So for today's Musings Mondays I thought I would talk about book buying places. Mostly Amazon versus Barnes & Noble.
This weekend was my sister's birthday and my Prime had ended on my Amazon account so I wasn't able to shop on there without paying a shipping & handling fee. So, instead I went to Barnes & Noble and was shocked at how much books cost outside of the internet world. I spent $19 on two soft cover books. One of them was $9 and I bought this book for my roommate a few weeks ago for a little over $5.00 and I bought another soft cover for $10. My Dad bought a hard cover for $20.
I am seriously wondering why books are so expensive outside of amazon? I get that you're paying the store and all, but why is it that going to Barnes & Noble makes me want to shop on Amazon even more? There is very little tax (there used to be no tax, but my state built an Amazon shipping plant so there is now tax) and it is just cheaper.
What do you guys prefer to do? Shopping in person or online?
I do a mix of both. I just love the feel of bookstores and the instant gratification of having the book right away. I hate waiting! And sometimes you can find some good deals in the bargain sections and it's easier for just browsing. I've found online that if I don't know what I want and I just want to browse it's a lot harder. Also, depending on what shipping and handling is, the costs might be the same. However, I shop on Amazon if I know for sure what I want and if I can get it cheeper. I also try to look at the Kindle deals of the day every day just to see if there is something I want under $5. Every once in awhile there will be a book on my to-read list that I don't own yet and then it'll magically be like $2. I NEVER want to miss that!
ReplyDeleteI try to do both, but you're right, online shopping is usually cheaper.
ReplyDeletehttp://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2014/02/musing-mondays_17.html
I do a mix of both. For new books, I usually visit the local Barnes & Noble, but I also buy a lot of used books online via the abebooks site. I love to wander through a "real" bookstore and just browse and buy whatever looks good--but I also like a bargain and will often wait until a book comes out in paperback--and then go online to find a nice used hardcover copy at (usually) at least half the price of a new paperback version. I do like the convenience of buying books online, but there's nothing better than spending a lazy afternoon at a bookstore and coming home with a bag of books!
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a bookshop for browsing, on-line is fine if you know what you want but I also love charity shops and the used paperbacks from Amazon sellers.
ReplyDeleteOnline, mostly, but I usually know what I want and know I am going to like it. Yes, to excerpts and things like that, that let me try it out beforehand.
ReplyDeletemine: http://storytreasury.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/concealed-in-death-out-tomorrow/
Hi sweety!!!
ReplyDeleteLoving your looks, do you want to hype each others latest looks :-)?
Let me know!
xx