The SilverStripe book and Amazon delivery estimations

Posted February 19th, 2010 in SilverStripe

I ordered the SilverStripe book "SilverStripe: The Complete Guide to CMS Development" from Amazon.com on Friday last week and received it yesterday morning. I'll review it properly once I've finished reading it cover to cover (probably by the end of the weekend) but for the moment wanted to have a look at Amazon's delivery estimations.

Amazon.com's delivery estimations

I think when it comes to delivery estimations Amazon likes to under promise and over deliver. I ordered the book on Friday and got it on Thursday. It was shipped from Las Vegas, Nevada to Auckland, New Zealand in just 6 days.

Amazon currently offers three international shipping methods to New Zealand:

1. Standard International Shipping (averages 18-32 days)
2. Expedited International Shipping (averages 8-16 business days)
3. Priority International Courier (averages 2-4 days)

I wanted the book quickly but wasn't prepared to pay for priority courier, which would have made it more expensive than buying from a local retailer. Incidentally, if I had ordered it from Fishpond or Whitcoulls it would have been only slightly more than I paid, but would also have to have been shipped into NZ before it was sent to me, so it made more sense to buy it from Amazon for cheaper and probably in the same delivery timeframe.

Actual Delivery Time

I know that Amazon delivery estimates are over estimates but it's been a while since I last bought a book from them so I decided to go for expedited shipping, just in case standard shipping really was that slow. The book from Amazon is much cheaper than in NZ but with expedited shipping it's only slightly cheaper than buying locally (but see my comment above about how it would also have had to been shipped from overseas).

Anyway, to cut a long (and possibly boring) story to the chase, I used expedited shipping and it only took 6 days. The delivery estimate shows as March 12th, and yesterday when it arrived was Februrary 18th!

I was quite tempted to use standard shipping but I really wanted the book as soon as possible without spending too much, but I do suspect if I had chosen standard shipping I would also have got it yesterday. I shall have to experiment with this next time if I need a book but am prepared to wait if it does take a little longer. If I do, then I will report back here.

Buy the book

If you are interested in SilverStripe development then this looks like a really good book to get. I will review it once I have completed reading it but should you wish to order it right now here are some places to buy it:

• Amazon.com
• Fishpond New Zealand
• Fishpond Australia