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Online Book Buying

cabrasopa

cabrasopa

New Member
I find i'm buying more and more new books online rather than going to a highstreet bookshop.
Sites like Amazon, Play.com, Abebooks etc are making it easier to order with story synopsis and reviews, quick delivery and more often than not CHEAPER.
I still go to Bookshops (nothing like physically picking up a book and flicking through it) but if i see something i like i'll check out on the internet.
I also still like buying second hand books and regularly visit my local charity shops coming out with a handful of books.
I've recently ordered from Amazon after recommendations from this forum without going to a book shop.
My question is do you think Main Highstreet type bookshops are dying
 
I agree with Wabbit, and with you - there's nothing like holding the book in your hands and leafing through it to help you decide which title to buy.

I love that Amazon now offers used books as well. If there's a used copy in good condition, which there almost always is, I will usually buy that instead of new (for usually more than double the price). "High Street" book stores don't have that option as a rule, so in that regard I think Amazon et. al. are much superior.

I think there's probably enough room for both, as long as people still want to read, and that may be more the thing that we should be worried about.
 
I think that I will always go to shops, I like shopping in person and only order online if I can't find it anywhere else.
 
I don't think they'll die out. I usually buy books from small shops etc, because it takes too long for the books to get here. In fact, I ordered some books from amazon six months ago and they still haven't arrived!
 
I buy all my books from bookstores as I'm quite impatient and want to start on a book as soon as I buy it. I can't be bothered waiting for the book that I ordered to turn up when I can just read it straight away if I buy it from a bookstore.
 
I could spend hours at Barnes and Noble. I thumb through books, and then leave to go home to find it online for cheaper. I also look at the Sale Annex section. I have found great books for very little money. As little as $1.79.

Usually I can wait for books, but there has been a time that I outright bought from the actual store.
:)
 
Tom said:
I don't think they'll die out. I usually buy books from small shops etc, because it takes too long for the books to get here. In fact, I ordered some books from amazon six months ago and they still haven't arrived!
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Wow!! Where do you live?

I buy most of my books online or at used books store. Most of the new books from the stores are much more expensive than online.
 
Tom said:
I don't think they'll die out. I usually buy books from small shops etc, because it takes too long for the books to get here. In fact, I ordered some books from amazon six months ago and they still haven't arrived!
Click to expand...

Goodness, Tom, have you told them??
I am currently so impressed with Amazon. I order a lot of books online from them, and they are generally here in Italy in about 4 days. My last order hadnt arrived after the suggested time of about 10 days, so I emailed them yesterday afternoon expressing my concerns. About one hour later I got an email back from them, saying that the order should have been with me by now, they had processed and dispatched a new order for me, and should the original turn up I could keep it with their compliments. I think that is pretty good customer service, I was so pleased I wrote them a nice glowing feedback email.
I do like to browse for hours on Amazon, I dont feel so much like a lurking shoplifter on line, but there is nothing like that feeling you get when you walk into a shop crammed full of books, that little rush of excitement. Bookshops and Shoeshops, heaven on earth. :)
 
everyone seems so crazy about amazon

and i just don't get it. I get everything from www.booksxyz.com

first of all, it is cheaper

and secondly, all of its profits go to schools, instead of lining some corporate guy's pocket

I think the small, local bookstore will always be around..at least i fervently hope so..as for the mall type stores, the barnes and nobles and borders and whatnot..i don't know if they can keep selling at a loss to drive down prices, but i must admit, i don't think it would be such a tragedy if they did go away..

give me the weird old dark store with the cats running around and the staff who know and love books over B & N everytime..and if i can't find it there, i'll just order it from bookzxyz and save some money and help out a school in the process
 
I was part of a very similar discussion on another forum very recently. I still spend a lot of time browsing books in a physical bookstore and the bookstore is always busy and always has people lounging and browsing through books. I don't see physical book stores in any danger of losing business.

I shop online but just about the only fiction I buy online is that which I have some familiarity with.
 
Renee said:
I still spend a lot of time browsing books in a physical bookstore and the bookstore is always busy and always has people lounging and browsing through books..
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But how many people are actually buying anything.
I do the same browse, check out books but most of the time i don't buy new, i'll buy online instead, simply because it's cheaper.
 
cabrasopa said:
But how many people are actually buying anything.
I do the same browse, check out books but most of the time i don't buy new, i'll buy online instead, simply because it's cheaper.
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There's always a line of folks waiting their turn for the cashier, so someone is buying something.

