Lang Thompson

The books are both new and remainder. I think the print catalog has a little star indicating new but the website isn't as clear. It looks like new books have an indication of "publishing status: current". In any case the remainders are usual quality with a remainder mark and every now and then something like a store sticker but that's rare. I've been ordering from Hamilton off and on for 20+ years and the books have always been in pretty much new condition except for the mark. The one time there was a problem they handled it very fast and efficiently.

GoldenWheels

Lang is right on. If there is no star next to the title, it is a remainder. It is still in almost every case in great condition but will include a remainder mark (marker mark on the bottom of the book pages or a sticker/mark on the UPC). Same deal with DVDs, no star means the UPC will be defaced somehow.

If there is a star next to the title the book is frontlist. It should be without ANY marks and if it is not to your satisfaction we'll fix it (which we do with anything, frontlist or not).

In either case so long as there is no more info on condition (shopworn, damaged, no jacket) the book should be clean and in great shape.

Judging by your name you are a perfect customer for us!

Quatermass

I've only gotten a few books from there and they are either in Brand New condition or with minor remainder marks. Some of the real cheap (sub $3) DVDs are cut-outs with slashed UPC codes.

Josh-da-man

Buy with confidence. Almost every book I've gotten from Hamiltonbooks has been in AS NEW/NEAR MINT/FINE condition. They have a much better track record than Amazon for me.

Their packaging methods are also leaps and bounds above that of Amazon. All of my orders have shipped in a sturdy box filled with packing peanuts.

BobO'Link

^Agree. While I've not yet ordered any books from them *all* the DVDs I've ordered have arrived in new condition except for "remaindered" titles which usually have a slashed bar-code or a hole punched through the the bar-code. Neither is an issue as far as I'm concerned as frequently those titles are OOP and go for much higher prices elsewhere. Everything is well packaged for shipment and their Customer Service is excellent (I had a *single* incorrect title shipped once and it was taken care of very promply and courteously).

I'm about to place another order with them for a OOP DVD set I'd had my eye on at Amazon waiting for the "right price" when it suddently went OOP and jumped in price. Hamilton Books now has it for the price I was waiting for at Amazon. I'd much rather give HB my money!

Strapped4Cash

I really appreciate all the replies and help Lang Thompson , GoldenWheels, Quatermass, Josh-da-man, BobO'Link, thank you gentlemen!

It sounds like HB will have just what I'm looking for, books that are New or remainders that are in acceptable shape. I've ordered a few of those from B&N, and never had a problem with them, but as Josh-da-man said, Amazon has been a mixed bag.

Strapped4Cash

I can relate on the OOP DVD's, there was a point earlier this year where I was buying the very last, or second to last, copy of several titles Amazon had in stock. It's really a shame that they don't have a better way to track that.

I'll of course give the DVD's at Hamilton Books a look too, though I'm a bit daunted by 347 pages to look through.

That'sAllFolks

Just got in the Ray Harryhausen set (even though I own all the separate releases). Been wanting this for a few years and 20 bucks was the right price. It's gorgeous.

BobO'Link

^I've been waffling on that one as I own the three titles in BW editions *plus* 2 of them in color. I'm trying to justify the cost for the 3rd color title (knowing I'll only watch it in color *once* and then in BW from then on) and the Ymir figure. I *really* would like to have the figure but it'll probably wind up in a closet (with all the rest of such figurines and collectibles) and rarely be seen... It doesn't help that Citi did a major change in their Virtual CC application and it's been down for me for a couple of days. It worked earlier today but I didn't have time to generate what I needed so I closed it. A few minutes ago I went to place my order and it's "broken" again! I'm about ready to use the genuine CC so I don't miss out on the item I want.

BobO'Link

I was *finally* able to get my order in so I'll spill the beans on the OOP DVD set.

It's "The William Castle Film Collection" which Hamilton has for $24.95. That's a fantastic price and even if you order online it's less than Amazon's lowest price ($30.49) since 9/09.

BUT the delay caused by Citi's virtual card system may have caused me to miss out on a fairly inexpensive (~$5) copy of the Barbara Steele film The She Beast. It stayed in my cart after reloads, edits, etc. plus through the checkout process *but* the link on the item went to a page saying it was no longer available. It also doesn't show up doing a search. It's ordered so if I get one, cool, but based on the product link I'm not keeping expectations high on that one.

Still indecisive on that Harryhausen set...

BobO'Link

I just received a shipping confirmation and *all* the titles I ordered shipped! Even The She Beast which actually indicated to be OOS!

Whether or not you had anything to do with a copy of that title shipping in spite of the OOS status thanks Goldenwheels!

I have a few other items I'm wanting to pick up but it'll all depend on how much $$ I have left over after Christmas gift purchases.

ProfessorEcho

I'm tempted on that Castle collection, but I'm wondering if Mill Creek will follow their lead with MR. SARDONICUS and release more Castle titles in Blu. I'm mostly interested in 13 GHOSTS, HOMICIDAL, TINGLER and STRAIT JACKET. Can live without OLD DARK HOUSE, ZOTZ and FRIGHTENED GIRLS.

Strapped4Cash

Congratulations! I just sent in my order (27 items) today. Hopefully I'll get nearly so lucky.

It took quite some time to scroll through every DVD they had online, but I did it, along with a half dozen book categories. There were another 15 or so items I had interest in, but left them in my wish list, due to finances and the fact that a few weren't yet at a great discount. I guess there's nothing left to do but wait for the mail to reach them and cross my fingers.

GoldenWheels

I can take no credit! Wish I could--though I figured you'd get it. Thanks as ALWAYS for your guys support!

