I had a $25 gift card, and there were a couple books I really wanted to get: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter and A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers. The books had just come out, so they were only available in hardcover. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money, so I went back and forth between the two. The more I deliberated, the more irritated I became.
Did I really need to pay $10 more for a hardcover book? If they were both in paperback, I could have bought both books for about $5 more than the cost of just one of the hardcovers.
Then I had to decide if I should just find two other paperbacks and wait for BR and AHFTK to come out in paperback. But that takes months. I could get them from the library, but there's usually a wait for new releases from guys like Walter and Eggers. I was jonesing to read them now. I eventually chose to buy Beautiful Ruins (amazing book by the way-check it out), but I left the store unsatisfied.
If I knew the extra money was going directly to the author, I would be willing to continue buying hardcovers. I'm pretty sure authors don't see much of that extra $10, so then it comes down to what's cheapest for me. Of course, ebooks are often the cheapest way to go, and while I've done a few books on my phone, I'm not sure I'm ready for a full ebook immersion.
I still want to have actual books, especially the books of my favorite writers. Paperbacks aren't so bad. The cover art is still there, and it's not like I'm going to read a book so many times the binding won't hold up. As far as books I can't wait for, well, after this experience, I'm getting pretty comfortable with the idea of buying ebooks on itunes.
I just can't see paying $25 for a new release. Not anymore.
Are your reading habits changing because of economics?
I love real physical books also but the convenience of ebooks has taken over my once firm stance on that. I have a Kindle so not only can I get my ebooks quicker and cheaper, I can also check them out of the Kindle library. (The only catch to that is that you can only check out one book a month so I purposefully wait for a new release). I tend not to read books over and over again since I tend to memorize them anyway and I read 5 to 7 books a week. The ebooks have made my family happier because the wall of books in every room isn't growing as rapidly as before.
ReplyDelete5-7 books a week?! Wow! That's amazing. With that much reading, I can see how ebooks are the best choice-saving $ and space.
DeleteI've a B&N membership with mailed coupons on top of regular discounts which, at least once a month, translate into a 40% savings off a single hardcover -- sometimes near comparable savings on more than one purchase. That's how I go about it. Well, that and I purchase hardcovers from private sellers on Amazon or eBay.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic for a post. I'll be back to see what others say.
Enjoy the Walter.
We've done a membership in the past. Might have to re-up and take advantage of as many coupons as possible. I'll be sure to check Amazon and eBay-good suggestions.
DeleteI HATE hardbacks because of the dust jackets. Also, I kind of abuse my books - bend paperbacks all the way and break the spine, etc, and feel bad trying to do that to hardbacks. I only buy them if I'm getting the book signed by the author or have all the books from the author and MUST. READ. NOW.
ReplyDeleteI have a nook I used to use a LOT, but haven't even turned it on in 6-8 months. I buy a lot of books at used bookstores, but they're older books. Sometimes you can find new books on half.com fairly soon after release.
I haven't bought an eReader because I feel like it will go unused for long stretches like your Nook. For the most part, I'm content with paperbacks and the library, but for new releases it might be time to just download them to my laptop. If it's a book I really like, I can buy the paperback later to have on the bookshelf. We've also talked about getting an ipad.
DeleteAbsolutely. I only buy ebooks now because they are way cheaper and I don't have to concern myself with storage. I'll never buy a hardcover again.
ReplyDeleteI'm still willing to pay for paperbacks, but economics may alter my reading habits even more. Ebooks are so much cheaper, and often better for the author's bottom line anyway, I can easily see myself reading mostly ebooks in the future.
DeleteYes. I rarely buy a hardcover now. And I have enjoyed some e-books; I just miss touching them later. (weird habit I have)
ReplyDeleteI've always been a book borrower. I have been gifted some good books that I own, but most books I have read have been borrowed from a library or a friend or a colleague.
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