron-clad investment)!

Different SKU == different Amazon detail page ID (that's the number
after the /dp/ in the URI), so the trick doesn't work. For example:

http://amazon.jp/dp/B001GBSLYO    Yes! :)
http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B001GBSLYO    No. :(
http://amazon.de/dp/B001GBSLYO    No. :(
http://amazon.com/dp/B001GBSLYO    No. :(

See what I mean? Of course, I happen to know that Logicool in Japan is
the same as Logitech in The West(TM), and if I was buying a webcam, I
wouldn't care that the SKU is different. I just wouldn't be able to
use the Amazon localisation trick to find it.

In this case, it just did not occur to me to search Amazon.co.uk for a
Japanese keyboard, so sure was I that they wouldn't carry them. But
not only did they have one, they Super Saver shipped it to me in
Sweden! Talk about service! ;)

BTW, I worked for Amazon for nearly five years, but do so no longer.
Neither am I currently a stockholder, so now there's no conflict of
interest in me praising the 'Zon. :)

Cheers,
Josh