I buy a lot of books online and I'm still buying books at the local bookstores. No reason to buy online if the same book is on the sales tables.
 
cabrasopa said:
But how many people are actually buying anything.
I do the same browse, check out books but most of the time i don't buy new, i'll buy online instead, simply because it's cheaper.
Click to expand...

Considering that the store has three registers, often runs at least two of the registers during the hours I shop, and the amount of time I spend standing in line - there are quite a few people still buying books.

Browsing books at the store only to return home and try to find all the books online for a reduced price and in one store (so I'm not losing what I saved on shipping) would be too much a hassle for me.
 
Tom said:
I don't think they'll die out. I usually buy books from small shops etc, because it takes too long for the books to get here. In fact, I ordered some books from amazon six months ago and they still haven't arrived!
Click to expand...


You're right about this, Tom. In fact Amazon's service has declined considerably in the past year, since they started having financial troubles. I think they are keeping far less ready stock, they are charging more for shipping, and the shipping is now taking weeks, not days. I've stopped using them.

For me, buying online is very convenient when I'm looking for something relatively uncommon or academic and I don't need it pronto, but the bookstores are still vital. The indy bookstores in my area are doing great and they have very knowledgable staff, authors' readings, book club discounts, air conditioning (!), and are comfortable to browse in. Almost as good as the library.
 
I think they're hurting, but not dying. I too, buy a lot from Amazon and I can't say enough about their service and great prices. At the same time, nothing can replace walking through a book shop with the smell of the newly printed books and coffee from the place next door. While I don't plunk down $40.00 for books(which are $25.00 at Amazon) I do buy a magazine every now and then to give the place some of my hard earned change. These places will also survive because they will find a niche for themselves. One place that I frequent, brings in authors, conducts readings, as well as putting on an expensive Harry Potter party every time a book comes out. They do very well for their extortionist(IMHO) prices. ;)
 
Well, I hate to break the news to you but book stores are indeed in jeopardy.
And many are not dying but already dead.

When I lived in Boston there were books stores spread throughout the city, and areas like Harvard Square had around 10 within minutes-walking disatnace.
Now there is (reportedly) 1.
And they, The Harvard Bookstore, are having difficulties.

Libraries are also stunted.
So don’t go thinking these little buildings with books are going to be around forever, and certainly don’t think your government will assist in any way.

And those that are disillusioned about the Potter phenomenon (not to cross-pollinate threads) the HUGE blow to booksellers that these titles are readily available for purchase in, say, Walgreen’s and even convenience stores (so I hear) may not be a nail in the coffin but Cash is certainly out in the yard preparing the measurements [a free book (from a real bookstore) to whomever gets that double-meaning’ed reference].

When I was over there I did my research on the internet but always went into a store to buy the book. Understandably, and again due to the polarizing effects of a Potter Syndrome, one’s local shops are not even carrying The Usual Suspects. The shelf space has to be given to what sells. Who cares is xx won the Nobel? That doesn’t guarantee sales. So now even those that want to support a bookstore (a physical one, that is) may be forced not to.
Print up this list:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,711520,00.html

[not that it’s the definitive list, but still]
and I bet you can slowly watch many of these titles disappear from the shelves. If they’re still even there.

It’s a business, kid. And leases go up and landlord’s are *not* gatekeepers to literacy. If evicting a bookseller out of the space because a cell phone company will be far more lucrative that’s what they’re gonna do.

Book sales increased by a miserable 1% last year. And that’s with fluke and historical successes like Code and the Potter catalogue bringing in almost unheard of sales.

I’m to understand that babies are now being born wearing rose-coloured glasses, but they *do* come off, people.

Support your local bookseller.
j
 
There are approx 6 Large Book shops in Towns around here, all seem very busy.
I would much rather buy from a shop, I enjoy spending an hour or so just wandering around :)
 
I too have absolutely had it with amazon. I live in a major city and it takes WEEKS for anything to arrive, plus I think their new "prime" program is a joke....$79 dollars a year to get your stuff in a reasonable amount of time, just because they can't get their act together. Lately I've been using alibris.com and powells.com, and have become a HUGE fan of bn.com. With them if you order before 11am in NYC you get the books the SAME DAY by 7pm! FOR FREE!!!!!!
 
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