There has been a lot of news about the trouble book stores are in on the television at the moment. I don't know whether it's coincidence, but the day after Borders in the US announces they are in trouble, the Borders stores in Australia (as well as our other big book store, Angus and Robertson) announces that they are also in trouble.
They are blaming online book stores and e-readers are the main problems for people not buying enough books. And, I can see why. I was so happy when a 2-level Borders opened up just around the corner from me, but that excitement is wearing off because most of the books in there cost $20-$30 or more... most of the ones I want are on the upper price.
Since I can't live without my books, I really have to start looking at the prices. In a supermarket the books are around $10 (not as big a range as Borders, but still cheaper).
At the moment most of my books come from :
- Netgalley... I don't mind reading on my computer
- Kindle... I read on my iPhone, so I have a book wherever I am
- Audible.com ... what would I do without audio books? I can drive while reading, that's fantastic
- Amazon... here's a fact; it costs less to ship a book from the US to Australia than it does to buy a book in Borders. I also follow a lot of international authors who's books don't release here quick enough.
- Book depository... I just started shopping here. Free worldwide delivery, there's nothing wrong with that.
- Australian supermarkets (mainly BigW... think Target)... when I really need a book and it's on special for $10.
Where do you mainly get your books from?
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12 comments:
Borders and A&R are owned by the same Redgroup Retail company.
The last 5 months I've bought a majority of my books from The Book Depository. It is just so much cheaper and I love my Hardcovers better. I can get them for the price of a paperback in say Borders.
I love the bookstores but tbh I don't care if they close...they give me so much grief in terms of spending.
I buy most of my books from the bookstore or from the store's website. Here in Canada we have a Chapters-Which I think is owned by Borders, and in my city Mcnally Robinson, which got into some finicial trouble when they tried to expand. I love the booksstore and hope that they don't all close. I myself haven't seen that instore prices are way higher then online prices.
There is a Borders right down the street from me (and a B&N but they are usually too expensive for me, as Borders usually sends coupons--which they've been doing less of lately...), so I'm partial to Borders. I love exploring the shelves and flipping through books I'm curious about to see if I like the writing. My writing group also meets there, so I'm attached to it I guess...
I do buy quite a few books from Amazon because of the discount and free shipping over $25. Sounds like I need to look into the book depository though :)
I'm still not on the eReader wagon. Once I know authors are getting a better cut from those sales, I might be more inclined.
Yep, its a big bummer to see bookstores in trouble, but its inevitable. They need to lower their prices a bit, concentrating on selling more books than a few at a premium price. In this pitiful economy, (well at least in the US) people just can't afford to spend $20+ dollars on a book when they can just go to amazon.com and get something for a buck or two.
An aside, it sounds like you need to invest in a kindle. I listen to all my kindle books via the text to speech mechanism on my device. The voice is a little strange, but if you give it a chance its really awesome!
PS: I can't wait to read your book Haven I plan on reading and reviewing it for the Debut Author's Challenge. It sounds fantastic! Please say its available in kindle format!
@ Gina, my book is still in progress... had to change the name of it because of the "Haven" that's coming out by Kristi Cook... I'm hoping for next year :D
Honestly, I get most of my books from the library. A few, I buy on Amazon or go to Barnes & Noble. A few, I pick up at Sam's (a discount wholesaler) or Target.
I have to confess, I don't buy books LOL Yeah, shocking, I know! I normally get mine for birthdays and Christmas. Plus my mum reads a lot of the same books as me, and normally passes them on.
I buy most of my books online: mainly from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and the Book Depository (in that order). I've rarely bought anything from Borders, because I've always been more of a B&N kind of girl. I'm sad to hear that they're having trouble, because that means less brick and mortar book stores for book lovers, but as local B&N stays in business, I'll be ok!
I buy most of my stuff online for two reasons. I'm not close to a bookstore and they're always cheaper. Even if I get it from Borders or Barnes and Nobel online.
Here in NZ Borders and Whitcoulls are owned by the same company, and if they go under it leaves a very limited amount of bookshops here. I buy almost all of my books from bookshops because I'm an impulse buyer. If I see a review of a book I want to read, I'll run down to my local Whitcoulls and buy it on the spot. I don't want to wait a week for delivery! I really don't know what I'll do if they close down... :(
I buy most of my books through Amazon. They have the best prices I've seen, especially their bargain books. It's also a lot easier to shop there because I don't have to get in the car and drive anywhere.
I buy almost exclusively by overseas - BookDepository.com, BetterWorldbooks.com (also free worldwide postage) amd Amazon for ebooks.
I also get a lot through NetGalley which I read on my iPod
A Kindle is on my wishlist - right now I just use the Kindle app
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
www.bookdout.wordpress.com
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