Is it just me?.....

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ScarabFlight	07 May 2004
I've been trying to locate a few decks online (Ancient Egyptian Tarot and Tarot of Prague just to name a few). In looking these up online I'm having a hard time telling if they are just books or if they are a book and cards or just cards. Is this just me? Am I missing a clue somewhere? I'm guessing mixed media means it is a deck and a book? It's a bit frustrating as I would like to purchase these decks but I don't want to buy just the book since I don't have the deck yet! Hardcover and softcover really says nothing about there being a deck included. Is it that hard to say "book and deck" or "book and cards" !?!? Anyway, if it is just me, thanks for letting me rant. :D

lunakasha	07 May 2004
No, it is not just you! :D I ran into a similar situation recently....wanting to order the Ancient Egyptian set from amazon. As I kept looking for "clues" as to whether this was a book/deck set or book only.....I came out of there thinking that it was, in fact, JUST the book. Which did not interest me in the least! :laugh: I think what I ended up doing was copying the ISBN number and checking it out on another website.....(cannot remember the name, but if you google "ISBN" you will find it). Anyway.....I figured out that the Ancient Egyptian is, in fact, a book/cards set!!!! I think the latest edition is only available as a set....at least that is the conclusion I came to. I hope this is helpful, if you are still considering the AE. Personally, I still have not ordered it, but it is pretty high on my list!!! But I agree with you....they really should make an effort to clarify exactly WHAT it is they are selling. If I had mistakenly ordered JUST the book, I would have returned it with a little note to express my frustration.....my biggest pet peeve = poor customer service. :) Luna

SongDeva	07 May 2004
I've run into that. You actually can't pull the buddha tarot up on Amazon...it's only the book, the companion. Bizarre. I almost wrote to tell them; I'm sure its an error. But I ended up buying it at Borders with a gift certificate. Amazon can solve its own problems! :) Actually, I tend to know how much sets are and how much the same deck is by itself, or other identifying factors. So usually I figure it out in spite of the poor information. AE is a LOVELY deck. Very alive and sensual.

ScarabFlight	08 May 2004
I'm glad that it's not just me. :) Although it is sad that there is so much confusion on such a simple matter. I did see a set in the store today for the Ancient Egyptian by Clive Barrett and it had a deck a book and a journal! Hmmm, interesting..... The picture was the same as the one that they had on Amazon, but they could have just used the same pic for just the book and the set!!! Anyway......

lunakasha	08 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ScarabFlight I'm glad that it's not just me. :) Although it is sad that there is so much confusion on such a simple matter. I did see a set in the store today for the Ancient Egyptian by Clive Barrett and it had a deck a book and a journal! Hmmm, interesting..... The picture was the same as the one that they had on Amazon, but they could have just used the same pic for just the book and the set!!! Anyway...... Did you get it????? Ooooh, I don't think I could have resisted!!! But then again, I do have a SERIOUS problem.....:laugh: :) Luna

Silverlotus	08 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ScarabFlight I'm glad that it's not just me. :) Although it is sad that there is so much confusion on such a simple matter. I did see a set in the store today for the Ancient Egyptian by Clive Barrett and it had a deck a book and a journal! Hmmm, interesting..... The picture was the same as the one that they had on Amazon, but they could have just used the same pic for just the book and the set!!! Anyway...... Mr. Barrett's Ancient Egyptian Tarot is only avaliable as a book/journal/card set (at least as of right now). There are, however, two different sets. They have same contents but a different cover picture. One was published a few years back, and the newer set came out a few months ago. Again, same contents, different box. As for not being able to figure out if things are books, decks, or sets, I've run into that problem too. I nearly bought the book for TotOP instead of the deck from Chapters. Online shops need to be a little more clear about just what an item is.

hedgecub	08 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Silverlotus Online shops need to be a little more clear about just what an item is. Unfortunately, I get the feeling that most of them only go as far as differentiating between books, audiobooks, videos, and the like. If something is a set, it's usually sold just as a set; listing it under 'books' saves the hassle of having to create another category, I guess. I can't immediately think of anything other than tarot/oracle decks which are sometimes sold as just deck, just book, or book and deck set. Maybe it's such a specialist area that the cost of adding new categories to their databases and revising everything isn't worth the benefits. Though you'd think that with the growing interest in the occult and spirituality, they'd invest a little more time and effort into 'our' section of the bookstore.. :)

The Is it just me?..... thread was originally posted on 07 May 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.