SECOND HAND vs BRAND NEW

[laboi_22]

I'm so anal that I've never as long as I've been a reader purchased a used book. I'm not made of money either, but I cherish my books and even when reading I take care of them and save them just in case I can't afford a new one and read one I haven't read in a long time. I have several bookshelves full and I can't seem to re-sell them. I also think that paying full price for the books by authors whom I like I give them what they worked so hard for MONEY! Thats how I would want everyone to think if I were a published author. Just me though!!

 

[Robert]

Most of the books I buy are either second hand or off the sale table. I hate paying anything more for a book then is required. I have only had issue with one used book that had an awful odor because the previous owner was a heavy smoker.

 

[francesca]

I have only had issue with one used book that had an awful odor because the previous owner was a heavy smoker.

That was probably one of mine then, Robert

 

[AnnaRenae86]

I dont have shame from buying secondhand books. If you want a good deal.. buy from the users on Amazon.

But...I cant buy things from secondhand shops here in Memphis. Memphis is full of slums and jerks who try to cheat you.

I bought a second hand book one time and they said the only thing wrong with it was that it was missing the front cover. So I bought it and when I got to the middle I realized that the pages were photocopied... it was weird. I almost wanted to call copyright authorities and notify them. But whatever..

 

[letterHead]

I tend to buy most of my books used, at a 24 hour book sale. I get a years supply and stash them where my wife can't see them and complain about them. For non-fiction and technical books, though, I buy new. If I am going to keep a book, I prefer something tidy looking. As I give away the majority of what I read, I prefer not to spend too much.

 

[SFG75]

no shame in my game
im not too proud to buy from charity / 2nd hand shops
the words are the same

whats the benefit of paying for a boxfresh copy?

Perhaps it looks nicer on the shelf? I don't know, to me, wearing, creases, and markings are a good sign of a book's "character" to me. I go to goodwill a lot just to browse what they have. You'd be amazed at the number of books(actually good quality books) that people give up. Library sales, second-hand book shops, and goodwill are a great way to get the same books that are priced outrageously in your "landline" stores IMHO.

 

[Idril Silmaure]

I love second hand books for their well-worn, old character, it's quite nice..but one thing that annoys me is that you can never really tell which books are going to be there at which time, it's just chance if you find a good book. So if you're after a particular one, it's easier to buy new rather than search around every single charity shop, often without any success..

 

[Twilite]

I tend to buy most of my books new, I like shiny, crisp things and in general avoid second hand items when I can. But I'm a rubbish buyer anyway and always pay more than I need to.
I often buy new from Amazon Marketplace too so I'm not actually supporting the authors like I would if I bought new from the shop (which is bad of me). I guess I wouldn't lose out at all by buying second hand. I guess I'd never considered it before I read this thread.
I keep all the books I read and like them to look reasonable on the shelf, but don't often read books again (at least not yet, there's still thousands of good books I haven't read) so a second hand one sitting on my shelf doing nothing is no different to a new book sitting on my shelf doing nothing, except it'd be a whole lot cheaper! And with Uni coming up, I'm sure not going to be able to be as careless with my money as I am at the moment!

 

[abecedarian]

A first hand copy usually mean I get to pay retail, and it just goes against my grain. I DO like the idea of the author receiving a portion of my purchase price, but when I can wait and find the same book for 0-$2 at a garage sale, or half-price at a used bookstore, my charitable ideas fly out the window. I do buy new books now and then, but one of the plain facts of life around here is there's limited funds, so I have to be careful.

 

[Twilite]

(Past editing time, sorry!)

I do wait for books I want to read (HP being the exception, shamefully) to come out in paperback but this has nothing to do with price, I just don't like reading hardbacks. I find it near impossible to get comfy reading as it is and big bulky books sure don't give me many options!
Why is it that they come out in hardback first? Someone told me it was to see if they were successful, then they went paperback, but surely that's illogical as hardcovers are more expensive?

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

I usually buy second-hand mainly because it is so much cheaper. Even new books can be purchased for half the price when purchased second-hand. I stick to online auction sites rather than second-hand bookstores, though, mainly because there is usually a larger range of titles online but also becuase my nearest second-hand bookstore is 1/2 an hours drive away and I haven't got my license yet.

Why is it that they come out in hardback first? Someone told me it was to see if they were successful, then they went paperback, but surely that's illogical as hardcovers are more expensive?

I think it's because people who are really hanging out for the book (ie most of the world with Harry Potter books ) will go ahead and pay the extra for the hardback to get it straight away. If there was paperback as well, most people would go for the cheaper and the publishers would lose some potential profit. Well, that's my theory anyway.

 

[WoundedThorns]

i generally buy a new copy just b/c i can't find any used books in my area. i wish i could, it'd certainly save me a lot of money.

i actually like the condition of worn books. they're more "homey" if that makes sense. i love the cracks in the spine and worn corners. i used to hate it, but the books more comfortable to hold then.

 

[Gwendolen]

I totally agree with you. Just knowing the book has history behind it, is amazing.

 

[Blindsided]

we have a store in tucson, az called Bookmans. It's the most bad ass store ever. thousands of used books, cds, video games, and other stuff. you can sit around in couches and read, or buy it for a nice cheap used price.

If you ever come to Tucson, definitely take a hour or two to check out Bookmans.

 

[Peder]

I've bought my share of used books, but almost always "used-good" or "used-very-good" And they do occasionally come with lore noted here. However, I haven't found the "used-acceptable" category to be acceptable to me, either in terms of hand, or appearance or for placement on my shelves. So buyer beware! There are used, and then there are used.

To answer OP question, what is so good about new books. Nothing at all, necessarily, but there are those that are simply beautiful, as books, and a pleasure to hold when in pristine condition.

And they pay royalties to the author, if one cares about that.