Another pretty good deal:

Wide Country Complete Series
MSRP $69.98
Price: $9.95
Stock number: 5680557

Also, (for those who don't have it already) have the Man with No Name Trilogy for 9.95. Stock number 6361145. It is 2 disc but one is doublesided, I know some folks don't like that.

One last one:

3rd Rock From the Sun S1 & S2: $5.95. Stock number 5679435.

ProfessorEcho

GW: Any other Timeless TV series deals?

GoldenWheels

Nah sadly that is the only one with a really good and big discount on it. I do a little better on some of the others than our "normal" pricing where I have the space to but this is the only one that was a true OS "buy a bunch get a deal" buy.

Living Deadpan

Just registered & placed my first order with them. Didn't receive a registration or order confirmation email. Will I get an email when it ships?

Ordered a couple of the newly OOP Mondo Macabro DVDs. No place else has Living Doll or Crazy Love in stock at an affordable price!

Thanks.

Strapped4Cash

I never got any e-mails from them at all.

I mailed in my order on the 18th, and waited and worried and thought maybe they might have been closed the week of Thanksgiving, and then went to my PO Box yesterday to pick up something else and found 2 packages and a letter/refund check from Hamilton. The clerk said they'd been there a week or more. I certainly would have picked them up if I'd known they were there, but I just don't check my PO Box unless I know something's being shipped to it. And I've always gotten e-mails from other retailers. Maybe some kind of e-mail is more than should be expected? Idk.

This order was a bit of a mixed experience overall. I ordered 27 items and received 26, so that was a very good fulfillment rate. I wish that they would have placed a spot on the order form asking about alternate choices, but at the same time I didn't think of writing it in. I would have liked to have substituted an alternate for what was out of stock, and it would seem like that would have been better for them rather than issuing a refund check, mailing it, my possibly cashing it and them owing me free shipping if I don't. But maybe there are good reasons for not going that route? But maybe that's something they can look into for the future? For me, 26/27 items fulfilled is something I can only be pleased about.

When it came to DVD's I couldn't find very much to order and I spent the hours going through every listing. There were a few I would have gladly ordered if I didn't already have them, and a dozen or so that are at prices that I'll wait on. I found 6 to order. 3 were in fine shape and New as advertised (though on one the paper insert had somehow been squashed on the inside of the sealed factory packaging, which I've never seen before). The other 3 I'm very questionable on whether the shrink is original. Idk if reshrinked DVD's should be considered New or not. I know they can be, but much more often ime they're not.

I also ordered 21 books (technically 16 books and 5 graphic novels). One book was oos. None of the books had special comments about condition on their pages. Three were in beautiful shape with no remainder marks. Many had normal remainder marks and shelf wear. Two were fine except the remainder marker went a little far and inked the cover, which annoys me, but happens. On three the wear was a little more than I'd have liked (one had been thumbed through noticeably, one had a gouge on the cover like it had been keyed [like when a car door is keyed], the other was just worn) but I can accept that all the regular books fit the advertised description. And it balanced out, 3 great, 3 a little ugly and most were average.

The 5 graphic novels were shrinkwrapped when originally released. Two came that way and I'm very happy with them, but the other three were missing any cellophane. So I'll contact them and ask what the policy is. To me it's like sending DVD's without any shrink and calling them new, but maybe they categorize them differently because they're books?

The packaging was great, and a good thing because one corner of the substantial book box (DVD's were shipped in one box and books in the other) was caved in a bit, but nothing was harmed. And that was my experience.

Living Deadpan

Thank you, Strapped.

I placed an online order via credit card. Just 3 DVDs. It was late Friday night outside of normal business hours, so I don't expect they'd get around to the order until Monday. I'm just used to receiving confirmation emails, is all.

Lang Thompson

New is Kino's release of Dementia / Daughter of Horror for $6.95 and some of the Forgotten Noir and Hammer Film Noir discs at $5.95.

BobO'Link

The last 2 orders (both this year and after the site rebuild) I've only received a "Order Status" email when it's shipped but *not* a order confirmation (before the rebuild I'd also receive a order confirmation email). Even then there's never been a tracking number provided - all of my orders have come USPS but I've never looked at the package to see if it had a tracking number they could have passed along. You can check your orders on their site after logging in but that only shows the invoice information and *not* if a order has shipped.

I get the impression they are more of a "Mom & Pop"/family owned/regional type operation and cut them some slack. They are still mostly mail order and do online as more of a courtesy which is part of why they charge a "handling" fee for online but not mail orders. I suspect that's also why email communication with orders is a bit lacking. That's based on comments Goldenwheels has made in the past concerning orders/fees/etc. If that's not correct let me know Rich and I'll retract!

Dimension X

If you mailed in your order, how could, or why would, they email you?

I looked at one of the order forms in one of the catalogs I have to be sure, and I don't see anywhere where they ask for an email address.
Same here. I'd expect Living Deadpan will get an email when it ships.

Living Deadpan

You'd be correct! And they responded by email to my confirmation inquiry too.

Thank you!

Strapped4Cash

Nearly every retailer I've dealt with (in the last 5+ years) sends a confirmation that they received the order and every one I've dealt with sends notice when they ship. Online I signed up with them under the same name, same address, phone number, etc. So even if the e-mail address wasn't on the form, which I don't have, then it's there. So I had hoped that they would contact me, yes.

Living Deadpan

Okay, another order question. All their site says is that they ship via USPS. Does anyone know what speed they'd ship 3 DVDs at? Media Mail, First Class, etc?